By keeping your baby’s skin clean and moisturized, and avoiding toxins and direct sunlight, you can help protect their skin from any harmful effects from the outside world. Baby skin care is an important skill for new parents. Babies are born with delicate, tender skin that is more vulnerable to damage, inflammation, and infections. Because of developmental and structural differences, your infant’s skin has different needs in terms of bathing, protection, and moisture (1). Learning to properly clean, bathe, and moisturize your infant’s skin is important to supporting their overall health. In this article, you will learn baby skin care tips that include: how and how often to wash your baby, the importance of moisturizing your baby’s skin, why it’s important to choose a non-toxic laundry detergent, and ways to protect your baby’s skin from the sun. 7 Baby Skin Care Tips During the first year of life, your baby’s skin is changing at a rapid pace. Here are 7 tips to give your baby's skin the extra care it needs! 1. Bathe Infants No More Than 2-3 Times Per Week The American Academy of Dermatology recommends bathing infants only 2-3 times a week if needed (2) and many infants do well with just one bath per week. Ideally baths should last for no more than 10 minutes at a time. Washing more frequently can disrupt the delicate moisture barrier on the skin, leading to dryness and irritation, and may potentially increase the risk of atopic dermatitis (3). However, it is important to make sure that your infant is clean, as food or other substances left on the skin can also cause irritation. For day to day hygiene, a simple wipe down with a soft, wet cloth is all that is needed. When finished, make sure to dry skin thoroughly and apply a gentle lotion if necessary. It is important to note that these recommendations do not apply to babies with eczema. Babies with eczema should be bathed daily in order to help keep their skin clean and reduce the risk of developing an infection (4). Learn more about caring for eczema here: Eczema Treatment 101 - Dr. Green Mom. For a gentle infant shampoo and body wash, check out our Cleanest Care Nourishing Shampoo & Body Wash (With Botanical Hydra-Soothe™ Complex). See Product 2. Clean Between The Creases and Rolls Oh those creases and rolls! So squishy and yet they can trap spit-up, food, dirt, and debris making them a magnet for skin irritation! The best way to clean these hard to reach areas is to straighten out the rolls and wipe them clean with a baby wipe. Make sure to dry them completely after you wipe to help prevent any rashes from appearing. 3. Change Your Baby’s Diaper Promptly With newborns averaging a diaper change every 2-3 hours, you may feel like you are stuck in a time loop full of diapers, wipes, and not-so-pleasant odors. It is important to keep up with each change to ensure your baby’s skin is clean and dry, which will help to protect it from various skin conditions. If possible, choose natural non-toxic diapers or cloth diapers. 4. Moisturize Your Baby’s Skin Although it seems like your baby’s skin is perfectly moisturized due to its softness, it lacks natural moisturizing factors, which are necessary for optimal levels of hydration (5). And with your baby losing their protective vernix, it’s important to keep their skin moisturized to help keep skincare conditions at bay. If you are in need of a lotion that is formulated with zero common allergens and is safe for the whole family, our Cleanest Care™ Nourishing Daily Lotion (With Botanical Calmplex™) is a great option to promote hydration and nourishment in your baby’s skin. See Product 5. Choose a Non-toxic Laundry Detergent Laundry detergent can contain toxic ingredients such as synthetic fragrances, dyes, preservatives, and more. Since your baby’s skin is so delicate, it can easily be irritated by these ingredients. Choosing a non-toxic laundry detergent can help limit the amount of toxins your baby is exposed to while reducing the potential for irritation. It is common for families to wash their infant’s clothes in non-toxic detergent, and the rest of the household clothes in regular detergent. Because your infant comes into contact with everyone’s clothes — bedsheets, washcloths, towels, etc — it’s recommended to switch the whole family to an unscented, non-toxic detergent. Check out my favorite laundry picks over on instagram! 6. Avoid Direct Sunlight It may be tempting to take your baby to the pool on those hot summer days, but you need to be careful when exposing their delicate skin to the sun. Since the Food and Drug Administration recommends babies under 6 months of age avoid sunscreen, you will have to implement other ways to keep their skin safe from the sun (6). Here are some ways to keep your baby’s skin safe from the sun (6): Keep your baby in the shade Make sure your baby stays hydrated Put a hat on your baby that covers their face, neck, and ears Have your baby wear UV protective clothing 7. Know When to Seek Medical Care Because infants have such sensitive skin, they are prone to various skin conditions. The good news is that most skin conditions resolve on their own without any intervention; however, sometimes a trip to the doctor is warranted. For more information about common infant skin conditions, see: 8 Common Infant Skin Conditions- Dr. Green Mom. Summary During the first year of life, your baby’s skin is changing at a rapid pace and requires some extra care. By keeping your baby’s skin clean and moisturized, and avoiding toxins and direct sunlight, you can help protect their skin from any harmful effects from the outside world. PRODUCTS MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE See Product See Product See Product SHOP & EARN REWARDS. JOIN TODAY! References: Oranges, T., Dini, V., & Romanelli, M. (2015). Skin Physiology of the Neonate and Infant: Clinical Implications. Advances in wound care, 4(10), 587–595. https://doi.org/10.1089/wound.2015.0642 American Academy of Dermatology. (n.d.). How to bathe your newborn. Www.aad.org. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/newborn-bathing Marrs, T., Perkin, M. R., Logan, K., Craven, J., Radulovic, S., McLean, W. H. I., Versteeg, S. A., van Ree, R., Lack, G., Flohr, C., & EAT Study Team. (2020). Bathing frequency is associated with skin barrier dysfunction and atopic dermatitis at three months of age. The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice, 8(8), 2820–2822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2020.04.043 Santer, M., Rumsby, K., Ridd, M., Francis, N., Stuart, B., Chorozoglou, M., Wood, W., Roberts, A., Thomas, K., Williams, H., & Little, P. (n.d.). Bath additives for the treatment of childhood eczema (BATHE): protocol for multicentre parallel group randomised trial. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/5/10/e009575.full.pdf Stamatas, G. N., Nikolovski, J., Mack, M. C., & Kollias, N. (2011). Infant skin physiology and development during the first years of life: a review of recent findings based on in vivo studies. International journal of cosmetic science, 33(1), 17–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2494.2010.00611.x FDA. (2021). Should You Put Sunscreen on Infants? Not Usually. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/should-you-put-sunscreen-infants-not-usually Facebook Pinterest X Email 5 Common Toxins In Skincare Products Read more Meet The 10 Essential Oils Handpicked For Our Skincare Line Read more