Want an insane fact?
Did you know that the skin of your little baby is actually 5 times more sensitive than yours?
Your baby’s skin is extremely delicate and sensitive to its surroundings. Whether it’s during the summer or winter, their skin always loses moisture rapidly, which often makes it very dry. So, let us take a look at some of the causes of dry skin in infants.
In the womb, babies are covered in vernix, which is basically a thick coating that protects their skin from amniotic fluids. However, after birth, the vernix is wiped off for their body, which usually results in some peeling or flaking, and this all leads to a drier skin. There are a number of lesser known causes such as the use of heaters during the winter and ACs during the summer, both will actually lead to moisture loss from the baby’s skin. Also, bathing the baby too much will strip his skin from of the extra oils and moisture needed to stay hydrated.
Some of these causes are harder to control than others, but regardless, here are a number of pointers to help you take care of your little sunshine’s skin!
Use a humidifier
This is a very simple addition and will be of tremendous help because humidifiers will help with adjusting the humidity levels and removing the “dryness” from the air.
Avoid direct sun exposure
Ultraviolet rays are harmful for adults, so we cannot begin to image how harmful they can be for newborns. That’s why it is better to avoid direct sunlight. The best tip here is to utilize a stroller with a sunshade in order to get the vitamin D benefits of sunlight, but at the same time, avoid the direct exposure. You can also buy them some wide-brimmed hats to protect them from the direct rays.
Oil massage
Time for another insane fact: baby skin dries out twice as fast as an adult’s skin! Therefore, it is quite important to always keep them moisturized with oils especially ones that are specialized for babies like baby balm.
Apply petroleum jelly
Petroleum jelly is known for fighting dryness by “locking” moisture in the skin.
Calendula
When you mix the calendula herb with coconut oil, it becomes an amazing remedy for dry skin (make sure to consult your doctor first if your baby has eczema)
You might be wondering now, how can we prevent the dry skin in the first place?
- Do not bathe them too frequent
- Always massage them with baby skin friendly oil
- Always use lukewarm water because hot water strips essential oils from the baby’s skin
- We cannot stress this enough, please use only baby product for your baby (even the laundry detergent used to wash your baby’s clothes should be “baby-friendly”)
- When possible, pat the excess moisture off your baby’s skin
- If your baby loves spending a long time in bathes, then make sure it is just plain water and not soapy water
- Clothes will not allow moisture to evaporate from your child’s skin, so always keep your baby as covered as possible.
It should be noted that sometimes dry skin is indicative of a medical condition, where sometimes dry patches and redness could be eczema or atopic dermatitis. Also, Ichthyosis is a rare condition where the skin becomes very dry, scaly and red. It is also accompanied by the thickening of the skin in certain areas. In cases like these, a dermatologist should be contacted immediately for their professional evaluation.
All in all, dryness of skin is extremely common amongst babies, so most of the time there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Just make sure to follow the tips outlined at the top to make sure that your little sunshine is shining brighter every day!