Understanding Excema in Babies

When it comes to a baby’s skin, there’s a reason why it’s so soft and supple to begin with. They’ve only just arrived in the outside world, and as a result, they’re not immediately exposed to all of the toxins in the air that can cause damage to the skin.

While there are many contributors to skin health, eczema in babies is often common and usually caused by genetic factors and a defective skin barrier. For some, this skin condition can appear fairly soon after they’ve been born.

However, it’s a typical skin condition that’s non-contagious. It doesn’t have a cure, but symptoms can be managed effectively with proper skincare and trigger avoidance, as well as medical treatments.

This guide will look at how eczema is caused in babies, the symptoms you’d typically expect, and how to ensure you improve the little one’s chances of ridding eczema for good.

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Causes of eczema in babies

Eczema in babies is typically the result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Let’s take a look at the common causes of eczema in babies.

Genetic predisposition

It’s often the case that eczema is something that runs in families and alongside other atopic conditions. This can be hay fever or asthma, for example.

Many of the affected babies have a deficiency in the protein filaggrin. This is what helps the skin form its protective barrier.

Defective skin barrier

A weak skin barrier allows moisture to escape, and as a result, irritants and allergens enter the skin more easily. This leads to dryness, inflammation, and itchiness.

Environmental triggers

A lot of skin problems can occur from the environment and what’s lingering in the air. Exposure to various substances can trigger or worsen flare-ups. Irritants like soaps, shampoos, laundry detergents, and bubble baths can all contribute to skin problems.

Allergens like pet dander, pollen, dust, and even certain foods can trigger eczema. Other triggers include temperature changes or sweat, and fabrics like wool and some synthetics that can irritate the skin.

Symptoms of eczema

As a parent, any change in your baby’s appearance is going to cause concern, but it’s important to be aware of what’s typical of a baby’s skin and what isn’t. For eczema, it’s not something that you need to be too worried about, but knowing the symptoms of it can certainly help.

Eczema in babies will usually appear on the scalp, cheeks, face, and forehead. It’s good to be aware that in darker-skinned babies, the rash canappear purple, brown, or grey rather than red.

Let’s take a look at some of the key symptoms that come with eczema. 

Intense itchiness

There’s nothing worse than feeling itchy skin all over your body, so for babies, it must feel pretty uncomfortable. This is a primary symptom of eczema, and in babies, it is likely to severely disrupt a little one’s sleep.

Dry and scaly skin

Patches of skin that are typically very dry, scaly, or rough will be an indication that what your baby is dealing with is likely to be eczema. While some other skin conditions have similar symptoms, this is a common one for eczema, too. 

Cracking and bleeding

Severe dryness and scratching can often lead to the skin cracking and bleeding. That can be incredibly worrying to see as a parent and is likely to cause some pain and further irritation for your little one, too. 

Oozing and crusting

Oozing and crusting is something that can be caused by scratching and result in infection. If it oozes fluid and develops a yellow crust, that’s something to look out for.

Redness and inflammation

With eczema, you may notice some less painful symptoms, like redness and inflammation. This can often accompany many of the other symptoms in the above list.

Tips for effective management and healing of eczema

Does baby eczema go away? Yes, it can with the right effort and treatment. While there’s no cure for eczema, it can be effectively managed, and the symptoms can be controlled in order to prevent a flare-up. For many children, the condition will improve significantly over time and often clears completely as they get older.

Let’s take a look at some of the methods to explore when it comes to general care and management of this skin condition. 

Keep the skin moisturized

One of the most important tips when it comes to eczema is to apply a thick and fragrance-free emollient. This should be applied generously, multiple times a day, especially within minutes of having a lukewarm bath in order to lock in the moisture.

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Bathing technique

Use lukewarm water and a soap-free, non-perfumed product when washing the baby’s hair or body. Keep baths short and pat the skin gently dry afterwards. Avoid dragging when drying the skin, as this can irritate it more.

Prevent scratching 

Try to prevent scratching when it comes to your baby’s skin and their fingernails. It’s good to keep the nails clipped short so that it reduces skin damage. Cotton mittens are worth using, especially at night, to help minimize the damage and reduce the risk of infection. 

Avoid triggers

Identifying and minimizing exposure to specific irritants and allergens is important. For example, try to use non-biological washing powders, avoiding fabric softeners where possible too.

Manage the environment

Keeping the baby’s room cool is important to reduce sweating, as is using a humidifier when it comes to dry conditions.

Medical treatments 

There are some medical treatments you could consider for those who are dealing with a lot of eczema that’s proving stubborn to get rid of. 

Speaking to a healthcare professional is the best way of getting access to a tailored treatment plan. You’ve got the following available:

• Topical corticosteroids - Medicated creams and ointments that are used during flare-ups to reduce inflammation and itching.
• Infection management - For signs of infection, a healthcare professional may prescribe antivirals or antibiotics. 
• Specialized treatment - For the most severe cases, a dermatologist will recommend more intensive treatments like specific systemic medications or wet wrap therapy, for example.

With these tips, you’ll hopefully find it easier to tackle baby eczema if and when it appears in your little ones.

*collaborative post