Let’s face it. An itchy baby is a fussy baby, and no one wants to see their child in discomfort. To help ease your parenting stress (or maybe even distress), let us first say that baby eczema is both common and treatable — and, in fact, most babies will outgrow it.
You’ll want to be sure that red rash is really eczema and the root cause of their frustrating skin condition. While you’re trying to help your itchy baby with their eczema, here are some of our top tips to help you manage symptoms and flare-ups:
What does baby eczema look like?
Infant eczema, like adult eczema, appears as patches of red, dry, flaky skin. Eczema can show up anywhere on your baby’s skin, but it is most common on the cheeks or in the creases of the elbows and knees.
What causes eczema in babies?
It’s completely natural to wonder why your baby is suffering from this itchy, frustrating skin condition. As with adult eczema, the exact cause of eczema in little ones is unknown.
The cause is believed, though, to be a combination of genetics and environmental factors. We also know that children who have a family history of eczema, asthma, or seasonal allergies are more likely to develop eczema. It’s also thought that problems with the skin barrier and an imbalance of bacteria in the skin microbiome could be at play.
Baby eczema treatments
Once you’ve determined your child’s red, itchy rash is eczema, there are steps you can take to help soothe the skin and minimize flare-ups.
1. Manage scratching
As you probably know from your own experience with dry skin and rashes, scratching only makes things worse. When your baby scratches their eczema, they put themselves at risk for infection. That’s why it’s important to keep their nails trimmed and filed and prevent scratching as much as you can.
You may want to try onesies or shirts with built-in mittens to cover your little one’s fingers and prevent scratching. Most parents find that traditional baby mittens are too easy for the baby to pull off and pose a choking hazard. While using clothing with built-in mittens, you can rest assured the covering will stay snuggly on your baby’s hands.
2. Keep your baby cool
Both heat and sweat can contribute to eczema flare-ups and make your baby’s itching worse. Avoid overusing blankets and dress your little one in breathable cotton clothing.
You may also want to keep bath time short and only use lukewarm water to keep your little one’s body temperature cool.
3. Moisturize
Moisturizing immediately after your baby takes a bath is one of the most important steps in managing eczema symptoms. You’ll want to choose a fragrance-free cream or ointment and apply several times throughout the day — including but not limited to after bath time.
Gladskin’s Eczema Cream is a fragrance-free, cleanly formulated, safe for everyone 3 months and up.
But it goes far beyond just moisturizing.
The Gladskin Eczema Cream addresses one of the most under-talked-about contributors to eczema: bacteria imbalances in the skin microbiome.
Using endolysin Micreobalance® (our patented smart protein), Gladskin’s Eczema Cream works naturally with the skin to restore balance among the good and bad bacteria. As a result, 4 out of 5 users experienced reduced redness and itching. And using Gladskin every day, even without a flare, has been shown to keep itching at bay.
Identify your baby’s triggers
Eczema is often exacerbated by environmental factors, some of which can be minimized to help reduce flare-ups. Potential triggers of your baby’s eczema could be:
- Clothing materials — wool is a major irritant; nylon and acrylic materials may also irritate
- Soaps — harsh soaps and bath products (like bubbles) can dry the skin or contain irritating fragrances; also avoid laundry products with fragrance
- Common allergens — in children with eczema these include dust mites, pet dander, common food allergens, and grass pollen
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to eczema, but by better understanding the skin condition and its underlying causes, you can help soothe your baby’s eczema. And always remember, you’re not alone on this journey. In fact, parents just like you are opening up about their frustrations with infant eczema and how they finally helped their babies stop itching.