A $16.50 eczema cream originally made for cows completely healed my skin and changed my life
- I had dermatitis as a child which reappeared as severe adult eczema in my early 20s.
- Nothing doctors recommended worked, and my skin was bright red and covered in irritated bumps, with the eczema tearing away layers of my skin.
- A fellow eczema sufferer told me about a $16.50 cream called MooGoo Irritable Skin Balm, and it has completed changed my life.
- The product has become my go-to whenever I notice that I'm on the verge of another eczema flare-up.
I know as well as anyone how painful and uncomfortable eczema can be, and how frustrating it is when no products seem to relieve that itchy feeling.
That's why I was shocked when it was a $16.50 cream — MooGoo Irritable Skin Balm — that completely healed my eczema, and ultimately changed my life.
As a child, I experienced severe dermatitis in the corner of my arms. It was so red and irritable that the itching would keep me up at night.
My mom — the genius that she is — took me to a natural health store near our at-the-time Sydney, Australia home and bought me a balm made out of chickweed, a plant that's often used as a cooling herbal remedy. Soon enough, my dermatitis calmed down, and I eventually grew out of the uncomfortable skin condition.
My dermatitis came back when I was an adult
15 years later, I had started my first full-time office job when the dermatitis came back. This time, it was much worse.
Triggered by stress, I had developed eczema all over my hands, leaving them incredibly itchy and sore. On bad days my hands would be bright red and covered in irritated bumps, and the eczema would tear away layers of my skin. On the "good" days, my skin would still be sore and dry.
The eczema became so bad that I could no longer wash my hands with most soaps on the market, so I had to bring my own soap into work to wash with. I wouldn't even shake other people's hands, both due to the pain I knew it would cause and the embarrassment I wanted to avoid.
Desperate for something that would relieve the pain and get rid of the unsightly symptoms, I finally decided to make a doctor's appointment.
The doctor's recommendations didn't work
My doctor recommended a prescription steroid cream. I tried it for a few weeks but barely noticed a difference.
I wasn't noticing the results I was after. Although the cream seemed to reduce the inflammation and irritation a little bit, my hands were still sore and itchy. I had to continue the hunt.
The woman at my local chemist recommended another face and body balm, but not only did it smell funny, it didn't seem to make much of a difference.
I was beyond frustrated.
I struck gold after speaking to a young girl about her own battle with eczema
It wasn't until I interviewed a young girl for an article about her own battle with eczema that I finally struck gold.
She told me she had dealt with painful eczema her whole life, to the point where she had never worn skirts, dresses, or shorts as she didn't want to show it off. She was then recommended the MooGoo Irritable Skin Balm (called Sensitive Skin Balm in the UK) — and her life was changed forever.
Longing for anything that would have some positive effect on my skin, I purchased it as soon as I hopped off the call.
Within mere days of using it, my eczema was almost completely gone. The unsightly patches of flakey skin on the palm of my hands were almost healed. I wasn't experiencing any pain, and my skin had finally stopped cracking.
MooGoo Skin Care founder Craig Jones created the cream after he saw his mum using a white paste intended for chafed cow udders to soothe her psoriasis.
The balm contains aloe vera and centella asiatica, according to MooGoo's website, and also includes natural oils like sweet almond and olive oil. Centella asiatica is a plant native to the wetlands in Asia that is often used as a medicinal herb.
Dermatologist Adam Friedmann, from The Harley Street Dermatology Clinic, told Insider there are a couple of reasons why the product may help with eczema.
"The emollient effect of using oil-based products is very useful in the treatment of eczema," Friedmann told Insider. "Also plant extracts are often antioxidants, so they may reduce inflammation to a degree."
I now recommend the cream to anyone who will listen, and I make sure to have a bottle of it on me at all times.
I still get flare-ups, but the cream makes them go away
Although my eczema isn't as severe as it used to be, I still experience flare-ups. The MooGoo balm has been especially crucial during the pandemic, as I've been regularly washing my hands with soaps that make my eczema erupt.
Each time I wash my hands, I make sure to lather the balm on afterwards to avoid any irritation, and it usually makes the inflammation go away.
The cream is the first thing I reach for whenever my eczema returns, and it won't be leaving my bedside table any time soon.
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