We often think of our children as a miniature version of ourselves. However, they require more care and attention in all aspects. One such crucial aspect of newborn care is maintaining proper skin health. Understanding the skin of your newborn is imperative to keeping common problems such as rashes and blemishes at bay.  

To give your child the much-advertised baby-soft skin, you will need more than applying baby products bought from your local pharmacy. It involves gaining a complete perspective on newborn skincare, from how it differs from adult skin to the specific products to use. 

How Is Newborn Baby Skin Different? 

Let us start with the basics of newborn care: knowing what sets newborn skin apart from an adult. A newborn’s skin has distinct properties that require specific treatment and care for optimum skin conditions in your child. Here is a list of newborn skin differentiating factors for your reference: 

• Sensitivity: A newborn baby’s skin is much more sensitive than an adult’s. It is prone to irritation from many allergens, which cause common rashes and blemishes in children. 

• Moisture retention: A key part of newborn care involves understanding that their skin cannot retain moisture on the same level as adult skin. Your baby’s skin absorbs and loses moisture at a much faster rate than your skin. 

• Structural integrity: Your infant’s skin is a lot thinner than a mature adult’s skin. Though skin thickness increases with age, it is important to preserve the skin’s condition as part of newborn care. 

Considering all these factors, you can now chart out a specific skincare plan for your little one. Aside from the routine of bathing and skin products, you also must keep in mind the common mistakes to avoid in baby skincare. 

Newborn Skincare: Things to Avoid 

Part of newborn care is understanding the practical implications of nurturing their delicate systems. Since the skin is the largest continuous organ in the body, you need to take extra steps to preserve your infant’s skin in prime condition. 

• Reduce Sun exposure: Prolonged exposure to the Sun can be very detrimental to your young one. Their skin is susceptible to more damage than ours normally is under UV exposure. Try to cover as much of their skin from direct sunlight when outdoors and cover sensitive areas like the ears. You should not use sunscreen on a baby younger than 6 months of age. 

• Keep triggers away: Since their skin is sensitive, you need to take extra precautions against contact dermatitis triggers that could potentially cause rashes in your child. A newborn’s skin is significantly thinner, which increases the likelihood of hives or acute dermatitis from frequent contact with a trigger. Common triggers include body fluids, rubber/latex, metals, and certain soaps. 

• Prevent heat rashes: If your baby’s body temperature shoots up and causes sweating, this could cause heat rashes in areas where the skin folds. It can also occur in skin regions with minimal ventilation. A heat rash often looks like a red spot on the skin, with moderate inflammation. Monitor your baby’s temperature and use suitable oils to keep their skin healthy. 

Along with these newborn care precautions for ideal skin, you should also follow a proper bathing routine for your child.  

How to Bathe Your Newborn Child

 Though it may seem simple, you must pay attention when bathing your child to avoid inadvertently harming their skin. Following the right bath practices for your child can benefit their skin and keep it healthy. 

• Use only lukewarm water: Using excessively hot (or cold) water to bathe your child can affect their skin adversely. Test the water temperature first. 
• Avoid soap in eyes and ears: To prevent irritation, it is best to avoid using soap on sensitive areas such as the eyes, especially in younger infants. Clean these regions with water only. 
• No perfumed/dyed soaps: Your baby’s skin is thin and highly permeable. To reduce the risk of any untoward skin symptoms, it is always best to use baby-safe, non-perfumed soaps and bath products. 
• Prioritize short baths: Your baby only needs a quick cleanup when it comes to bathing. Keep their baths short, focusing on gentle bathing! 
• Dry them properly: Do not forget to dry your baby completely with a soft washcloth or towel after you are done bathing them.  

Though most people choose to bathe their children every day, it is not necessary. A proper bath once every two or three days is sufficient for proper newborn care.  In their growing years, children can face a few health issues related to their skin. These can present themselves despite your best efforts to protect your infant’s skin. In these cases, knowing what steps to take is essential. From sourcing the right medications from an online pharmacy to knowing the right dosage to give, proper attention is required. 

Common Newborn Skin Issues  When caring for your baby’s skin, you should look out for the common symptoms of skin issues. Catching these signs early can ensure smooth treatment and less hassle for your child. 

• Diaper rash: This is a common condition in sensitive regions of your baby’s skin, especially those in constant contact with body fluids like sweat and urine. Treatment for diaper rash includes applying petroleum jelly to the affected region. In more severe cases, your pediatrician may suggest a zinc oxide-based cream for relief, available in an online pharmacy. 
• Cradle cap: This is known as neonatal dandruff and looks like flaky skin on your newborn’s scalp. To prevent extensive crusting, you can apply gentle olive oil to their scalp. If unresponsive to treatment, please consult your pediatrician. 
• Dry skin: Since baby skin loses moisture very quickly, it can cause dry skin in patches. To alleviate this, apply a gentle moisturizer on the affected region after bathing. In more severe cases, please consult a pediatrician.  

myAster: Complete Newborn Care 

Caring for your newborn’s skin is a streamlined prospect through our dedicated myAster app. The application’s online pharmacy facilitates shopping for all your newborn care products such as baby lotions, soaps, moisturizers, and much more. The app offers a seamless shopping experience, where you can go from browsing baby products to checkout in a few clicks. Enjoy doorstep delivery of best-in-class products from myAster’s online pharmacy. 

Shop our extensive range of pediatric care products on myAster today.