5 Tips To Strengthen Your Baby’s Skin Barrier
4 Aug 2022 | 3 min Read
Reema Shah
Author | 740 Articles
Newborns have delicate skin and are at risk of different skin conditions like eczema, atopic dermatitis, nappy rashes and irritation, especially during the first few months. Hence, it is important to protect your baby’s skin and be cautious about the baby products you use.
Here are some ways to protect your baby’s skin barrier.
Tips To Maintain The Protective Barrier Of Baby’s Skin
1. Bathing Your Baby
Use warm water to bathe your baby for about 5-10 minutes once every few days or as needed. You will need to adjust the frequency of bathing as per your baby’s needs. As for your baby’s hair, use a moisturising shampoo that prevents your baby’s scalp from drying out. Cradle cap is a common skin condition in newborns, which happens due to oily scalp. However, this condition clears up within the first year.
Avoid giving bubble baths to your baby as it can strip off the natural oils from the baby’s delicate skin, instead use a mild body wash to bathe your baby. Pat the skin dry instead of wiping after a bath while paying attention to skin folds which can trap moisture. If you wish to use baby powder, use talc-free powder.
2. Clothing your baby
Pick light, loose and soft clothing like cotton for dressing up your child. Try not to overdress your baby and ensure that your baby’s skin does not come in direct contact with coarse prickly fabrics. When washing your baby’s clothes, only use a fragrance-free mild detergent.
3. Moisturise
From dryness to diaper rashes, a baby’s skin is prone to different skin concerns. Hence pick moisturising creams or emollient creams for babies as they are effective in treating dryness and cracked skin. Fragrance-free petroleum jelly is a great emollient and also helps to heal the skin.
Use body butter that is made from natural ingredients like shea butter, mango butter and baby-safe ingredients which soothe eczema and dermatitis. Don’t forget to moisturise your baby’s face and neck area too.
4. Use Natural Products
Ingredients like lanolin, parabens and synthetic fragrances can irritate your baby’s skin and cause improper exposure to allergens. Hence, you must read the label and pick only baby-safe products to protect your baby’s skin barrier.
5. Use Sunscreen
Infant skin is prone to sunburns and the harmful effects of UV light can double the risk of skin cancer in the later stage. Babies who are less than six months of age should be kept away from direct sunlight and must be protected with sunshades, hats and light clothing when outdoors. Pick a baby-safe sunscreen and reapply every two hours when outdoors.
When it comes to your baby’s skin, you need to be extra careful as their skin is still developing. Follow a proper skincare routine and use products that have safe ingredients to protect your baby’s skin. Make head-to-toe skin care part of your daily baby routine to strengthen your baby’s skin barrier.
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