A baby’s skin is very delicate and fragile. So, use only organic and natural products, says Megha Dua
That the baby’s skin is soft and delicate is a known fact. As a matter of fact, the global skincare industry has been making products which bank on providing that kind of baby soft skin to their customers. It’s quite simple; a baby isn’t an adult. Their skin isn’t like ours. Compared with the skin of an adult, a baby’s is more permeable, sensitive and easily affected by heat, bacteria, drool and prone to rashes, dry skin, acne and even eczema.
Their skin is more fragile and smooth. Even the protective skin barrier does not mature fully in babies till they reach the age of one. One cannot just use products made specifically for adults on babies as they will cause more harm to the baby’s skin than help.
It is important to keep in mind that not only a baby’s skin is more sensitive; it has a higher pH value to it. We all are born with skin which has a neutral pH value of 7 and as we get older, it becomes more and more acidic in nature (somewhere between 5-5.5 pH). This acidic nature of the skin helps in warding off infections. However, it is important to take care of the neutral pH level of a baby’s skin so as to provide protection against irritations and promote healthy skin early in life.
A baby skin loses moisture faster than adult skin and thus, tends to be drier. To soothe this and prevent flaking, make sure to moisturise the baby constantly. Their skin is super permeable and absorbs topically applied lotions differently than we do.
Along with this, babies are vulnerable to sun burns and damage. This is because they don’t have a lot of melanin in their skins. Melanin is skin darkening pigment which helps protect the skin from UV rays. Therefore, baby skin can be damaged more quickly from sun exposure. Additionally, the thinness of the epithelial layer of baby skin increases the risk of absorbing excessive ultraviolet rays.
To provide the best care to their baby, new parents should keep in mind these dermatological differences, and buy skincare products which are gentle and safe for their baby’s skin. Even slight carelessness can prompt problems. For example, using soaps that are alkaline or contain alcohol can effectively throw off the pH balance of their skin, making them susceptible to infections and rashes. Therefore, parents should try to buy products whose ingredients are natural, safe and do not cause any kind of toxicity and allergy.
It is important to check the ingredients label on every product before buying. Many companies with dedicated baby care lines are avidly using harmful ingredients like talc, fragrance, propylene gycol, triclosan and ethylated surfactants in their products.
These ingredients, when absorbed frequently, are proven to be carcinogenic, & neurotoxic in nature. These are also proven to inhibit the child’s ability to release toxins, disrupt their endocrine and reproductive growth and damage their respiratory system. Parents should always use products which are free from fragrances, minerals and mineral oils, and parabens.
Instead of sticking to commercially available baby skincare products riddled with harmful chemicals, parents should opt for natural and organic products those ones which are made from chamomile, allantoin, oatmeal, coconut oil, Vitamin E, calendula, shea butter, and almond oil.
These ingredients help in nourishing the skin and maintaining its pH balance without causing any harm.
Organic and natural products have more purity to them and are suitable for babies as they are free from parabens, sulphates and other dangerous compounds. Organic products are a great substitute to using traditional products as it is made by using plant that are much safer and gentler skincare solutions to parents for their babies.