Babies don’t come with instruction manuals, so when they develop strange skin issues, it can be alarming. As a parent of a 4 year-old who has had sensitive skin and eczema his whole life, I’ve had my fair share of scares. The good news is most skin issues are really common for babies and can be treated at home with simple remedies. Here are the 5 most common skin issues you’ll encounter as a new parent:
Cradle Cap:
My son had newborn cradle cap and omg it can be scary. I remember thinking to myself, ‘why does his scalp look like fish scales!?’ Turns out it’s a very common newborn skin issue. You can simply get a small jar of coconut oil (I would spend the extra money to make sure it’s pure and organic and no extra ingredients have been added), and rub it into their scalp an hour before bath. Let it really soak in and do a gentle massage to make sure it covers every area. Wash it off in the bath with warm water and use a soft brush to comb it all out. You may have to repeat this a few times a week before it’s all gone, but once it’s gone, it most likely won’t return.
Diaper Rash:
Start getting familiar with this one, because it’s a common rash that will return. The best way to help prevent diaper rash is to make sure they have a nice clean, dry bottom. After every diaper change, pat their bottom dry, apply a small barrier of ointment and put the diaper back on. Diaper rashes tend to be most frequent around 6 months of age.
Baby Acne:
Before your baby is a month old, they’ll mostly have baby acne that will remind you of your 13 year old teen skin. What is happening?! It’s super common, so don’t worry about it. There’s nothing you can do to treat it, and adding ointment may make it worse, so just leave it alone and it’ll clear up on it’s own. Only bummer is this is the time when parents schedule newborn baby photo shoots, so be mindful of that when scheduling if it bothers you.
Scratches:
Baby nails can be scary and long. When they have Edward scissorhands type of nails, they can do some light damage to their face. Don’t worry, it’s very common, and no, it won’t leave a mark. Best way to treat it is to put a thin layer of aquaphor on it and let it heal.
Eczema:
This one is annoying. If your baby has eczema, there’s a few things you can do to manage it (notice how I said manage, and not treat?) depending on the level of severity When my son’s eczema first appeared, it was manageable with some aquaphor, then it got worse and I had to use hydrocortisone. Then he developed a peanut allergy. Wait, what? Yes, research has shown that babies who develop eczema are also at risk of developing a peanut allergy. I wish I had known this information before it was too late. I didn’t have my son tested for it until he was 18 months old and by then he had developed a full blown peanut allergy, which I later learned could have possibly been prevented. “You can prevent a child with eczema from developing a peanut allergy, but you’ll want to proceed carefully,” reports AAD.org. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests introducing foods that contain peanut early may prevent a peanut allergy. Some research has shown that you can introduce it as early as 4-6 months to prevent a lifelong allergy. When it comes to allergies, it’s best to consult with your pediatrician on how to proceed.
