As the days get cooler, our skin is getting drier! And even though we adults can handle dry skin, our babies cannot. Itchiness, redness, soreness, all things we don’t want our baby to feel, and since their skin is extra sensitive, they're even more susceptible to dry skin. We love to spend time outdoors and we all know to bundle up, but are there things we can do to prevent dry skin? We’re here to give you some tips, as well how to identify dry skin and when it can become eczema.
What does dry skin look like?
In the winter it’s especially important to be wary of our child’s skin. Dry skin often takes the form of rough and flaky to the touch patches on your baby’s skin. It can appear anywhere on the body, but most commonly is on their face, arms, and legs. If it goes untreated, the skin can begin to crack and may bleed or become infected.
Dryness should not be itchy or red initially, but if the symptoms appear then it is likely that eczema has developed.
In some cases, you might need to bring your child to a GP. If the dry skin doesn’t get alleviated with over the counter products, if the patches become red and itchy, and if there is sign of infection (cracking).
What causes dry skin?
Some children are more vulnerable to dry skin than others. The most trouble appears in wintertime, when the culprit is dry and overheated indoor air. Cool and dry environments, whether inside or outdoors, can dehydrate the skin and lead to eczema.
How can we treat it and what should we avoid doing?
There are a variety of ways to try and treat dry skin:
Using a pH neutral bath wash or soap can help stop drying of skin or irritation if skin is already dry. Our hair and body wash is a great bath wash for sensitive skin. Make sure you use fragrance-free, non-irritating moisturisers, such as our Skin Balm. You’ll need to be moisturizing twice a day or more, ideally after a bath while your child’s skin is warm and damp. Make sure your moisturizer does not sting, and if it does wipe it off gently with a moist cloth.
Dry skin comes and goes, so don’t stress if it is recurring, but try and figure out what the cause is.
If the skin does become red and itchy, you can use our Skin Soothe to soothe the skin and stop irritation. This helps to stop scratching and itching, which in turn will help stop the spread. If the dryness turns into eczema, we also have a pack for that!
Is there anything we can do to prevent dry skin?
It’s hard to always know what is causing dry skin, but here are a few things to be mindful of:
- You do not need to bathe your child daily, and they do not need soap every bath (use soap-free or a pH neutral soap). When you do bathe, keep the water warm, but not hot.
- If your child is prone to dry skin or eczema, make sure the baths don’t last longer than 5 minutes
- If your child spends a lot of time playing in the water (ocean / pool), make sure to moisturize before and after
- Loose cotton clothing is recommended, or adding a layer of cotton underneath their synthetic / other clothing
Although we’re not sure when dryness will appear on our children, and the reasons vary, it’s important to always be prepared to treat it. Moisturizers, pH neutral soaps, and taking the preventative precautions. Visit our shop to learn more about our dry skin savior, Skin Balm, Skin Soothe, and for more severe cases, our Eczema Pack.