What Is Peculiar About Baby’s Skin?
The baby's skin is very sensitive, especially during the season change. Therefore, people taking care of the baby should give proper care to keep them healthy and their skin free from infections. In today's scenario, there are lots of child skincare products, which confuse us. Parents should buy those products marketed by branded companies that have been in the market for a long time.
How to Choose the Best Baby Product?
People becoming parents for the first time always want to give their babies the best. Products which contain artificial fragrances, chemicals, and mild irritants can be harmful to the baby's skin and can cause discomfort, rashes, redness, dryness, and itchiness for babies, even those with normal skin. The skincare products used in adults cannot be used in young ones because their skin is still developing. Therefore, it is essential to buy a special skincare product that is safer for your child's skin (delicate, sensitive, and allergic skin), as they are made in a way that will not harm your child's body.
How to Give Proper Skincare to Your Baby?
Avoid using any skincare products on the baby's skin containing dyes and fragrances to prevent allergic reactions. Since the baby's skin is very allergic and sensitive, avoid taking them directly under sun exposure. In this way, you can avoid burns from sun exposure which can cause permanent damage to their skin.
Bathing or Cleaning Your Baby
Bathing is usually required to maintain proper hygiene and clear harmful bacteria over the body. Or, it can increase the water content of your baby's skin and make the skin more trauma-prone. Ideally, the duration of bathing your baby should not be more than five minutes. Use a mild body wash that matches the pH level of the baby's skin.
Ideally, Syndet soap should be used for bathing as Syndets (synthetic detergents) have a neutral or slightly acidic pH and are less irritating to the skin. They do not form a soap scum layer. Various studies show that skin washed with Syndet soap has shown well-preserved lipid and protein regions compared to significant damage to both layers by regular soap.
After taking a bath, your baby should be dried thoroughly, particularly over body folds like the groin and axilla, to prevent humidity in these areas. Otherwise, fungal or bacterial infections may grow.
Regular Change of Diapers:
Diaper rashes are the common skin problems encountered in babies. Undergarments or diapers should be changed frequently, at least while breastfeeding your baby. Undergarments should be carefully washed in lukewarm water, rinsed off, and then dried thoroughly. The area, which is usually occupied by a diaper, is specifically vulnerable as it is a closed environment with frequent wetting suitable for growing bacteria, fungus, or other microorganisms. It is more often moist because of sweating and frequent wetting. Hence, the skin becomes more prone to maceration and becomes more permeable to other irritants and microorganisms.
This is the reason for the need to change diapers frequently and is of utmost importance to prevent your baby from any kind of infection in the nappy area. So change the diaper of the baby at regular intervals.
Care of Scalp:
In most infants or neonates, because of the influence of maternal hormones, their skin has more sebum secretion. It will lead to seborrheic capitis, which usually presents as soft to hard crust over the scalp. It is usually taken care of by shampoo. Before shampooing, the scalp should be soaked in lukewarm coconut or olive oil for 10 to 20 minutes, which softens the crust. Then, the scalp should be shampooed by using plain Ketoconazole or Ketoconazole with Zinc pyrithione two to three times per week. One should never try to remove it or scratch it with nails as it can lead to abrasion and become potential sites for infection.
Moisturizing Cream:
Basically, bland emollients without fragrance are safe for your baby's skin in preventing peeling and flaking of skin. Mineral oils like olive oil are very safe and reduce the cracking or fissuring of your baby's skin when applied gently to skin.
Talcum Powder:
Powders help absorb excess moisture or sweat during hot and humid environments. They primarily prevent maceration over body folds like the axilla, groin, and neck. Too much application can block the sweat duct opening and cause prickly heat-like rashes over the body folds. The powder should be soft, non-irritant, and fragrance-free.
Body Massage Your Baby:
Massage increases cutaneous blood circulation and gives a sense of touch, fulfilling the basic need to feel safe, comfortable, and loved. Massaging the baby with good natural oils can keep their skin soft and supple and prevent them from getting rough and dry skin due to changes in the weather conditions. Gentle massaging should be done from head to toe. Mineral oil is ideal for body massage because of its easy spreadability and better moisturizing action. Massage should be avoided or withheld if the child or the mother has any contagious skin infections at any point in time. Massaging also helps in the proper physiological growth of the baby, and it also has a psychological benefit.
What Are the Natural Products That Can Be Used on Baby’s Skin?
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Aloe vera - It contains vitamins A, B, C, and E. It acts as an excellent moisturizer to the skin and can soothe irritated skin.
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Olive oil - It contains vitamin E and helps to keep baby skin smooth and soft.
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Almond oil - It contains vitamins A, B2, B6, and E and helps to nourish both skin and hair.
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Chickpea flour is used to heal skin problems and cleanse the skin.
Conclusion:
Every baby born on earth is quite delicate and has thinner skin. Therefore, the skincare routine is quite different for each baby and deserves special attention. Whenever you buy a skincare product, try to do a patch test first. Apply a small amount of the product to the baby's arm or leg and wait for 24 hours. Use the product only if there is no reaction. If there is any redness or rashes, avoid using those products. It is advisable to use the skincare product recommended by the pediatrician if your baby is vulnerable to any skin infection or eczema.
