Baby Skin Care

Baby skin care is largely to do with preventing diaper rash and other skin conditions and is a very important subject that should be looked at if you want to ensure you are giving the best care for your baby. Most people associate babies skin with perfection because it is normally so soft and supple. However if you don’t care properly for your baby’s skin then your baby can easily become upset and complaining. They cannot tell you what is wrong, they just know that they are uncomfortable and will start to cry.

Babies don’t just have the problem of diaper rash, they can also develop other conditions such as cradle cap. It might surprise you to know that babies skin actually be very dry if you aren’t careful and sunburn is very much a potential threat due to the low melanin production. When babies are born there is also a great surge of hormones that are produced and this can even lead to acne despite their skin not being anywhere near as oily as an adult. Although we tend to associate acne with teenagers, it can happen to babies and older adults too.

We all know that the UV light found in the sun’s rays is bad for our health however this is probably even more so for babies and other young children. Be very careful about taking your baby outside when the sun is at it’s brightest and if you do find yourself needing to go out with your baby then taking special effort to protect your little one from the sun is something that you should strive to do as well as you possibly can. Luckily there are products that can be purchased to protect your baby’s skin such as clothing, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen. There are even canopies that can be bought for babies to give them another layer of protection. Taking these precautions will also help your child understand sun safety as they get older as being exposed to too much sun at any age is not a good thing, however this is especially true for youngsters. However it’s important to note that sunscreen shouldn’t be applied to the skin of babies until they are at least 6 months old. Always make sure you read the instructions first before applying.

There are many products on the market that are specially designed for babies and they should be applied by carefully following the instructions given. Always avoid using skin care products that are designed for adult skin because they are too strong. You should also be careful about any laundry detergents you use as there is always a residue left on the fabric which can then rub off on your baby’s skin causing some sort of adverse reaction.

Diapers should always be changed as soon as possible because feces and urine contain bacteria which you don’t want to have lying on your baby’s skin. They should be thoroughly washed away using baby wipes or warm water. This will help prevent any infections occurring. However look at the ingredients of any wipes you use as you will want to avoid using alcohol as this has a drying effect on skin. When you have finished cleaning your baby you should also remember to dry the skin properly although obviously you should be very gentle in doing so. If your baby does end up developing a rash or some other skin complaint then you should buy a cream specifically for baby skin problems.

Make sure that your baby’s skin doesn’t get dried out so this means applying moisturizer on a regular basis. Although you should avoid bathing your child too much as this can dry out the skin. Water should always be warm rather than hot as this is how to prefer it, just like adults do. Some babies will develop cradle cap which looks a bit like skin that is dirty and scaly. In this case you should very gently use a soft brush to wipe the top of you baby’s head. When it is cold and windy you should make sure that you keep your baby warm and protected. Some homes have very dry air so you should also consider buying a humidifier which will provide extra moisture to the air.

Skin health isn't the only thing you need to be aware of, did you know about baby bad breath?