Today, one in every four or five babies and toddlers suffer from dry skin. This makes them prone to more serious skin conditions such as eczema. Since their skin is more delicate than adults’ skin, it is important to know the ins and outs of skin care for them.

Causes of Baby Dry Skin

When the baby is born, she is initially covered in a slippery coat of amniotic fluid. During the first several days, her skin may still not be used to such a dry environment and develop patches of dry skin and redness. Dryness in the air, such as during winter and inside heated homes, can also strip her skin of moisture.

Doting parents may be tempted to give the baby daily baths to make sure she stays clean. What most people don’t know is that daily baths are unnecessary, and may actually harm and dry the skin even more. Summer is also a time for swimming in the pool and the ocean, especially for active toddlers. The salt and chlorine have drying effects on the skin and can cause rashes.

Prevention and treatment of baby dry skin

Adding a humidifier or vaporizer in the baby’s room will help control the moisture content in the air and help hydrate her dry skin. When the temperature gets too cold, it is often a better idea to give the baby more clothes to wear instead of turning the heat up; doing so will lower the humidity. During the summer, take steps to protect the baby from sunburn. Give her gloves or mittens during the winter, both to protect against dropping humidity levels and scratching.

When it comes to washing the baby, a bath every three or four days is actually enough to give her a measure of protection against dry skin. As the baby grows and begins to crawl and get dirty, a bath scheduled every other day is reasonable; just make sure to avoid bubble baths as much as possible, as soap and lather tends to dry the skin. It is often enough to simply sponge areas that look dry during the day.

While giving baby a bath, it is advisable to use warm water instead of hot, as hot water dries the skin. It is also a good idea to cut down the bath time to ten minutes or so-any longer will sap most of the moisture from her skin. Don’t use soap on the baby. Instead, use a soap-free, fragrance-free cleanser. Soap, as in every other possible case, dries the skin. Within a few minutes after the bath, pat her dry and apply a moisturizer, lotion, or emollient. This will lock in the moisture her skin took in from the bath and keep her skin supple until the next bath time. Make sure the moisturizer has no dyes and heavy perfumes, as these can irritate and dry skin.

When washing the baby’s clothes, wash them in a batch separate from the clothes of other members of the family. Do not use laundry soap and fabric softeners on her clothes, as the detergents can irritate her dry skin and cause allergies. Tea-tree oil and baking soda has been advised in the past as a substitute for laundry detergents. During the day, make sure the child isn’t dressed too tightly, and try to avoid any wool or nylon in her wardrobe. Wool, as well as other synthetic materials, has rough edges which easily causes irritation, especially on the baby’s delicate skin. Disposable and cloth diapers are both fine and acceptable for babies. There is only one rule to remember about diapers: if it’s wet, change it. Many parents leave disposable diapers on their babies for too long, until the core bursts and exposes the baby’s skin to more than just wetness.

Toddlers love to play in the water, and trips to the beach or the pool are often in order during the summer. To protect against dry skin caused by salt and chlorine, rinse the child completely in tap water after swimming, then apply a good moisturizer. As a general rule for children, the thicker the moisturizer, the better.

Consult your doctor

Regularly check your child’s skin for any dry skin and redness. While eczema is often treatable with regular applications of moisturizers, it is often best to see the child’s doctor if the redness does not disappear or if the child is always uncomfortable. Red, dry skin may also be an indication of icthyosis, a genetic medical condition. As dry skin gets worse, it may break, swell, or get infected.

It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor if your child’s dry skin problems worry you. Schedule a visit if her dry skin does not respond to home treatments.

By: Della Franklin

There are a variety of baby skin conditions and rashes out there and the best baby skin care prevention and treatment is to know what they are and what you can do about them.

Baby acne, is acne that happens on babies instead of adults. It is caused by the mother’s hormones coursing through the child’s blood stream. It generally occurs when your baby is two to three months old, and can last up to 4 to 6 weeks or more. Baby acne is normally noticed as red bumps on your child’s skin or face. Treating baby acne is fairly easy; the first baby skin care treatment is to keep the baby’s skin clean, and cool but not cold. Babies need warmth and if it’s too cold or too hot, it can hurt her, also avoid acne medicines and use only a mild soap to wash her with.

Another common problem is birthmarks; they can appear and are generally found around the head. If they are bigger than 1 and a half centimeters and closer to the spine, the bigger the problem they can cause. You need to have your pediatrician check her over thoroughly and if the doctor feels it is necessary, run a few tests. The birthmarks can be removed; however, caution is always advisable.

