Baby Skin Care
The skin of a baby is very soft, smooth and delicate. It is vulnerable and very sensitive to external allergens. People always want to touch and feel a baby's soft skin. Unfortunately, it may not be a good idea for the baby since it may cause the transfer of bacteria from the adult's hand to the baby's skin. How do you take care of skin as delicate as a baby's?
You would probably think that to take care of the skin of a baby, you just have to clean and moisturize it. Since baby's skin is more delicate than adult's skin, it is very susceptible to skin problems. There are a variety of products out in the market that cater to the needs of a baby, specifically the skin. Several companies compete for the best and the most baby friendly product that they can think of to take care of the baby's skin: from diapers, diaper ointments, oils, shampoos, soaps, body washes, even clothes and furniture. They also have several product lines exclusively for babies. Unfortunately, babies do not need all these products. They are not even able to use them all. By the time they get to try it, they have already outgrown it.
Manufacturers also keep on making products that are supposedly good for the skin of a baby but in reality aren't. Most of the time, they are damaging to the skin since they contain a very big amount of fragrance that can cause an allergic reaction on the skin. They are packaged in very appealing designs and are usually expensive but do not help at all in taking care of their skin.
Check out the baby section in the drugstore. It is usually fun to visit that section because it smells so nice, and the things are packaged so prettily. Unfortunately, these packages that were supposedly designed for a baby isn't as accurate as you think. The strong fragrance that you smell when you are in this section is a dead giveaway that these products contain perfume that may harm sensitive skin, especially a baby's.
Most goods that are designed for children and infants usually smell good. This tantalizing smell is more of a marketing scheme to attract customers and new mothers to their products. These companies are aware that women, especially mothers give in to the impulse of buying something that reminds them of their baby. Unknowingly, these people buy and use these products on their babies, and end up letting them have irritated skin. Also, these products often come in colorful designs. Since they need coloring agents to create that color for their products, these products will also be a cause of problems for a baby's skin. They would probably be slow in changing their product because they generate sales from it. The real deal for products of babies are those which have their own natural smell and color, not enhanced nor contaminated. Since only a few companies cater to this, be loyal to their products and encourage others to do the same so as to remove these inferior and damaging products from the market.
Another point against commercial baby products is that some contain ingredients such as peppermint, citrus and menthol which are skin irritants. These ingredients may cause damage in the skin of an adult. What more for the skin of a baby? Always check on the ingredients of the products you plan to use. What they say in the front label may not be as complete as what they list down on the ingredients. For a baby's skin, use only natural products that will not harm the skin.
Find out the ingredients of the product before using it on your baby. Know which ones can cause an allergic response and those which can damage the skin. Sufficient knowledge of these ingredients will help much in determining which products are best for your baby. Some companies will boast of products for sensitive skin but will contain fragrance and other oil ingredients that can cause dryness and skin sensitization. Become aware of those ingredients that may cause eczema on your baby's skin, such as using peanut oil in skin products, sulfates that cause foaming can also strip the natural oil of the skin, mineral oil, lanolin and other artificial additives.
Although there are a lot of benefits that can arise from aromatherapy, it is not for the skin of a baby. You can use natural organic oils like jojoba or sweet almond, with a dash of natural vitamin E from the capsule instead of essential oils to massage the baby's skin and moisturize it. Other oils that you can use are calendula for moisturizing and healing, and evening primrose oils for treating dry skin especially in cradle cap and cracked nipples of breastfeeding mothers.
So what do you actually need to take care of your baby's skin? Since you know that a child's skin needs products that are free from any artificial color and fragrance, mild and gentle to the skin, but can remove dirt and bacteria, you also know how to choose products wisely. Here are some of the basics:
1. Mild body cleanser
2. Mild shampoo
3. Wipes without any fragrance
4. Moisturizer that is soothing and non-irritating to the skin
5. Diaper rash ointment that contains zinc oxide and is petrolatum based and fragrance free
6. Dusting powder that does not contain talc or even cornstarch
7. A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more and with UVA protection
The subject of what type of diaper to use, whether disposables or cloth diapers is a cause for a debate especially for environmentalists since they claim that the use of cloth diapers can help conserve the forest and minimize non-recyclable trash. They also claim that using cloth diapers is better for the baby's skin because it allows it to breathe as compared to disposable ones which are removed only when needed.
A baby's skin is very soft to hold and touch. Let us allow it to remain that way, well even just until they enter puberty and hormones take control of it. Be vigilant about the proper products for babies, and not for marketing alone.
