Taking care of your baby’s health is a full-time job and there is a long list of things that you need to watch out for. Skin conditions are one of the most common health issues that babies face because their skin is incredibly sensitive when they’re young. If you don’t keep on top of any skin problems it can cause them a lot of discomforts. There are a couple of general things you should be doing to keep your baby’s skin healthy.
You have to be very careful when you’re bathing your baby and avoid any products that could irritate their skin. Things like antibacterial soaps and anything that’s overly perfumed are never good for your baby’s skin. Always make sure that you’re using products that are specifically designed for babies and use natural remedies where possible. After you’ve bathed them and you’re drying them, use good quality cotton towels that are soft on their skin.
When you’re choosing talcum powder for your baby, you’ve got to follow the same rules as you did when picking out shampoos. Always use a baby specific powder and avoid anything that has too much perfume or any other added chemicals that could cause irritation. Keep the room warm when you dry them off as well so the cold isn’t drying out their skin. Moisturisers are a good idea as well if you’re worried about their skin drying out but you can’t use the same stuff that you use yourself. One of the best natural remedies to use is pure coconut oil, it’ll keep their skin well moisturized and there’s no risk of added chemicals irritating their skin.
Even if you’re following all of these rules and taking good care of your baby’s skin, that doesn’t mean they won’t get any skin conditions. Most babies are going to have some kind of skin problem at some point in those first few years but as long as you know how to recognize the condition and know how to deal with it, you should be fine. These are some of the most common skin conditions in babies and how you should treat them.
Intertrigo
Intertrigo is a rash that babies usually get in the folds of their skin. It looks red, raw and sometimes weepy. Most babies tend to get it when they’re under the age of 6 months but it can occur later, especially if they’re a little on the chubby side. If it isn’t that serious, your baby might not notice and won’t feel any discomfort which means it sometimes goes unnoticed for a couple of days. But in some cases, it can get a lot worse and it will cause them some pain. The main cause of Intertrigo is a build up of moisture in the folds in your baby’s skin. This can be because of drool and spit up that has collected but it can also happen if you’re not drying them off properly after bathing. The first thing to do is make sure that, after bathing, you’re getting right into all of the folds of their skin and making sure that they’re completely dried off everywhere. If the problem still persists, you might need to take steps to protect them. If you notice a rash, wash out the folds in their skin with warm water and then you can apply petroleum jelly or a zinc oxide cream that forms a barrier. This will stop the extra moisture building up on the skin and forming a rash. If Intertrigo is still a big problem when your baby is older than 6 months, it might be worth asking your doctor if there is anything else going on.
Eczema
Eczema is a big problem in a lot of babies and young children and, in some cases, it can continue into adulthood. Around 20 percent of babies will develop Eczema at some point and it is incredibly itchy. It appears in red patches on the skin that often cracks and can get a bit weepy. The bad news with Eczema is that it is usually caused by genetics and if your child has it, they’ll always be prone to it. It tends to clear up for the most part once they reach adolescence but they will always be at risk of flare ups. There is no way to completely cure Eczema so it’s all about managing it properly. You’re probably thinking, will my baby’s Eczema improve? The good news is, yes it will but you’ve always got to be on top of it. The first thing to do is work out if there is anything that triggers flare ups and take steps to stop that from happening. Certain allergens can cause flare ups in some babies so be vigilant about what products you’re putting on their skin. Particularly hot weather can cause sweating which irritates the skin, and cold weather will dry it out and cause more rashes so it’s important to keep an eye on their skin in extreme temperatures.
When it comes to treating the Eczema and soothing the itching, always make sure you’re using gentle cleansers on them that don’t contain too many added chemicals, then use a good amount of moisturizer on them after every bath. If the problem is particularly bad, speak to your doctor about the possibility of using steroid creams that help the skin to heal quickly and avoid any particularly bad flare ups.
Prickly Heat
Your baby’s skin isn’t as good as an adult’s at regulating heat and that can lead to some problems. If they get overheated, even just a little bit, it can lead to a rash known as prickly heat. Prickly heat appears as lots of tiny red bumps all over the skin and it can appear pretty much anywhere on their skin. There are so many things that could lead to a heat rash like this. If it’s particularly hot weather, if you wrap them up too tightly or if you’re driving them around in a warm car. Basically, anything that could make them a little warmer is a risk. The good news is, the rash will soon fade once you regulate their temperature again. On hot days, make sure that you’re dressing them in loose clothing and keep them out of the heat where possible. You’ll find that the rash fades in about half an hour, without the need for any more treatment.
Seborrhea
Seborrhea is a rash that can appear anywhere on the chest, neck, behind the ears or on the scalp and eyebrows. You’ve probably heard it called cradle cap, which is the term for Seborrhea around the scalp and eyebrows. It causes the skin to become flaky and scaly. Unfortunately, nobody knows what causes it yet so there aren’t really any preventative steps that you can take to avoid it. However, it’s fairly easy to treat so it shouldn’t worry you too much. One good home remedy is to rub a little olive oil on to the scales and gently scrub them off, then moisturize the skin. If it’s particularly bad, you can clean it off with a small amount of anti-dandruff shampoo and it should clear up in no time.
When these rashes appear on your baby’s skin it can be worrying. A lot of parents overreact and think that they must have done something wrong. But the truth is, pretty much every baby is going to experience some of these problems at some point because their skin is so delicate. The good news is, most of them are easily solved.
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