There are a few varieties of birthmarks and your doctor can help you to determine what type it is and what treatments are necessary.

The most common varieties are Stork bites, angel kisses, salmon patches, vascular stains; then the Café au lait spots, moles, Port-wine stains, or nevus flammeus, and Hemangioma. Knowing what type is half the battle on what needs to be and can be done.
Another very common and very frustrating condition is Cradle Cap; it is basically baby dandruff. Baby dandruff normally comes around when she is about three months old and can last several weeks. The severity of cradle cap can vary from one baby to the next as well as the treatments for it. The milder cases can generally be taken care of with No Tears baby shampoo. With the more extreme cases, many parents turn to olive oil and a soft comb designed just for her.

The most common and absolutely frustrating is diaper rash; it is more of a pain to your little girl than it is to you. Diaper rashes can be caused by a variety of things, especially the diapers themselves. Diaper rashes appear in different ways but if your little girl’s bottom is red and she is extremely irritable, then chances are she has it. There are a variety of natural cures and creams available for you to try. Your doctor can help you to determine the treatment and cure.

Just as there are numerous boys and girls, there are many rashes and skin conditions that can plague them. Your best bet with baby skin care is to be patient, ask plenty of questions and show your baby nothing but love and attention.

By: Bonnie Edgar

A newborn’s skin is soft and delicate. Proper skin care and bathing can help maintain the health and texture of the baby’s skin. It is important to understand that to take care of Baby’s skin the most natural way is often best. Newborn baby may have some skin conditions that seem unusual to you. Most are fairly common such as Baby acne is a red, pimply rash on the face. Generally, it disappears over time. Cutis marmorata is a condition where the skin looks like pinkish-blue marble when exposed to cold temperatures. Erythema toxicum is a common, splotchy red rash that can affect newborns. Some have firm yellow or white bumps surrounded by a flare of red. The rash tends to come and go on different parts of the body. Vernix is a greasy white substance that coats and protects baby’s skin in the mother’s uterus. Some babies are born with lots of vernix still on their skin.

Milia are tiny whiteheads on your baby’s face. It is harmless and can be washed or wiped off. Crusty patches on scalp. Overactive glands in your baby’s scalp can cause cradle cap. If so, use a mild soap containing olive, coconut, or palm oil and possibly herbal extracts such as calendula. Contrary to popular thought, most babies may only need to be bathed two or three times a week or every other day. Baths can be given any time of day. Bathing before a feeding often works well. Sponge baths are required at first. Bathing in a tub of water should wait until the baby’s umbilical cord falls off, and a baby boy’s circumcision heals, to prevent infection. Contact dermatitis can develop after your baby’s skin comes into contact with something irritating or that she’s allergic to. Keep your child’s skin moist. After bathing, apply moisturizer within three minutes to retain the moisture in the skin. Avoid sudden temperature changes.

Avoid using soap if possible and do not scrub skin with washcloth. If soap is needed, use mild, moisturizing, unscented soap. Heat rash also problem baby skin and causes little bumps on the skin that can show up when your baby overheats. Keep your baby comfortably cool by dressing him in loose-fitting, light cotton clothing, especially in warm, humid weather. Massaging lotions and oils into your baby’s skin can relieve irritation. But anything you use should be free of petrochemicals , which are themselves irritants. Premature babies skin is even more delicate, so it is important to withhold all products until their approximate due date, as their skin takes longer to mature. If your baby is overdue, his/her skin may well be dry and cracked. Don’t be tempted to use any creams or lotions. If night-time itching is a problem, use a cold, damp washcloth to soothe the child’s skin.

Baby Skin Care Tips

1. Babies’ skin needs cleaning and cares for a healthy function during their growth.

2. Humidity causes macerations. Don’t use talc. It is abrasive and irritates the skin.

3. Protect baby skin from sunburn as well as associated problems such as freckles and premature wrinkles.

4. Avoid frequent baths for eczema.

5. Keep baby’s skin from becoming dry and itchy by adding non-allergenic oil to the bathwater.

6. If your baby has seborrheic dermatitis, a mild hydrocortisone cream (0.5%) is safe and usually effective.

7. Apply unscented petroleum jelly or a cream with zinc oxide to the skin of the diaper area to protect and lubricate for diaper rash.

8. Avoid using baby powder or talc.

By: Juliet Cohen