Winter means exposure to colder, drier air that tends to cause dryness and dehydration of the skin. Dry skin looks flaky and dull and can become itchy and dehydrated skin tends to look red and feel tight.
This is Part One of my Three Part Series on Winter Skin Care for the Family. First up, babies, toddlers and preteens!
These kiddos should likely have the same routine year round. But you may need to up the frequency of moisturizing during the winter if you see any signs of dryness or dehydrated skin.
Babies and toddlers can also be prone to eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) which can flare with any season change but especially as we go into winter. If eczema prone, try to prevent flares by keeping the skin well hydrated. Of course, see a physician if you are unable to get eczema under control with moisturizing, there are any breaks in the skin, or if itching interrupts sleep.
As winter approaches, skincare routines need to be adjusted to keep the skin happy and healthy. Follow these tips for keeping baby, toddler, and preteen skin at its best during the winter months:
- Bathing. Bathe at most once a day. Use gentle cleanser only where the skin is dirty.
- Moisturize. Pat skin dry after bathing and apply cream type moisturizer body wide. If there are areas that are already dry or dehydrated, use vaseline. Consider moisturizing twice a day body wide or to specific dry areas with every diaper change.
- Face Care. Use vaseline to protect the skin from wind and dryness if outdoors for long periods. Also continue to use sun protection. Sunburns can happen all year long in AZ. Burns negatively affect the barrier protection the skin provides and worsen dryness. If baby is drooling, it is really important to stay on top of using a skin barrier protecting product, like vaseline, especially in winter.
- Lip Care. Recommend vaseline or other ointment based product.
Dr. Brooke Jeffy is a board-certified dermatologist that has been practicing in North Scottsdale for nine years. Her favorite condition to treat is acne and she loves teaching tweens and teens how to care for their skin. In addition to running her own private practice, Dr. Jeffy is the founder of btwn skincare, a product line and educational resource for tweens and teens to help them get started with healthy skin and wellness habits. To learn more or schedule an appointment, go to www.brookejeffymd.com. For tween/teen skincare tips IG @brookejeffymd
