When 8-month-old Harper’s skin was at its worst, her mum Georgia, said she looked like a burns victim. Bright red, flaking and bleeding, Harper’s skin flared up in reaction to a number of allergies which took a while to diagnose.
Knowing now that she is allergic to dairy, egg, coconut and wheat, Georgia is better able to manage Harper’s skin condition – but not before a traumatic six-month journey which left her skin ‘in tatters’.
I met Harper and her mum Georgia, as their story resonates with so many and I wanted to give them a hug for sharing theirs with you.
How it began
Harper was just 10 weeks old when the first signs of her allergies became apparent. Initially her skin looked like she had a pinkish sunburn but it quickly escalated to being bright red, blistered and bleeding.
“We were first told Harper had a skin infection but antibiotics didn’t clear it up,” recalls Georgia. “A dermatologist said it wasn’t eczema and suggested Harper has a dairy intolerance. That proved right and we also found she is allergic to eggs, wheat and coconut.”
Rapid deterioration
While these tests and diagnoses were taking place, Harper’s skin deteriorated rapidly with her face, hands and ankles constantly red, sore and cracked. She was prescribed a range of steroid and medicated creams which helped reduce the inflammation but left her skin very dry. “Harper’s skin felt like sandpaper – especially around her hands and ankles,” says Georgia. “We tried all sorts of things – from paraffin-based creams that made her really slippery and came off on her clothes to oat baths and antibiotics. She had some temporary relief but as soon as we stopped using the products, her skin flared up again.
“I’ve lost count of the number of specialists we’ve seen and the damage from the inflammation combined with Harper scratching until she bled had left her skin in tatters. Meanwhile, she had these stubborn patches of eczema that even after weeks of treatment just wouldn’t budge.”
Immediate relief
Eventually, Georgia found a solution in Skin:Genius Cream Come True, suggested by a homeopath. “I was a bit sceptical at first but we had nothing to lose so we gave it a go,” says Georgia. “Straight away, the cream seemed to soothe Harper and softened the dry patches. The difference in just five days was astonishing!
Within four days, for the first time in six months, her hands weren’t sore or dry. After a week, her whole body was baby smooth with just a little soreness on her ankles which is still improving.
"It’s nothing short of a miracle and has changed all our lives, not least because Harper now sleeps six or seven hours straight through the night and so can we! Before using Skin:Genius, she’d wake in pain scratching or because her wet nappy was hurting her broken skin.”
Making up for lost time
Georgia applies Cream Come True to Harper’s face and hands before and after mealtimes to protect Harper’s skin: she’s now happy to eat whereas before she often cried as the food was hurting her sore skin. Another big change is the development in her dexterity. When Harper’s hands were so painful, she avoided using them to pick things up and play. Georgia was worried about her delayed development, but Harper is catching up quickly now.
Following the success of Cream Come True, Georgia started to use the Skin:Genius Oil Day Long. “We apply the oil straight after her bath when her skin is still damp and it sinks in wonderfully well. We also found it got rid of Harper’s thick, scaly cradle cap after just two uses: it simply peeled off and hasn’t returned!
“The Skin:Genius products are a revelation. They smell wonderful and feel luxurious and comforting on the skin. Harper can get dressed straight away after using the products and her skin feels soft for hours afterwards.”
Looking ahead
As Georgia prepares to return to work in November after her maternity leave, she’s relieved that Harper’s skin is under control before going to a childminder. Harper still has occasional skin reactions but with SkinGenius it quickly calms and clears.
“I really feel we’re turned a corner now for Harper,” says Georgia. “Her skin is super sensitive from using steroids but we are already seeing an improvement and believe it’s repairing well and looking stronger.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried for her and her uncomfortable skin and struggle to talk about it to be honest,” continues Georgia. “Looking back at her pictures, I realise how bad it was with her skin full of angry weeping wounds. I’m so relieved to have found a natural solution and thank Skin:Genius from the bottom of my heart for helping Harper heal.”
