Home Articles Skin Care at Home

 It is natural for any mother to be worried about dry skin patches on their baby. Babies are more susceptible to dry skin as compared to adults. Their skin is more delicate and sensitive to the surroundings and environment around them. A lot of reasons could be the cause for your child’s dry skin. Indoor heating and the cold dry air outdoors, sometimes may be the culprit that robs your baby’s skin of moisture in winter. Summers can also be the cause of dry skin, mainly due to the hot summer sun and air conditioning, especially if your child’s skin is prone to dryness. A hot summer calls for frequent use of the pool, salt and chlorine water are also be factors that contribute to dry skin.

Dry skin can vary from being mild to serious. In mild cases, the skin may appear to be rough and/or flaky. Severe cases of dry skin may cause itching and may show signs of cracking. In most cases, dry skin in babies isn’t a cause for medical concern and can be fixed at home. Some home remedies for dry skin in babies are:

• Care During and after Bath – bathing can strip the body off its natural oils along with dirt, so it is important to replenish the skin with the moisture it has lost. Use special baby soaps that are fragrance free. Normal soaps can contain harsh chemicals that don’t work well on children’s skin. Babies love playing in the tub, let your baby play in just normal and non soapy water before wash time. Limit bubble baths for only special occasions. And cut down your child’s bath time to a maximum of 10 minutes.

• Moisturize – after bath, gently towel dry your baby and apply moisturizer immediately. This locks the moisturizer into the skin. Choose your baby’s moisturizer carefully; ensure it is free of fragrances, alcohol and other chemicals that could prove harsh on a child’s skin. Olive oil and vitamin E oils are safe to use on babies. Ointments are said to work better than creams.

• Preventing Dehydration – lack of fluids can sometimes cause dehydration as it sucks off the moisture from the skin. Make sure your child gets his necessary fluid intake to avoid skin dehydration.

• Using a Humidifier – indoor heating and air conditioning can cause the skin to become dry. Put a humidifier in your child’s room at night and when he is sleeping, this will help keep your baby’s skin soft and moist.

• Frequent Diaper Change – wet diapers contribute to dry skin. A wet bottom causes diaper rash and worsens dry skin. changing your baby’s diaper will help keep his bottom dry.

• Using Cotton Clothing – cotton helps the skin breathe as compared to other materials like rayon, wool, polyester etc. Cotton helps your baby’s skin stay moist.

• Using Petroleum Jelly – petroleum jelly locks in the natural moisture in the skin as well as acts as a rehydrating agent. After bath, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly on your baby’s skin,

• Using Aloe Vera – aloe has natural hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties. You can either use aloe extract by breaking a leaf in half or commercially available gels. Aloe vera is absorbed into the skin and provides the moisture to your child’s skin.

• Using Oatmeal – Oatmeal has rich moisturizing qualities that helps soothe irritated skin and provides moisture and nourishment to the skin. For an oatmeal bath, grind one third cup of slow cooking or organic oatmeal into a fine powder. Sprinkle the oatmeal powder into a tub of warm water.
  

If your baby’s skin shows signs of eczema or turns red in color, consult a pediatrician.

References

1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001965.htm

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

 More articles from the Skin Care at Home Category