Tips for Keeping Baby's Skin Healthy (Myth or Fact According to Doctors)

By Admin One 24 Feb, 2023

EXPLORATIONINDONESIA.COM - Baby's skin is certainly still very sensitive, but it is not uncommon for mothers to try various types of baby skin care products. In fact, using baby skincare products all at once can cause irritation. Learn more about keeping baby's skin healthy!

Tips for Keeping Baby's Skin Healthy

Various Types of Skin Diseases in Babies that Often Appear

Based on the explanation of Dr. Patricia Aulia, there are several skin diseases in babies that often appear, namely:

1. Miliaria

Miliaria or commonly called prickly heat is one of the skin diseases often experienced by babies.

This type of infant skin disease is characterized by the presence of small red pustules and can sometimes contain fluid and be accompanied by itching. As a result, babies are often fussy and have trouble sleeping. Therefore, if a baby has miliaria, it must be treated immediately.

How to treat prickly heat (miliaria) in infants:

The first thing that can be done to reduce redness and itching is to keep the baby away from hot places and bring him to a cool place. Always pay attention to the condition of the baby's clothes. If the baby's clothes are sweaty, then change them.

Prickly heat in infants can be treated by using a low potency steroid cream. Use the steroid cream according to the doctor's prescription so that the treatment goal can be achieved and avoid side effects.

2. Atopic Dermatitis/Exzema

After prickly heat, atopic dermatitis is a common skin problem in infants. Babies who have a hereditary history of allergies and asthma from their parents have a higher chance of experiencing atopic dermatitis. Just like prickly heat, atopic dermatitis also causes itching and redness on the baby's skin.

A symptom of atopic dermatitis in infants is the appearance of a reddish rash on both cheeks, which is very itchy. Apart from the cheeks, atopic dermatitis also often affects the elbow folds and knee folds. The rash of atopic dermatitis is intermittent and may recur.

How to treat milk eczema (atopic dermatitis) in infants:

The way to treat atopic dermatitis is by using low potency steroid creams as prescribed by the doctor.

Babies who have atopic dermatitis have very dry and sensitive skin types that need special attention in skin care. To prevent recurrence of atopic dermatitis, always use mild soap and unscented moisturizers.

3. Diaper Rash

Most babies who wear diapers often experience diaper rash, also known as diaper rash. Symptoms of diaper rash are characterized by redness, itching, and may even be accompanied by the appearance of pus and fever.

Diaper rash is a skin disease in babies because the skin covered by diapers is irritated by the baby's urine or feces. Apart from urine and feces irritation, diaper rash is also caused by fungal or bacterial infections. Hypersensitivity of the baby's skin to the diaper material can also be the cause of diaper rash.

How to treat diaper rash in babies:

Change diapers frequently
Use a cream containing zinc oxide to maintain the baby's skin barrier
Use creams containing Aloe Vera and vitamin E
Use a low potency steroid cream to reduce inflammation and redness
Use antifungal creams (prescription required) to prevent fungal growth in the diaper area that can aggravate skin conditions and slow healing.

After knowing what common baby skin diseases are, of course, mothers must understand what the criteria for healthy baby skin are. Here are the characteristics of healthy baby skin:

Not dry
Not scaly
No redness
There is no itching on the skin,
Smooth and soft when touched.

Tips for Caring for Baby Skin that Parents Need to Know

Taking care of baby skin is actually not difficult as long as you know the right way. Especially for daily baby skin care, you can do the following things:

- Use warm water when bathing the baby. Do not use too hot water as it can cause dryness and redness of the skin.

- Use a special baby soap, especially if the baby's skin is sensitive. If your baby has eczema/atopic dermatitis, choose a hypoallergenic bath soap. This means that the soap is made from safe ingredients and does not cause allergies.

- After bathing, dry the baby's skin with a soft towel and make sure the skin is completely dry before using a diaper. Moist skin can cause fungal growth in the diaper area, thus triggering diaper rash.

- Use moisturizer especially for babies with eczema. Choose a moisturizer without excessive fragrance.

Be careful when using warming oil or powder products, as many are made from chemicals that can trigger irritation, especially in the diaper area.

- Use clothes that are soft, comfortable to move around in, and absorb sweat well.

- Adjust baby clothes to the air temperature. Many parents dress their babies in layers of clothes to keep them warm, even though the air temperature is very hot. Babies who wear too many and thick clothes may sweat and cause miliaria.

Baby Skin Care Myths and Facts

There are many baby skin care facts and myths that are widely spread in the community. Before misinterpreting them, it's good to know what's wrong and right. Here are some baby skin care myths and facts according to Dr. Patricia Aulia:

1. Use of antiseptic soap, is it necessary?

One of the important factors in caring for baby's skin is choosing the right body wash. Many people think that antiseptic soaps are good in maintaining baby's skin health because they can kill germs that cause rashes or eczema.

In fact, antiseptic soaps have chemical compounds that are too harsh for babies' sensitive skin. Its use can even cause irritation and redness on the skin. Instead, choose a baby soap that is gentle and unscented.

2. Milk eczema is caused by the baby's cheeks being exposed to breast milk, is it true?

Many moms do not want to breastfeed their babies directly for fear of spilling breast milk on the baby's cheeks and causing milk eczema. This is not true!

In fact, milk eczema is a skin inflammation in infants caused by genetic/congenital factors. In addition, direct breastfeeding without a pump also has many positive impacts such as strengthening the emotional bond between mother and baby.

3. Cleaning baby's skin with wet wipes, is it safe?

Wet wipes are often used to clean the baby's skin, from wiping the baby's mouth after eating to cleaning the diaper area. Actually, are wet wipes safe for babies?

In fact, wet wipes contain chemical compounds and alcohol so that if their use is not appropriate, it can cause many skin diseases.

In addition, cleaning with wet wipes also causes soap residue to remain on the skin which can cause allergies in babies. It is better to clean the baby's skin using a clean cloth or towel and water and do not forget to dry it.

Wet wipes may be used when traveling away from home because it is more practical, but not too often.

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