Dr Emily Gan, Consultant from the Dermatology Service at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), will address your questions about common childhood skin conditions.
Common Childhood Skin Conditions Doctor Q&A
Most children may have a skin condition at some point in time. Common childhood skin conditions include eczema, urticaria, ringworm, warts, molluscum contagiosum and insect bites, all which can be treated safely and effectively.
Dr Emily Gan, Senior Consultant from the
Dermatology Service at
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), a member of the
SingHealth group, will address your questions about common childhood skin conditions.
This Ask The Specialist forum has closed. Thank you for your interest and participation.
1. Question by d******
15 year old with eczema in legs. what is the recommended treatment? usual creams etc precribed by GP not working
Answered by Dr Gan:
Eczema is generally managed with frequent use of moisturisers, use of gentle cleanser for shower and topical anti-inflammatory medications such as topical corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors. There may be several reasons why the creams which have been prescribed are not working, including inadequate amount or duration of application, inappropriate strength of medicated cream, persistence of eczema triggers, etc. I would advise you to bring him to seek further assessment with a dermatologist.
2. Question by L****
Dear Doctor,
Can you recommend me where can I purchase the non-steroidal creams for my daughter's eczema treatment? Which brand?
She is 5 years old now.
Thanks.
Answered by Dr Gan:
If you are referring to moisturisers, they are non-prescription items and are available over-the-counter in hospital or retail pharmacies. It is prudent to choose a moisturiser that does not contain fragrance and generally, it is better to choose creams or ointments over lotions for a child with eczema. Most importantly, choose a moisturiser which your daughter will accept and allow you to apply generously and frequently.
If you are referring to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicated topicals such as Tacrolimus or Pimecrolimus, these are only available with a doctor's prescription. Therefore, I would advise you to seek a dermatologist’s advice and assessment regarding the need to use these topicals.
3. Question by H****
Hi morning Dr Emily,
My 6 months boy has got eczema over his neck and face area.
I tried using silver gel argasol, coconut oil (Tropicana) and ezerra plus. However, it flares on and off, causing discomfort and redness all over the region. What can I do to help him with his condition?
Thanks
Answered by Dr Gan:
It is common for children to have eczematous rashes on the neck and face area during infancy. It can be due to a combination of reasons such as genetic inheritance of eczema tendencies, irritation from saliva or sweat and in your case, the use of silver gel or coconut oil may induce more irritation or perhaps contact allergies.
I would advise you to keep the affected areas dry, i.e. use a smooth cloth to gently dab away any drool regularly. Stop using the silver gel and coconut oil. Use a fragrance-free moisturiser to the area frequently (every few hours) and if the redness does not subside or if the rashes turn oozy, please bring your son to a dermatologist for an assessment so that appropriate anti-inflammatory treatment can be given and the possibility of fungal infection can be ruled out.
4. Question by o*******
Hi
Issit advisable to wipe down (with a handchief damped with water ) when the kid have eczema problem.
Answered by Dr Gan:
In children with eczema, it is fine to wipe down their skin with a damp towel or handkerchief, as long as the cloth is not rough. It would be useful to wipe away sweat, as excessive sweating can trigger eczema flares. Baths or showers should be limited to once or twice daily and it is advisable to use lukewarm water, gentle soapless cleansers or bath oils. Showers should also be limited to a short duration, e.g. 5 minutes
5. Question by Anonymous
Hello Dr Gan, my child is about 5 months old and started with a few patches of scaley skin around the thigh, then neck and then face. Only some on the thigh appears to have faint red rings, hence I can only guess it's ringworm. I have been using over the counter anti fungal cream and the redness had gone, leaving just scaley patches.
May I ask how I may be able to tell if the skin had been completely treated of the fungus?
Would the scaley skin be gone?
Additionally, how can I differentiate between fungal infection on the face compared to normal rashes? Will creams like Desitin/Drapolene (marketed as meant for nappy rash) be useful for normal rashes on the face too?
I have been using soap-free bath wash for my child, and I read that it would be good to use non-scented moisturisers to prevent rashes for babies' skin. Is it ok to use, since my child may have ringworm? Would it instead create a moist environment for the fungus to spread?
Apologies for the many questions. Just pretty confused over the best way for better skin health for my child.
Answered by Dr Gan:
I would advise you to bring your child to a dermatologist for assessment because ring-like (or annular) rashes may be due to fungal skin infection or eczema, among other causes. Scaliness could be attributed to dryness of the skin or may sometimes be seen in certain resolving rashes, so it would be good to let your child be examined. The dermatologist who sees your child would then be able to advise on whether regular use of moisturisers will be useful for him/ her.
Facial rashes in babies are often due to a combination of reasons including irritation from saliva, atopic dermatitis and sometimes fungal skin infection. The creams that you have mentioned are typically used as barrier creams for the diaper area and I would not advise using them for the face.
6. Question by m********
My 15 month old was born with a black mole on the leg, currently measuring 1 x 1.2cm. Is there increased risk of skin cancer given the size? I wish to have it removed, at what age should I bring her to see a specialist?
Answered by Dr Gan:
Congenital moles (or congenital melanocytic naevi) are classified according to projected adult size. Your child’s mole would likely fall into the medium category. The risk of skin cancer arising from the mole is generally low in such patients. However, it is good to bring him/her to a dermatologist as the dermatologist can teach you how to do mole checks and suspicious changes to look out for. If the mole looks normal on examination, there is no urgency to remove it. If it is purely for cosmetic reasons, I would suggest elective surgical removal at least after the age of 1 year, or even better, after the age of 3 years, to reduce risks associated with general anaesthesia.
About Dr Emily Gan
Dr Emily Gan, Senior Consultant, Dermatology Service, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (Honours). She subsequently attained her postgraduate qualifications from the Royal College of Physicians (UK) and National University of Singapore (Master of Medicine - Internal Medicine).
Dr Gan manages both children and adults with skin, hair and/or nail problems and her sub-specialties include paediatric dermatology and pigmentary disorders. She teaches medical students and residents regularly, and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor with Duke-NUS Medical School.
Ref: M19
