Baby skincare – Natural gentle choices and what you should avoid

Baby skin needs protection

The right, mild skincare is specially adapted to the particularities of baby skin and thus offers the best possible protection. Since baby skin is thinner and more permeable than adult skin, it reacts much more quickly to potentially harmful substances. Therefore, to prevent allergic reactions and skin irritations, you should pay particular attention to the ingredients of washing and care products when caring for your skin. Ideal skincare products are those that contain as few dyes, preservatives, and perfumes as possible.

Correct skin care

To prevent dehydration and increase the water-binding capacity of baby’s skin, it is essential to ensure a sufficient supply of lipids and moisture. Creams and lotions based on vegetable oils are particularly suitable for the care of dry and sensitive skin, as they penetrate deep into the skin layers. In this way, the skin is supplied with essential fatty acids that improve the skin’s barrier function.

Adults tend to have no problem using skincare products filled with all kinds of chemicals, yet they know that these items are not appropriate for the sweet and delicate skin of a baby. While this is common sense, fewer people turn a critical eye on the components of products deemed safe for use on babies. As a result, a fair number of baby skincare products contain chemicals that can irritate and harm an infant’s skin rather than help it.

Natural baby skincare is the better path to take because natural products are much more gentle on the developing skin of a baby. In addition, the chemicals in unnatural products can damage an infant’s vulnerable, fresh skin.

Care recommendations for basic care

For care, use unique baby skincare products that are completely tailored to the needs of sensitive and dry baby skin.
Pay attention to the ingredients! According to the Cosmetics Ordinance, these must be listed on the packaging in the order of their concentration.

Choose products that have been dermatologically tested and rated by experts as particularly compatible.
The products should be free of fragrances, preservatives, and dyes suspected of causing allergies.

The basis of the care products can be vegetable oils or cosmetic kerosene oil. A general recommendation for one or the other type of oil cannot be made. If necessary, the decision should be made individually after consultation with the dermatologist.

• Apply cream to the skin as soon as it appears dry. Apply the cream or lotion more frequently rather than too thickly. Treat your child to regular gentle massage with soothing skincare oils.
• Protect your child’s skin from sun exposure. Your child should only stay in the shade and be additionally protected by a sun hat or cap and sun cream with a high sun protection factor.
• For cleaning the diaper area, lotion-soaked wet wipes with skin-soothing active ingredients are well suited.
• Normally, applying a care cream is sufficient after cleansing. In the case of redness, special wound protection creams are recommended to soothe inflammation and promote healing.
• Bathing once or twice a week is sufficient. Use soap-free, moisturizing bath additives so that the skin does not dry out. After the bath, dry the skin well, especially in the skin folds, and apply a baby skin lotion.
• Textiles can also irritate a baby’s sensitive skin. I prefer smooth, non-scratchy materials. Special clothing free of harmful substances is available, especially for babies and children with neurodermatitis. All textiles should be washed at least once, preferably twice, before being put on for the first time.

Mild skin cleansing

For most babies, bathing in warm water at temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees gives them great pleasure and comfort. But no matter how much fun it is, babies don’t need to be bathed every day. From a hygienic point of view, bathing once or twice a week and otherwise daily cleaning with a soft, damp washcloth is perfectly sufficient. Each washing process removes additional oil and moisturizing factors from the already low-fat baby skin. The bath should last no longer than five to seven minutes to prevent the skin from becoming exhausted. Use bath additives and baby wash lotions that contain exceptionally mild, soap-free washing substances. Moisturizing care products that can compensate for moisture loss during bathing and protect the skin’s protective acid mantle are suitable.

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Dry the skin carefully but well after bathing and washing. Even if you use lipid-replenishing washing substances, you should not refrain from applying lotion afterward. Care lotions and oils help the skin regenerate and protect it from drying out. A gentle massage is not only good for the skin. Your child will enjoy this tender attention.

Care of the diaper area

Special attention in baby skincare is paid to the diaper region. Many babies suffer from a sore bottom with more or less severe inflammation in the first months of life. This is mainly because the skin in this area is exposed to extreme irritations.

For one thing, moisture under a poorly functioning diaper increases the skin’s susceptibility to mechanical damage. For another, when urine and stool come together, the area contained in the urine is broken down into ammonia. This increases the pH value. Both directly impact the skin’s natural barrier function, which, similar to after too frequent washing with soap, becomes depleted and thus susceptible to germs.

In addition, as the pH rises, certain digestive enzymes that remain in the stool are activated. These attack the horny layer and can further damage the skin. As a result, the skin becomes red and sore. If small red blisters and papules form that itch and burn intensely, doctors call it diaper dermatitis.

A complicated form of diaper dermatitis is diaper thrush, caused by yeast fungi. The skin lesions appear as sharply defined, red spots with small vesicle- or pustule-like satellite foci. The fungal infestation can spread to other body areas and often occurs in the mouth. There it appears as a whitish coating with a red border. If you suspect thrush, be sure to see a pediatrician who will prescribe antifungal medication.

Protection from a sore bottom

The best way to prevent a sore bottom is to diaper your child frequently and change stool-soiled diapers quickly. Also, allow plenty of air to get to the skin. So let your child play with a bare bottom from time to time.

It is imperative to clean sensitive skin gently and thoroughly. The best way to do this is to rinse the bottom and genital area with lukewarm, soap-free water when changing diapers, or use moist, skin-caring cleansing wipes. Wet wipes are gentler on the skin and more hygienic than a damp washcloth.

Natural choices are a better choice

There is a growing market for natural baby skincare products as more and more parents are becoming aware of the potential damage that chemicals can cause. Baby products containing natural ingredients are becoming increasingly popular as the benefits of unnatural skincare products are drastically outweighed by the downfalls.

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Natural baby skincare items like mild soap should be used by parents when they bathe their children. Bathing a baby too often is a problem that could dry their skin out too much. Products like bubble bath should be completely avoided due to the chemicals it contains and the potential for damaging a baby’s skin by drying it out.

Talc powder is generally accepted as a necessary item in any baby room, but in reality, the powder can clog pores and irritate the baby’s skin. Natural baby skin care alternatives like cornstarch or bentonite clay powder are more gentle on an infant’s skin. But, of course, the more delicate, the better; a soft approach will leave your baby much happier.

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Chamomile is another excellent natural baby skincare alternative that a parent can use when their baby has a diaper rash instead of talc powder. Another perfect natural treatment for diaper rash is zinc oxide. These products help soothe and treat the irritation caused by diaper rash.

Baby oil is another widely recognized item in baby skincare, but many of these oils contain petrochemicals that can aggravate a child’s skin. Natural baby skin care has almond and grapeseed oil that are gentler on an infant’s sensitive skin. Natural oils containing aloe vera or chamomile are great for soothing red, irritated skin.