Skin Care World

Eight-year-old Louise Lomax has never had a full night’s sleep. She has been covered in scabs and raw skin from head to foot since birth. At times, eczema has made her life traumatic. Until now.

Louise’s eczema is under control because she’s wearing bandages shaped like garments, which are easy to put on and when used with an emollient help keep her skin moisturised to cut down her scratching. What’s more, the garments stop her feeling “different” at school.

Louise is one of thousands of children being introduced to Tubifast Garments - two-way stretch vests, tights, leggings and socks which can be worn on top of a thick layer of emollient (medical moisturiser) to keep the skin moist – a vital part of eczema management.

Her mother Helen (34) says the garments have been a godsend. “Louise has had eczema since she was two days old. Putting wet bandages on top of her heavily moisturised skin is called wet wrapping and was a way to try and keep her skin moist, reduce the itching and stop her clawing at her skin and making it raw.

“But bandaging is such a long process and trying to restrain an itching, upset child for long enough to get the bandages on was traumatic for both of us. Then she learnt to wriggle out of them in the night so it would all have been for nothing!

“Tubifast Garments are an incredible breakthrough for us because they’re easy to put on – just like clothes in fact. They’re discreet and can be worn underneath her school clothes and she can’t wriggle out of them. So she’s getting the benefits of wet wrapping without the stress, upset and battles.”

The garments have been such a hit with Louise, even friends and teachers have noticed a change in her. “She has more confidence at school because the garments are less conspicuous. And because she can’t get out of them at night, we’re both getting more sleep, she concentrates more at school and is more playful and content. She really is a different person.”

The names have been changed for the privacy of the individuals mentioned.