Kristine’s son, Archie, was born without an immune system and has therefore lived with extremely vulnerable skin and recurring eczema since early childhood. For Archie, skincare is not about routines or rituals. It’s about what he can tolerate.

We spoke to Kristine about a daily life shaped by treatments, patience and care – and about finding products that a child can actually use.

In 2018, Kristine introduced her son to HERO, which has since been a constant companion throughout Archie’s childhood. 

Kristine’s son, Archie, was born without an immune system. This means his skin constantly reacts – often severely. To treatment. To cold weather. To soap. To the everyday things that, for most people, are simply part of daily life.

Eczema has been a recurring part of his life, often as a side effect of the very treatments meant to help him.

Read the story of a mother and her son – and about life with skin that requires constant attention.

Tell us about your son's history with eczema
“My son, Archie, was born without an immune system. So he has extremely vulnerable skin.

We’ve been through so many processes – fungal infections, molluscum contagiosum and all sorts of other things. And every single time we’ve treated something, the eczema has followed afterwards.

It’s as if the skin becomes extra thin and sensitive because we’ve had to use stronger products prescribed by the doctor to treat the other issues. And then the eczema appears as a consequence.”

Over the years, the eczema has appeared in many forms and degrees.

“Sometimes he’s had eczema from his hands almost all the way up under his arms. It itches terribly, and he scratches it. And I can’t really stop that process.”

Has anything triggered it – or made it worse?
“It’s especially bad in winter. The cold really affects his skin.”

How does it affect him – and you as a mother?
“Archie becomes very stressed by it. I don’t think he always notices it himself, but I can see that he scratches. And he scratches at night, so he doesn’t sleep properly, and that affects his whole day.”

For Kristine, it’s a feeling of helplessness.

“It’s incredibly frustrating, because sometimes I feel like I can’t help him. We’re constantly in the middle of a treatment. ‘Now we have to apply this, now we have to try something else.’ Fortunately, he’s very patient.”

Tell us about your first experiences with HERO.

“I think we were almost among the first to buy it – we’ve used it since 2018–2019, since Archie was eight or nine. We use HERO because we’ve tried everything else.

HERO was used especially a lot during the Covid period, when they had to wash their hands constantly at school. I even bought a large bottle for the school. Every time he washed his hands, the teachers were told to apply HERO after the hand sanitiser.

His skin looks better than it ever has, so we don’t need to use HERO quite as often anymore.”

How does your son experience the effect of HERO on his skin?
“Archie doesn’t like products that feel greasy or take a long time to absorb. It irritates him. But HERO is different.”

For Archie, skincare isn’t about routines or rituals. It’s about what’s bearable.

“He’s not very fond of soap, probably because it stings and irritates him. After a bath, I can apply HERO all over his body almost like a full-body treatment.

My selling point to Archie is that it absorbs very quickly. It’s not sticky, it doesn’t smell, it’s not greasy. He only has to stand still for a moment, and it’s already absorbed – and then he can get on with his life. I really think it has changed the course of his journey.”

“I’ve been able to see the effect of HERO, because he doesn’t have eczema to the same extent as before. I can see that now, at 14, his skin is much better than it has been for many years.”

How do you talk to your child about skincare and treatment?
“Archie is autistic, so he likes things explained very simply and very precisely. I just say: Now your skin itches. Now we apply this. And then the itching stops. HERO has been one of the easiest products to teach my son about. It’s very light, and we can use it all over the body.”

Kristine uses it herself too.

“I use HERO on my scalp if I have an itchy scalp after washing my hair. It’s become one of those products the whole family uses, and that makes it even easier.”

How is his skin today?
“When he was little, he had eczema nine or ten months a year. It was constant – up and down. Sometimes we were battling it 24 hours a day.”

Now it’s different.

“It might flare up a little on his hands, and then we’re more dedicated for a period – and then it settles again. It’s no longer constant.”

What do you think has made the biggest difference?
“It’s hard to say. Whether it’s the lactose-free diet, age, or that we’ve been consistent and used HERO through most of his childhood – I don’t know.

But we believe in our formulas.”

Do you have any advice for other parents?
“Keep it simple – and show quickly that it works. ‘Now your skin itches. Now we apply this. And then it stops.’ It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that.”

Atopic eczema, also known as “childhood eczema”, is the most common chronic skin condition in children. Studies show that around 20% of the Danish population experiences the condition during childhood. Most grow out of it, but for some, the symptoms continue later in life.

HERO is developed based on scientific studies showing the skin’s need for a stable pH level – including in cases of dry skin, eczema, rosacea and wound healing.

Award-winning HERO pH solution restores the skin’s pH value instantly. When pH is balanced, the skin barrier – your skin’s protective defence – is strengthened.