A baby’s skin is different and way more sensitive and delicate than that of an adult. This makes their skin more prone to getting affected by external aggressors, leading to irritation, rashes, or dryness. In fact, dry skin is fairly common in newborns, but there isn’t a lot to worry about, as this condition can be easily treated at home by moisturising your munchkin’s skin. What will help you better is knowing the symptoms of dry skin conditions in babies, preventive measures, and effective ways to treat them.
What Is Newborn Skin Peeling?
Skin peeling is completely normal in newborns and doesn’t require any medical treatment. This phenomenon occurs when fluids such as the amniotic fluid and vernix (a substance that covers and protects a newborn’s skin from right inside the womb) get wiped off after birth. The lack of these protective layerings exposes your baby’s skin to the natural elements outside the uterus for the first time, rendering your little one’s skin susceptible to peeling in the initial weeks of birth.
Additionally, the amount of skin peeling depends on whether your baby was premature, full-term, or overdue. Premature babies have more vernix and thus, the peeling of the skin is less for them as compared to full-term or over-due newborns.
Symptoms Of Dry Skin In Babies
If your baby has dry skin, you will notice the following symptoms:
- Roughness and scaly texture
- White scales that peel at the edges
- Dry red patches
- Flakiness on rubbing the skin
- Skin appearing tight and overstretched
- Fibe to deep cracks on the skin
Causes Of Dry Skin In Babies
Dry skin is fundamentally caused by the loss of moisture in the skin, leading to the peeling or cracking of the epidermis (topmost layer of the skin). Some of the factors that affect the epidermis include:
- Weather: Extreme hot or cold weather can drop relative humidity, making the skin lose moisture and dry out.
- Long baths: Bathing your baby for a long time can wash away the natural protective oils secreted from the sebaceous glands. A bath in chlorinated or chemically-treated water can also cause dry skin in babies.
- Alcohol-based lotions: Alcohol-infused lotions should be avoided for babies as they can dehydrate their skin surface. This can make your baby’s skin susceptible to dryness.
Other Skin Conditions That Cause Dry Skin In Babies
The dryness of the skin in babies can also be a result of certain skin conditions or diseases.
- Eczema: This is an allergic skin condition characterised by itchy rashes on the forehead, skin folds, and cheeks. Dry skin rash is in fact a leading symptom of eczema and may cause discomfort in your child’s skin.
- Cradle cap: This condition primarily occurs in the baby’s scalp and leads to the development of dry and patchy flakes. Most babies with a cradle cap develop multiple layers of dry skin on their scalp.
- Pityriasis alba: This is also a type of eczema that only affects the face, torso, and arms. It often leads to dry and scaly lesions on the baby’s skin.
7 Ways To Treat Dry Skin In Babies
Limit Your Baby’s Bath Time
Spending too much time in the bathtub, especially in hot water, can wash away natural oils, leaving your baby’s skin bare and susceptible to dryness. According to experts, you should limit the bathtime to 10 minutes, in warm, and not hot water. If your baby loves to play in the tub, then you can let them in the tub without water or shallow water, and fill the water just before their bath.
Avoid Using Harsh Soaps
Steer clear off soaps that are made with harsh and harmful chemicals. Instead, choose a moisturising baby wash that is gentle on your baby’s skin. Look for ingredients like pumpkin seed oil, beetroot extracts, strawberry oil, and rose oil to nourish and hydrate your baby’s skin and prevent dryness. Also, these ingredients have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help strengthen the skin’s barrier and soothe dry skin conditions.
Use An Organic Oil After Bathing Your Baby
Moisturising your baby’s entire body immediately after a bath is extremely crucial. Massage your baby’s skin with organic coconut oil to help replenish and hydrate their skin, and prevent further moisture loss. Follow this routine every day as it is the safest and most effective remedy to treat dry skin in babies.
Use A Mild Shampoo To Treat Dryness In Scalp
Skin conditions like cradle cap may cause dryness in your baby’s scalp. To soothe this skin condition, use a natural strengthening baby shampoo formulated with plant-based ingredients like sandalwood oil, organic curry leaf oil and rosemary oil, and aloe vera extracts. All of these ingredients are rich antioxidants that not only promote hair growth but also heal cradle cap and prevent dryness in the scalp.
Dress Your Baby In Clothes Made Of Natural Fabrics
If your baby has dry skin, you should consider switching to clothes designed with natural and soft fabrics such as cotton. This is because cotton is gentle on the skin, is non-abrasive in nature, and lets the skin breathe easily. If possible, dress your child in a single layer of cotton clothing for their skin to breathe.
Invest In A Humidifier
Did you know that dry air is the worst enemy of a baby’s skin? To protect your little one’s delicate skin, use an indoor humidifier in their room. A humidifier helps maintain a steady level of air moisture content and prevents water loss from the skin. The American Academy of Paediatrics, however, recommends using only cool-mist humidifiers for babies.
Keep Your Baby Well Hydrated During Summer
Hot weather causes low humidity and in such weather conditions, the risk of transepidermal water loss is higher in babies. Hence, you should keep your little one hydrated and give them plenty of fluids like water and breast milk.
Skin peeling and dryness are common in newborn babies. While this isn’t serious and rarely requires medical intervention, it can cause discomfort in your little one’s skin. However, you can prevent and manage dry skin in your baby easily by following simple preventive measures at home. If you notice dryness along with rashes and bumps on your baby’s skin, you can consider consulting your doctor to know possible causes and treatment methods.
Also read:
Heat rash in toddlers: Banish heat rash in your little one with these effective tips and helpful remedial methods.
Best baby skincare products: Give your little one the gentlest care with these chemical-free and safe baby skincare products.
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