FROM BIRTH TO 7 DAYS
Cleansing.
You've just received your baby: red, wrinkled, covered in something white - you just want to wash him off! Take your time: according to WHO recommendations, you shouldn't bathe a newborn immediately after birth, and a doctor should rub vernix caseosa into the skin. This will reduce the risk of hypothermia and initiate the formation of a healthy skin barrier [1]. After 2-3 hours, you can wash your baby, preferably locally.
What to wash with?
In most cases, water is enough, but the original stool - meconium - is difficult to remove from the skin. Take a gentle cleanser for babies with ceramides and a prebiotic in the composition to the maternity hospital. Traditional soap is absolutely not suitable: alkali will destroy the protective barrier of delicate skin - this is fraught with dryness and dermatitis in the future [2].
GENTLY CLEANSES SENSITIVE SKINRESTORES THE PROTECTIVE BARRIER OF THE SKIN
PROTECTS FROM HARD WATER
Moisturizing.
On the second day, the newborn's skin turns red - this phenomenon is called simple erythema, and it is caused by adaptation to a new world. After a day or two, the redness subsides and peeling begins. This is also physiologically normal. Do not pick at the scales and apply an emollient to the flaking areas.
What to apply?
Dermatologists recommend not just a simple baby cream, but an emollient [3]. In addition to moisturizing components, it contains softening and protective substances. The lighter the product in texture, the better: lotion, milk, emulsion.
CONTAINS A LIPID COMPLEX TO RESTORE THE SKIN BARRIERA PREBIOTIC SELECTIVELY STIMULATES THE GROWTH OF BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS
Problems.
Newborns get acne too! As in adolescents, it is caused by hormonal changes and appears on the nose, forehead, chin, and less often the back. Don't squeeze pustules; they will go away on their own. Another common problem is prickly heat: a red rash in any location. It appears due to poor hygiene and overheating.
What to apply? Tell your doctor about any rashes; they may prescribe drying medications. Do not apply moisturizers or emollients to irritated areas.
FROM 1 WEEK TO 6 MONTHS
Cleansing.
Adult skin consists of five layers, while infant skin consists of three. It is like a sieve: it easily loses moisture and lets almost everything that comes into contact with it through. This also applies to feces and urine. That is why it is important to change diapers promptly and clean the skin at each change. Bathe your baby's entire body at least 2-3 times a week, starting with 10 minutes and gradually increasing the time.
What to wash with?
When changing diapers, you can cleanse the skin with water or hypoallergenic wet wipes—there is no difference in effectiveness or safety [4]. If you use wipes, alternate them with rinsing with water to avoid stressing the skin with friction. Bathe your baby once or twice a week using a gentle cleanser. It should not contain aggressive surfactants, so as not to destroy the already weak lipid barrier.
GENTLY AND THOROUGHLY REMOVES DIRTCOTTON EXTRACT AND PANTHENOL IN THE LOTION MOISTURIZE AND SOOTHE
Moisturizing.
By the end of the first month, physiological dryness and flaking disappear. However, the skin barrier is still imperfect. Dry air in the apartment, impurities in the water - all this can trigger the development of atopic dermatitis. With this disease, the skin becomes covered with itchy, flaky patches. In case of severe damage, infection may occur.
What to apply?
Use emollients at least twice a week - controlled studies have shown their effectiveness in the prevention and treatment of atopic dermatitis [2]. Keep in mind: in cold climates, products with a higher concentration of the emollient component are needed.
INSTANTLY ELIMINATES THE FEELING OF TIGHTNESSREDUCES ITCHING AND IRRITATION
Problems.
Diaper dermatitis is the most common skin problem in infants [6]. It is redness in the groin and buttocks, in areas of friction from the diaper. In severe cases, rashes, blisters and ulcers appear. They can be painful, itchy, and cause discomfort to the child.
What to apply?
The main thing is to promptly cleanse the skin of feces and urine with mild cleansers and/or wet wipes. Give your baby diaper-free air baths several times a day. Never apply moisturizers to the affected areas, as this can increase oozing. Be sure to consult your doctor about restorative and drying ointments.
