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Baby Eczema Dry Skin
Did your skin go crazy after having a baby?
I had my first child 7 months ago, and since then I've suffered from eczema, extremely dry skin, dry itchy scalp, dry patches all over my body, itchiness, etc. Is this normal? When will it stop?
oh i know exactly what you mean after i had my first son i developed dermatitis, then after my second child i got psoriasis, then after my 3rd child i got super super dry skin, i have to use moisturizers everyday now and i am currently pregnant with my 4th and am hoping i don't get something else. my oldest is almost 12 and my problems have never gone away.
from what my dermatologist has told me though all these ailments are hereditary and not something you can get like a common cold and all it takes is stress, like labour or in my case major surgery(c-section) to trigger an outbreak of sorts.
Baby Dry Skin
Today, one in every four or five babies and toddlers suffer from dry skin. This makes them prone to more serious skin conditions such as eczema. Since their skin is more delicate than adults' skin, it is important to know the ins and outs of skin care for them.
Causes of Baby Dry Skin
When the baby is born, she is initially covered in a slippery coat of amniotic fluid. During the first several days, her skin may still not be used to such a dry environment and develop patches of dry skin and redness. Dryness in the air, such as during winter and inside heated homes, can also strip her skin of moisture.
Doting parents may be tempted to give the baby daily baths to make sure she stays clean. What most people don't know is that daily baths are unnecessary, and may actually harm and dry the skin even more. Summer is also a time for swimming in the pool and the ocean, especially for active toddlers. The salt and chlorine have drying effects on the skin and can cause rashes.
Prevention and treatment of baby dry skin
Adding a humidifier or vaporizer in the baby's room will help control the moisture content in the air and help hydrate her dry skin. When the temperature gets too cold, it is often a better idea to give the baby more clothes to wear instead of turning the heat up; doing so will lower the humidity. During the summer, take steps to protect the baby from sunburn. Give her gloves or mittens during the winter, both to protect against dropping humidity levels and scratching.
When it comes to washing the baby, a bath every three or four days is actually enough to give her a measure of protection against dry skin. As the baby grows and begins to crawl and get dirty, a bath scheduled every other day is reasonable; just make sure to avoid bubble baths as much as possible, as soap and lather tends to dry the skin. It is often enough to simply sponge areas that look dry during the day.
While giving baby a bath, it is advisable to use warm water instead of hot, as hot water dries the skin. It is also a good idea to cut down the bath time to ten minutes or so-any longer will sap most of the moisture from her skin. Don't use soap on the baby. Instead, use a soap-free, fragrance-free cleanser. Soap, as in every other possible case, dries the skin. Within a few minutes after the bath, pat her dry and apply a moisturizer, lotion, or emollient. This will lock in the moisture her skin took in from the bath and keep her skin supple until the next bath time. Make sure the moisturizer has no dyes and heavy perfumes, as these can irritate and dry skin.
When washing the baby's clothes, wash them in a batch separate from the clothes of other members of the family. Do not use laundry soap and fabric softeners on her clothes, as the detergents can irritate her dry skin and cause allergies. Tea-tree oil and baking soda has been advised in the past as a substitute for laundry detergents. During the day, make sure the child isn't dressed too tightly, and try to avoid any wool or nylon in her wardrobe. Wool, as well as other synthetic materials, has rough edges which easily causes irritation, especially on the baby's delicate skin. Disposable and cloth diapers are both fine and acceptable for babies. There is only one rule to remember about diapers: if it's wet, change it. Many parents leave disposable diapers on their babies for too long, until the core bursts and exposes the baby's skin to more than just wetness.
Toddlers love to play in the water, and trips to the beach or the pool are often in order during the summer. To protect against dry skin caused by salt and chlorine, rinse the child completely in tap water after swimming, then apply a good moisturizer. As a general rule for children, the thicker the moisturizer, the better.
Consult your doctor
Regularly check your child's skin for any dry skin and redness. While eczema is often treatable with regular applications of moisturizers, it is often best to see the child's doctor if the redness does not disappear or if the child is always uncomfortable. Red, dry skin may also be an indication of icthyosis, a genetic medical condition. As dry skin gets worse, it may break, swell, or get infected.
It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor if your child's dry skin problems worry you. Schedule a visit if her dry skin does not respond to home treatments.
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