Be gentle with baby’s skin

New born babies tend to develop myriad skin conditions. Therefore, it is extremely important to take extra care of the little ones, says DR AJAY RANA

A baby’s skin is much thinner and sensitive than an adult’s and needs special care and protection. Because they have a higher chance to get infected by some infection or disease. New born babies can develop many types of skin conditions shortly after their birth. A lot of these conditions last only a period of time after the birth and get cured as they grow. Babies develop a myriad of skin conditions during the first few months of life. Cradle cap, diaper rash, toxic erythema, milia, infantile acne, and others are  common among them. Some of these conditions are caused by normal hormonal changes or immature pores, while others are caused by inflammation or, rarely, an infection.

Some of the common skin problems in new born babies are:

• Diaper rash is one of the most common skin problems in new born babies. It is often caused by irritation to the skin due to contact with urine and stool. Sometimes it is caused by yeast infections, bacterial infections, or even due to an allergy to diaper material.
• Baby acne is also common among babies and it is caused by maternal hormones called estrogens. Estrogens are involved in causing acne in adolescents also.
• Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a itchy rash that occurs in response to a specific exposure or allergy of the skin. It is generally seen in children over three months of age and appears most commonly on the scalp, face, trunk, elbows and knees and even in the diaper area.
• Babies have dry peeling skin in the initial period after birth. Because the infant exists in a fluid environment for several months and after birth, the skin cells start to regenerate, which results in the peeling of the old skin cells.
• Cradle cap is a one of the common rash seen in newborns. These rashes are usually seen in the first month of life, starts on the scalp and has a red, waxy, and scaly appearance. Sometimes these rashes can extend to the face and neck.
• Most of the healthy newborns develop milia, which are tiny white or yellow bumps about one-three mm in size. Milia is caused from blocked pores and typically develop on the face, often around the eye and nose. These bumps can appear in large numbers, and usually a roughly equal number form on each side of the face. In new born babies, milia can also develop in the mouth.

Some tips to avoid skin problems in new born babies:

• Use a gentle shampoo/soap to massage the baby, which is rich in herbs.
• Choose a moisturiser for children that contain olive oil and almond oil, which improves the softness of children’s skin.
• In the sticky skin which becomes dry, and chapped where the skin rubs, such as wrinkles on the wrists. In such a situation, using a moisturiser such as aspirin, aquaphor, or petroleum jelly on the baby’s cheeks increases natural blockage and helps treat any already scorched skin.
• The problem of red patches in the cheeks of infants due to UV rays is common. In this case, do not forget to use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.
• Avoid products with dyes and fragrances in them because these may result in allergic reactions to babies.
• Skin of new born babies is sensitive and can easily burn from sun exposure, even causing permanent damage. So it is important to avoid direct sunlight.

The writer is Dermatologist & Aesthetic Physician, Founder- Director of ILAMED