Occasionally I get letters that make me cry and celebrate at the same time. I received this letter shortly before Christmas — it was the best Christmas present I could have imagined. I hope this little boy has a normal life from now on:
A.J. Lumsdaine

My name is Katrina Featherston and I have 2 sons, ages 8 and 3. My 3-year-old has always had smooth baby skin, but from the day I brought my first son home from the hospital, his skin was not smooth and soft. He has always had “sandpaper” skin even on his good days. He has spent his entire life living in misery because his skin continually itched and burned. At times he would cry. At times I would cry because it hurt my soul to see him suffer. Doctors never really offered any clear solutions to the problem. Food allergies were to blame. I have read every label in the grocery store. He spent the entire first 2 1/2 years of his life on a limited diet of chicken, apples, pears, barley and nutramigen formula. This diet did not even come close to solving his problems, but seemed to help him not bleed. He was classified as having severe atopic dermatitis.

I just happened to read your article about soaps versus detergents and saw a picture of your baby. Your baby looked just like my son. My son’s mouth was always red and scabby and his neckline would often bleed from his pajamas. At age 8, my son’s neckline reminds me of red leather and the pressure points behind his knees and elbows are often bloody.

I ordered laundry soap, bar soap, shampoo, and dishwasher soap from Cal Ben Soap Company last week. I started my son on these products last Tuesday. Last night he looked at me and said that he feels better now than he ever has. He said “Look Mommy, my tummy is soft.” I looked at him and his eczema is 90% gone. All without steroids, protopic, elidel, or creams. He looks better today than he ever has.

I am so thankful and grateful that my son’s eczema is on the healing road, but in the same breath, he has suffered for 8 years and no dermatologist, allergist, or pediatrician has ever suggested switching from detergent to soap.

Thank you so much for your insightful website and sharing your story. Sometimes the best advice comes from loving and caring moms.

Katrina E. Featherston