Newborn baby's skin is susceptible to dryness. For nine long months, they were immersed in the amniotic fluid in their mother's womb. When they come to the outside world, their skin is sensitive and fragile. It tends to get irritated when it comes in contact with the harsh environmental conditions like cold outdoor temperature, indoor heating, air conditioning, dry air, etc. Moreover, their sweat glands are not fully active. In such a condition, the skin surface is unable to retain the natural moisture and it becomes dry. You can get rid of this problem with right
newborn dry skin care.
Newborn Dry Skin Treatment
The main aim of newborn skin care is to keep it clean and hydrated. Here are a few simple steps that can help you to treat dry skin in newborns:
Reduce the Frequency of Bathing: Like small children or adults, newborns do not need bathing every day. Their body is cleaned several times during diaper changes and their face is also wiped off after every feeding. So, bathing them on every alternative day or even twice or thrice in a week will be enough.
Decrease the Bathing Time: Bathing tends to make skin drier as it strips off the natural oils from the skin along with the dirt. As a result, the skin loses the natural suppleness and becomes dry. If you are bathing you baby for half an hour, cut it down to 10 minutes and not more than that. Most importantly, the bath water should be warm and not hot. Hot water is not good for their skin and makes it rough and dry.
Use Right Soap: Do not use any soap meant for the adults on the skin of newborns. They contain harsh chemicals that can damage their skin. Select a baby soap that has high moisturizer content and is fragrance free. Do not keep the soap on your baby's skin for a long time. Scrubbing of the newborn skin with soap should be strictly avoided.
Apply Moisturizer: This is the most vital step of newborn skin care and should be done twice a day. After taking him or her out of the bath, pat dry the skin with a soft towel and then apply baby skin moisturizer. It should be applied within minutes so that the lotion or cream can hold the moisture which is left behind on the skin surface. Use a thicker variety of moisturizer cream on the dry skin as it works better as compared to thin lotions. Avoid those creams that contain perfumes as the fragrance is nothing but harsh chemicals. Instead of creams or lotions you can apply natural oils. Olive oil or grape seed oil moisturize the baby skin very effectively.
Rinse off Saltwater: If your baby's skin is exposed to salt or chlorinated water, then it should be rinsed off with plain tap water immediately. It can happen if he or she is exposed to swimming pool water or ocean water. The salt and chlorine have a drying effect on the skin.
Keep their Body Hydrated: Your newborn baby cannot drink water to keep him/ her hydrated. The only source of water for them is breast milk. Whenever they are hungry, breastfeed them properly which will also quench their thirst and keep their body in a hydrated state.
Protection from Weather: Along with the skin care, protection of the skin with proper clothing is very important. In winter, the feet and hands tend to become dry and chapped and so mittens should be used to keep them covered. In the summer, keep them away from direct sunlight so that they do not get sunburns. If you live in a dry weather condition, use a humidifier in the room where your baby spends most of the time.
This newborn dry skin care regime can bring about improvement in the skin condition. However, if you notice some red patches or flaky skin, then it could be some skin disorder. No need to panic, they usually go away on their own after a few weeks. If they tend to get aggravated with time, consult your pediatrician.
