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Newborn Care Topics..

 
You are here : home > Newborn Care > Diapering and Grooming your Baby > Skin Care of a Newborn

Skin Care of a Newborn

Skin Care of a Newborn

Right skin care of newborn prevents skin irritation and common skin problems. Learn to deal with common skin problems of newborn with effective skin care regimen.

The delicate feel of a baby’s skin feels like a dream. A simple point to understand over here is that some infants are naturally born with a great skin, while for some, the parents need to take some extra care in order to attain that skin tone. Not to forget that every baby is born with a flaky skin and body hair that is known as lanugo and it gets peeled off or shed automatically within the first couple of weeks after birth. Post this peeling off; the real skin emerges that is soft and delicate to touch.

The Need for Skin Care

The first few months after birth are very important. Many babies are found to be prone to various kinds of skin irritation. Cradle caps and diaper rashes are very common in some babies and there is nothing to lose sleep on it as they are very natural states.

Remember that the skin of your infant is very thin and fragile. Moreover, the skin is quite dry, that is, far less oily compared to a healthy adult skin. The natural production of melanin is very low in an infant and thereby, the natural protection against possible sunburn is lacking. The natural resistance to bacteria is also very low and also against all the harmful elements present in the immediate environment. Thus comes the need to keep the environment clean for the infant and maintain good hygiene. Babies also do not sweat like adults and thus it is difficult for them to efficiently maintain the inner body temperature. Babies also do not react to allergens very easily.

For the first week or for the first fortnight after birth, the baby actually retains some of the hormones of the mother. This is why you will notice that minor skin rashes that occur post birth also disappears pretty readily.

Baby’s Skin Care Regimen

You need an effective skin care regimen to deal with other common skin rashes that are natural for infants at this stage:

Cradle cap –

These appear as crusty patches on the scalp of the newborn. They are caused by the overactive glands in the scalp of the baby. To treat this, you need to apply some baby oil on the area, leave it for some time and then shampoo it off with a mild baby shampoo. Use a baby brush after that.

Chafing –

This can appear on any part of the body where there is a friction between the skin and the clothing. As the skin of the infant is very delicate, a constant friction or anywhere where the skin rubs together like the armpits or groin area might develop flaky rashes. You need to keep the baby in very loose clothing and remove anything that is tight on the skin like rubber pants or straps of any type. Rinse the area, dry it and keep the skin clean at all times. Apply the recommended lotions, cremes and cornstarch baby powder on the area.

Heat Rash –

They often appear as pink pimple eruptions all across the body if the baby is made to stay in high heat or humid conditions. This also happens if the sweat glands of the baby are undeveloped. You have to first ensure that the baby is kept in a proper cool temperature and make sure that you do not overdress the baby or overheat the room if its wintertime. The clothing should always be kept loose, and the skin should always be clean and dry.

Infant Acne –

They appear as pink spots on the face. Since there is a retention of the mother’s hormones when the baby is born, this infant acne may occur, but for a short period. They often disappear naturally; else you need to consult your pediatrician.

Eczema –

This is marked by irritating, scaly skin that has a reddish tinge. This is also known as atopic dermatitis and is treated by cleaning the skin well and keeping it dry apart from using the recommended medical lotions.

Finally, all you need to remember is that you are responsible for the skin care of the infant and you can actually gift him or her a skin that will remain healthy as the child grows up although the texture might change a bit due to several other external factors. Just a simple skin care regimen that will take into consideration all of the above mentioned points will be enough to give that divine feeling of holding a soft cuddly bundle of joy in your arms.




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Sulochana
Sulochana.12 years ago
I want to ask something; do newborns really need baby powder, lotions and oils? In ancient times, these were not there and babies had no problem then.
 
 
 
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Parvathui
Parvathui.12 years ago
Newborn skin care is an important aspect of newborn care. Newborns also have skin problems and they need delicate skin care.
 
 
 
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Mackinson
Mackinson.12 years ago
Skin problems in newborn can be easily treated if it is detected early. this article is a good guide for detecting skin problems in newborns.
 
 
 
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