Baby acne & eczema
As a new parent, you can spend hours looking at your little one and, of course, you want to proudly introduce your little sprout to your surroundings. It can be quite a shock when your baby's skin suddenly has pimples or red spots after a few weeks. Because although you might think that pimples only appear during puberty, babies can also experience this sometimes. Fortunately, baby acne and eczema often resolve on their own. However, it is important to care for your little one's skin properly to prevent it from getting worse. Curious about how to do this? We will tell you!
Why are babies extra sensitive to skin problems?
The baby skin is about 5 times thinner than the skin of an adult. You can imagine that your child's skin is quite vulnerable! Because the epidermis is so thin, babies have a fragile skin barrier. This means that bacteria or harmful substances that come into contact with the skin can easily pass through. Always wash your hands well before caring for your child! The skin of young children also dries out quickly because they lose a lot of moisture and produce very little sebum. This makes baby skin especially sensitive to skin problems like eczema and baby acne.
What is baby acne?
Just like teenagers and adults, newborn babies can also suffer from pimples and blackheads on their faces. This is called baby acne or neonatal acne. The exact cause is still unknown. It is often associated with the mother's hormones or a growth disorder of the sebaceous glands.
Acne usually appears within 2 to 4 weeks after birth. And although it may look unpleasant, your baby is fortunately not bothered by it much. What is especially important is that you do nothing about it. No matter how tempting it may be, try not to squeeze the pimples. This can be painful for your baby and cause scarring. You certainly don't want that! After a few weeks or months, they will disappear on their own.
What does eczema look like in babies?
Does your baby have red, itchy spots? Then it could very well be eczema. Eczema is a skin problem that your child can experience shortly after birth, but also as a toddler or preschooler. The most common variants are atopic eczema, contact eczema, and seborrheic eczema.
- Constitutional eczema (atopic eczema): this form is the most common and is recognized by red patches, itching, and flaking of the skin. It often develops a few months after birth, but your toddler or preschooler can also suffer from this eczema.
- Contacteczeem: 'this can occur due to an allergic reaction, but also when your child's skin comes into contact with irritating substances. Think of soap, detergent, perfume, but also' rash from wearing a diaper falls under this.
- Seborrheic eczema: this is also called cradle cap. This causes red spots and greasy, yellow flakes on the face, around the ears, or on your child's scalp. Fortunately, this will also go away on its own.
How do you care for baby acne or eczema?
Fortunately, baby acne or eczema often goes away on its own. So there's nothing to worry about! However, you can ensure that your little one suffers as little as possible. For example, don't bathe your baby too often and use soap-free baby products. Keep the skin well-hydrated with a greasy cream, ointment, or nice face & body oil. If your baby has diaper rash, let the skin dry well first and then use a nice diaper cream. It is also important that your little one does not scratch themselves open. So, keep the nails short or cover the hands with mittens or socks. You can also reduce itching from eczema in a toddler or preschooler by distracting them with a fun activity.
Use natural care products
Does your child have baby acne or eczema? Then it is important to choose gentle care products. Because the skin is extra sensitive, synthetic ingredients such as parabens, alcohol, and silicones can actually worsen the irritation. In some cases, this is even the cause of the problem, such as with contact eczema. Yet, you can find these kinds of substances even in products from well-known baby brands. Through Beat the microbead, you can check if microplastics have been added to products. Therefore, it is better to care for your baby's sensitive skin with natural and microplastic-free baby & kids care. The ingredients of these products have a natural origin and are therefore extra nourishing and gentle for the vulnerable baby skin.
Do you want to care for your little one with gentle and mess-free products? The baby care from Happy Earth is 100% natural and therefore extra soft for sensitive and delicate skin. Happy Baby, Happy You!