PREVENTS DIAPER RASHWHEN APPLIED, IT CREATES A BARRIER THAT PREVENTS CONTACT WITH MOISTURE IN THE DIAPER
AFTER 6 MONTHS
Cleansing.
The challenges of the first six months of life are behind us, but new events are ahead - the first solid foods, the first teeth, the first sandbox. Don't forget to quickly cleanse the skin. A baby covered in puree is cute, but it can cause allergies, because infant skin is highly permeable. You need to wash off sunscreen, paints, and toothpaste in the same way.
What to wash with?
Everything is the same: use a gentle cleanser without aggressive surfactants. If your baby is active and walks a lot, you can bathe him with a cleansing gel every day - it is safe if we are talking about lipid-restoring products.
Moisturizing.
The most vulnerable area is the cheeks and chin. Drooling during teething, food debris on the face, allergic reactions during the introduction of solid foods - all this can cause redness and peeling.
What to apply?
Maintain the skin's protective barrier with an emollient. Apply the product to your cheeks twice a day and don't forget to care for the rest of your body as usual: apply an emollient at least twice a week, or up to 2-3 times a day if the air in your apartment is dry and you swim in hard water.
SUITABLE FOR FACE AND BODY
HAS A NON-STICKY TEXTURE
INSTANTLY ELIMINATES DRYNESS
Problems.
The main problems I see are frost and sun. Sun protection is essential from a very early age: even one sunburn in childhood increases the risk of melanoma in adulthood [7]. Cold simply dries out the skin, leading to chapping.
What to apply?
Sunscreen cosmetics for children are developed taking into account the characteristics of delicate, sensitive children's skin. Developers primarily use mineral filters as sunscreens. They don't react chemically with the skin, but instead create a physical barrier to ultraviolet radiation. In frosty weather, use cold creams or the simplest products with petroleum jelly: they retain moisture and do not allow it to evaporate in the cold.
PROTECTS DELICATE BABY SKIN FROM BAD WEATHER, COLD, WIND AND LOW TEMPERATURES
CHECK-LIST COSMETIC BAG FOR A BABY UP TO ONE YEAR
✔ Lipid-restoring CREAM-GEL WITH CERAMIDES AND PREBIOTIC CERAFAVIT LIBREDERM✔ Emollient milk for dry and sensitive skin CERAFAVIT LIBREDERM
✔ Emollient balm (for very dry areas) triple action for face and body CERAFAVIT LIBREDERM
✔ Baby wet wipes BABY LIBREDERM
✔ Diaper cream with lanolin BABY LIBREDERM
✔ Protective cold cream BABY LIBREDERM
✔ Sunscreen
✘ Baby powder
✘ Edible vegetable oils
✘ Traditional soap
Sources:
[1] Baby-friendly hospital initiative: revised, updated and expanded for integrated care. Section 3, Breastfeeding promotion and support in a baby-friendly hospital: a 20-hour course for maternity. World Health Organization and UNICEF, 2009.
[2] Murashkin N.N., Opryatin L.A., Epishev R.V., Materikin A.I., Ambarchyan E.T., Ivanov R.A., Fedorov D.V., Kukoleva D.S. Newborn Skin Care is the Basis for Prevention of Atopic Dermatitis Development. Current Pediatrics. 2021.
[3] Namazova-Baranova LS et al. Newborn Skin Care. Guidelines, 2009.
[4] Garcia Bartels N, Mleczko A, Schink T, Proquitté H, Wauer RR, Blume-Peytavi U. Influence of Bathing or Washing on Skin Barrier Function in Newborns During the First Four Weeks of Life. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2009.
[5] Murashkin NN, Opryatin LA, Epishev RV, Materikin AI, Ambarchyan ET, Ivanov RA, Fedorov DV, Kukoleva DS. Newborn Skin Care is the Basis for Prevention of Atopic Dermatitis Development. Current Pediatrics. 2021;20(5):383-389. (In Russ.).
[6] Ravanfar P, Wallace JS, Pace NC. Diaper dermatitis: a review and update. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2012.
[7] Dennis LK, Vanbeek MJ, Beane Freeman LE, Smith BJ, Dawson DV, Coughlin JA. Sunburns and risk of cutaneous melanoma: does age matter? A comprehensive meta-analysis. Ann Ep.