Dry skin in the baby
introduction
Dry skin is a problem that affects many babies. In many cases, the reasons for dry skin are incorrect care. Many parents are then very worried about the well-being of their offspring, but in most cases there is a completely harmless cause behind dry skin.
What helps against dry skin in babies?
Targeted Baby skin care and following a few simple basic rules can help here. When bathing, for example, you should make sure that the Bath additive if possible soap free is and moisturizing works so as not to impair the protective acid mantle of the skin.
Dry skin can also be caused by one Reduction of bath time can be prevented, because a long bath time can swell the skin and lose moisture. Likewise should to hot water avoided because this removes additional moisture from the skin. It is advisable not to use washcloths or sponges while bathing, as these can further irritate the skin.
After bathing, the baby's skin should be covered with a suitable cream if possible. When it comes to clothing, care should be taken to ensure that the clothing is worn before first wearing washed to remove any harmful substances that may be present and thus reduce the risk of hypersensitivity or allergy. Care should also be taken to ensure that the clothing is made of a soft material and does not scratch in order to avoid further irritation of the dry skin.
Should be the dry areas of the skin itch, it can also be helpful to make sure to keep the baby's fingernails short and clean, because by scratching the affected areas, germs can get into the skin and cause inflammation.
When taking a winter walk in the open air at low temperatures, care should be taken to ensure that the baby's head and hands are protected, for example with gloves and a hat.
Skin care for dry baby skin
After the baby has been bathed, the moisture should be restored to the skin in the form of a baby-skin-friendly cream. It is helpful not to dry the skin excessively, but to apply cream as quickly as possible in order to keep the additional loss of water from the skin as low as possible.
A moisturizing cream is best, but it should not be too greasy. Suitable products can be purchased in the baby department in every drugstore. Greasy agents, such as milking fat, are not suitable for this, but rather for protection against the cold or irritated areas, for example in the diaper area. On the other hand, milking fat and marigold ointment, for example, can lead to an allergic reaction in the baby's skin and thus worsen the situation. When applying cream, the following principle should always apply: only as much cream as the skin can absorb.
Is baby or almond oil suitable for caring for dry baby skin?
To care for and protect the dry baby skin, moisturizing ointments or creams should be used. These special products leave a greasy film on the skin and are more difficult to absorb than conventional body lotions.
Refatting products such as baby oil or almond oil strengthen the natural protective function of the skin and are therefore particularly suitable for dry areas of the skin of babies or toddlers.
However, there are a few points that need to be considered when using it. First of all, the oil should only be applied to the dry areas of the skin, whereas the rest of the skin should not be creamed with the baby oil, otherwise the skin pores will be closed by the oily oil. It is best to oil dry skin in the baby in the evening before going to sleep so that the care product can move in well overnight.
Homeopathic remedies for dry skin
Also in the homeopathy is there Dry skin agent. Globules that should be allowed to dissolve in the mouth have proven particularly useful here. Since this is not possible with babies, the globules should be in something Dissolved water or tea and administered with a plastic spoon.
In babies and in acute illnesses, low potencies are generally used (D1-D6). Depending on the appearance of the skin, there are different globules that can be used. It should be noted, however, that in homeopathy different Globules if possible not with each other mixed as mixing could have adverse effects. One of the globules available in homeopathy is Causticum, borax, Hepar sulfuris calcareum and petroleum, such as Sulfur. In homeopathy, however, it should also be noted that a doctor should be consulted if there is a deterioration in the complexion, such as severe reddening, oozing, swelling, warming or honey-yellow crusts.
Extremely dry skin in babies - how can you tell the difference to neurodermatitis?
If the skin is extremely dry, many parents worry about whether it is atopic dermatitis in the baby. Neurodermatitis is a skin disease with a genetic predisposition, which can be recognized by its excruciating itching.
The affected children have very dry patches of skin on the hips (e.g. crooks of the arms or the hollows of the knees) or skin folds that are very itchy and reddened. Preparations with urea (urea) or omega fatty acids relieve itching and have a soothing effect on irritated skin.
In severe cases, a cortisone ointment can also be prescribed. Very dry skin can be an indication of the inflammatory skin disease, but many babies suffer from skin irritation without suffering from neurodermatitis. If in doubt, a pediatrician or dermatologist should be consulted.
root cause
Usually the causes of dry skin are harmless and only rarely are diseases such as neurodermatitis or infectious diseases behind them. The problem of dry skin in a baby can be, on the one hand, that the baby's well-being is impaired and, on the other hand, itchy areas that have been scratched by the baby can penetrate the skin and lead to inflammation.
A baby's skin is more delicate and sensitive than an adult's. This can be explained on the one hand by the fact that the sebum production and the protective acid mantle are not yet fully developed and on the other hand by the fact that baby skin is thinner than the skin of adults. As a result, a baby's skin cannot always hold water adequately. Therefore, baby skin is particularly prone to drying out.
Furthermore, the body surface area is significantly larger in relation to body size compared to an adult, which is why active ingredients applied to the skin can be absorbed much more strongly.
