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The chances of dryness on the baby’s skin are much higher than in adults. In this phase they have a thin and delicate dermis, so water and moisturizing components are lost very quickly, up to three times more than that of an adult.
The Brazilian Society of Dermatology (SBD) points out that the baby in the first years of life still does not have the tissue fully formed and can easily suffer damage caused by external aggressions, such as sun, cold, soap, hot water and others.
Tips for Moisturizing Baby Skin
The use of infant moisturizer is essential for the child’s skin from the first years of life, thus forming a protective barrier to combat dryness, allergies and skin problems during growth. Other tips are:
- Moisturizers must be specific to the child’s age. In general, they are hypoallergenic and have less dyes and perfume. The use of moisturizer is recommended after six months, according to (SBD);
- The product can be applied all over the baby’s body, even on the face. Older children (from 5 years old) can already use specific products for the face, because in this phase the skin already has greasiness;
- After the bath is the best time to moisturize the baby’s skin, as the moist dermis better absorbs the components of the cream that will nourish and seal the tissue.
IMPORTANT: The baby’s skin may appear soft and even naturally hydrated. However, this does not mean that the fabric does not suffer natural aggressions from the hottest water, soaps and other external factors. The application of the moisturizer is extremely important to form a protective barrier and prevent dryness.
Can the Child Use the Same Moisturizer as the Mother?
SBD’s recommendation up to 3 years of age is the use of infant moisturizer , since the product is dermatologically tested and approved by the health surveillance agencies. Certain additives like alcohol, perfume and other components of the moisturizer used by the adult can cause allergies on the baby’s skin.
From the age of 3 the child’s dermis is fully formed, although it is still sensitive. The mother can apply her daily product to the child, if there is no reaction, there is no problem.
Baby Dry Skin Application
Bath time
After the bath is the best time to moisturize your baby’s skin. Follow gently with the towel (without rubbing) and leave the skin slightly moist to receive the moisturizer. With the dermis still moist, the fabric is sealed and absorbs the product better. Hydration is even more important when the climate is dry, the habit should be daily.
Make Good Choices for Kids Soaps
There are infantile options with almond oil, milk and other moisturizing agents. Never apply the same soap as the adult to baby’s skin. The ideal product for the child should have a neutral pH . It is worth remembering that the baby has thin and sensitive skin, at the risk of the common components found in adult soap, such as dye, alcohol and others, reaching the body and causing allergic reactions leaving red spots .
Food Is Also Important to Hydrate
The breast milk and from the consumption of baby food , water intake and juices are not only important for maintaining healthy skin, how to avoid dehydration of the body . Pay more attention especially in summer, sun exposure naturally causes more water loss from the body, the baby usually sweats more, so taking care of hydration is essential.
What Can Cause Baby Skin Dryness?
Hot water: in the winter when we usually give warmer baths, dryness can appear;
Inadequate soap: the ideal are products with neutral pH and intended for babies;
Dry climate and low air humidity: on dry days it is important to maintain water hydration and, if possible, use the room humidifier at home. Strengthen skin hydration;
Atopic dermatitis: the first symptom of allergy is itching, opaque skin with little elasticity. Regions such as elbow, knee and neck tend to suffer most from irritation. The dermatitis atopic may arise from three months old to notice the symptoms see a dermatologist.
See Also: Diaper Allergy – Why Does It Occur?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
