Contents:
- Medical Video: Pediatric Answers : What to Do for a Rash on a Baby's Face & Chest
- Why is baby's skin sensitive?
- Tips for sensitive baby skin care
- 1. Carefully select safe products
- 2. Wisely bathe the baby
- 3. Don't forget to use moisturizer
Medical Video: Pediatric Answers : What to Do for a Rash on a Baby's Face & Chest
Babies are born with skin that is more sensitive than adults. That is why newborns need more painstaking skin care so that they are not easily irritated and inflamed. So, how do you treat sensitive baby skin?
Why is baby's skin sensitive?
For 9 months in the womb, the baby is protected by a layer of fatty substances called vernix which is attached to the entire skin. This layer acts like a blanket to maintain the baby's body temperature while keeping his skin moist and not wrinkled even though submerged in amniotic water.
Now when babies are born into the world, changes in extreme environmental temperatures from damp (the environment in the womb) to very dry (outside air) can make baby's skin dry out quickly.
"Compared to adult skin, baby's skin is much thinner and tends to be more sensitive to changes that occur around it," said Dr. Srie Prihianti Sp.KK, a pediatric skin specialist (child dermatology) who was met by the Hello Sehat team in the Mega Kuningan area on Monday (5/11).
The structure of the newborn's skin tissue is also still loose so that any foreign particles in the surrounding air can enter easily and irritate the skin. In addition, the baby's skin protection system has not yet been formed perfectly to fight the foreign substances that enter.
Dry and sensitive baby's skin makes it very vulnerable to skin disorders such as rashes eczema itching and irritation. Using the wrong baby skin care products can also aggravate skin problems if you are not careful. This is a high risk because it causes itching, redness, skin irritation, and even dry scaly to peel off.
Tips for sensitive baby skin care
Before knowing the tips for newborn skin care, you have to know first what is the purpose of caring for sensitive baby skin, said Dr. Srie Prihianti Sp.KK.
Newborn skin care must be:
- Maintain moisture in baby's skin.
- Keep skin healthy.
- Prevent irritation or allergy.
After knowing the purpose of caring for baby's skin, you can do the following:
1. Carefully select safe products
Choose newborn skin care products that contain organic ingredients. In addition, select products that are labeled hypoallergenic to prevent the risk of allergies. Also try to choose soap and shampoo products that have a balanced pH with tear pH levels or "low occular irritation index"(Labeled" pH-balanced ").
Don't choose bath products that are colored, scented, and produce lots of foam because this usually contains chemicals that can irritate the skin
Do not also choose soap which afterwards makes the skin tight, said Dr. Srie. Soap that makes the skin tight is the sign of drying the skin. Choose baby soap which actually feels slippery even after drying, because this is a sign that the soap contains a lot of moisturizer.
2. Wisely bathe the baby
When a newborn, it's good not to be bathed immediately. Generally, many mothers are uncomfortable seeing the fat membrane attached to the baby's body shortly after birth. Though the fat membrane that has the name vernix caseosa serves to moisturize and protect the skin from infection and the risk of allergies.
Many neonatal health experts advise parents to postpone the baby's first bathing time until the vital signs and temperature of the baby are stabilized, about 2-4 hours after birth.
Also pay attention to the way. Bathing the baby must be with lukewarm water (36-47º Celsius) by soaking his entire body in the tub. Do not bathe the baby for too long, at least 10-15 minutes. The duration of bathing can reduce the baby's body temperature and trigger hypothermia.
3. Don't forget to use moisturizer
It's not just adult skin that needs to be moistened with moisturizer, newborns also need to. Especially because baby's skin tends to be dry and very sensitive.
A good moisturizer can help maintain moisture in the skin immediately after taking a shower. Moisturizers also function to improve the baby's skin texture to make it softer and flexible.
Apply moisturizer 2-3 minutes after bathing when the skin is still slightly damp, washed with water. This trick will more effectively moisturize the skin than applying moisturizer when the baby's skin is completely dry.
If your baby's skin is not sensitive or normal, choose lotion type moisturizer. If dry skin is sensitive, choose the type of cream.
