Self-Care Guidelines
The most important self-care measure for treating nummular dermatitis is to keep the skin moist. Help your child try the following:
- Non-soap cleansers such as Cetaphil® or moisturizing soaps such as Dove®.
- Thick moisturizers such as petroleum jelly (Vaseline®), Aquaphor® ointment, Eucerin® cream, CeraVe® cream, or Cetaphil cream, applied to damp skin after daily bathing.
- Measures to reduce exposure to heat, humidity, detergents/soaps, abrasive clothing, chemicals, smoke, and stress.
- Fragrance-free laundry detergent.
- Keep your home humid with a humidifier or by setting out bowls of water, especially in the bedroom.
- Over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream twice daily or lotions with menthol and phenol (Sarna® lotion) to relieve itching.
When to Seek Medical Care
See your child's doctor or a dermatologist if you see no improvement with self-care measures or if the condition gets worse.
Signs and Symptoms
