I have eczema that flares up badly in the spring and summer months. I've used a steroid cream for years and it always made the skin with eczema lighter than the rest of my skin. I'm not sure if that has to do with the actual eczema and scratching, but it could have something to do with the steroids.

Now, though, I use either Protopic or Elidel and that helps a lot. Elidel has been proved safe for children as young as two years old, and the best part is that it's not a steroid. Protopic also isn't a steroid, but works for moderate/severe eczema. Both have to be prescribed by a physician.

Has anyone heard/used PROTOPIC, ELIDEL creams for Eczema? They are non steriod creams.

I just heard this on the news the other day. Elidel causes cancer in animals and now they are investigating further. I tried a sample of elidel on my son's face when he first got the eczema and I think it bothered him or burned or something. Trust me... I have been using the steriod creams off and on my son for a year and he is ok. The dermatologist will tell you how to use it so that you can gradually wean him off it. Once he is weaned off it there is the likelyhood the eczema will come back but when it does it is much easier to treat. My sons will flare up from time to time but when it does we put the cream on and it goes away instantly. It made me so mad cause my son's face looked terrrible and he had it on his head too. He would scratch like crazy and he was only 2 months old. My pediatrician wasn't concerned at all and didn't even suggest any medicine or suggest we see a dermatologist. All he said was "oh yup hes got some eczema going on, no big deal." The best part was that when I saw the dermatologist he prescribed me an antihystimine to give my baby for the itching. Once the eczema cleared up we didn't have to use it anymore.