The causes of dry baby skin can be diverse. In winter, especially the cold, dry air outdoors and the frequent change with dry, warm heated air inside lead to drying out of the baby's skin, and in summer it can be caused by the sun, but also salt water, chlorinated water in swimming pools or air conditioning systems dry skin.
Hypersensitivity to detergent or fabric softener can also be the cause. If this is the cause of the dry skin, the affected areas are primarily on the arms, legs and stomach of the baby, i.e. in those areas that come into contact with the washed clothes.
Another and not quite as common cause of dry skin in a baby can also be atopic dermatitis. This is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin that is associated with red, dry and itchy areas of the skin. The skin of the cheeks, the hairy head and the extensor sides of the arms and legs are particularly affected. Often the diaper area is left out in atopic dermatitis. If atopic dermatitis is suspected, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist or pediatrician, as this skin can be treated with special care.
Other causes of dry skin can also be allergies. In most cases, dry skin will go away on its own over time and as the baby grows up.
Read more on the topic: Causes of Dry Skin
Dry skin on the head
Dry skin can also often occur on the baby's head. However, this dryness is not to be confused with head gneiss and cradle cap.
Head gneiss usually begins in the baby's first few weeks of life and can also appear on the face. Here there are mostly soft, sebum-like scales and there is hardly any itching. The head gneiss always disappears on its own and does not require any therapy. If therapy is nevertheless desired, it can help to soak the scalp with a little oil a few hours before bathing and then comb out the dandruff with a comb.
The cradle cap, on the other hand, usually only begins after the third month of life and is noticeable through hard scales and crusts with severe itching. Cradle cap can spread to the entire body and can be the first sign of a predisposition to neurodermatitis or allergies. That is why it is advisable to consult a doctor if you suspect it may be cradle cap.
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Dry skin on the face
Many babies suffer from dry skin on their faces. Especially in children who are given porridge in addition to milk, dry skin can be triggered by their own saliva. The skin on the face is much more sensitive than the rest of the body and the digestive enzymes contained in saliva irritate the skin further.
Another cause of dry skin on the face can be cold air. In the cold season, the skin on the baby's face dries out quickly, as the sebum glands in babies do not yet produce sufficient protective sebum. That is why it is particularly important in winter to protect babies from drying out the skin with creams and hats or scarves.
Dry skin on the cheeks
Dry skin on a baby's cheeks can be caused by the dry cold outdoors, especially in winter. As thickly dressed as a baby on a winter walk may be, the cheeks are difficult to protect from the cold air. This is where it can help Fat cream for protection to be applied to the affected areas when outdoors.
Also at teething can through the steady flow of saliva dry skin develop. If teething was the cause of dry skin on the cheeks, it should recede with the presence of the teeth.
Please also read: Teething rash in the baby
Dry skin on the stomach
Also dry skin at the Baby's belly can occur frequently. In addition to all the causes already mentioned, here is one in particular allergy to think about detergents or fragrances, because the belly skin has one constant contact with clothing and is therefore exposed to harmful substances in clothing for a particularly long time. It is very important to use Detergents with fragrances to dispense. Changing the previously used detergent can provide an indication of the cause of dry baby skin. It can also be helpful to avoid scratchy materials, such as wool, when clothing the baby.
Dry skin and red spots on the baby
Very dry skin can itch, flake, and cause red spots. However, the combination of dry skin and red spots can also indicate a skin condition such as neurodermatitis. A pediatrician can make the diagnosis and prescribe appropriate therapy. Moisturizing creams and oil baths soothe redness and soothe dry skin.
In very severe cases of acute neurodermatitis, the doctor can also prescribe a cortisone ointment that is applied thinly to the affected areas. The cortisone works against the inflammation on the red areas of the skin and improves the complexion.
Dry skin and rash in the baby
Dry skin and rashes in babies can simply be signs of very sensitive skin. In some cases, however, this hides psoriasis (psoriasis). It is a benign autoimmune disease of the skin and nails that causes unpleasant symptoms. The baby is suffering from skin infections that are very itchy.
For psoriasis, the doctor prescribes special skin care products and, in severe cases, cortisone-containing preparations. Parents should be careful not to let the children scratch the sore skin and make the rash worse.
Therefore, the fingernails of the affected babies should be cut very short. Gloves can also be put on the baby to prevent scratching.
Read more on the topic: Rash from dry skin
diagnosis
The Skin of a baby can in principle be dry anywhere - however, the areas that are frequently exposed to external influences, i.e. the skin on the head, cheeks and hands, are particularly at risk. For example, dry skin in a baby can be be rougher than the other parts of the skin or dandruff and therefore appear white, but also be flushed and itch. Should the baby's dry skin appear red or even be overheated or swollen, it should always be on inflammatory process be thought.
Summary
In summary, it can be said that dry skin affects many babies. In many cases, however, there are no diseases behind this and the skin often regenerates itself as the baby grows. In order to counteract the dehydration of the skin, it can be helpful to follow the advice given.
