How To Manage Your Child’s Dry Skin: 5 Easy Tips
Dry skin? Eczema? Dermatitis? Children’s skin conditions can appear out of nowhere one day and disappear the next. But some get worse over time and threaten to never leave… So how do you manage your child’s dry skin?
Simple tweaks to your child’s bath time routine could help enormously, according to Dr. Eleni Yiasemides, Consulting Dermatologist at SouthDerm and Dermeze Ambassador.
“Summer is one of the most problematic seasons for children who experience dry or sensitive skin, and as a heat wave sweeps the nation many Aussie parents will be left unsure of how to manage their child’s changing skin needs,” explains Dr Eleni. “In fact research has revealed one quarter of Australian children suffer from a skin condition and almost half haven’t been formally diagnosed by a doctor – leaving it up to parents to try and find an effective skincare solution.”
Here, Dr. Yiasemides share that ‘effective skincare solution’ parents have been searching for.
1.
Use a gentle soap-free cleanser to wash your child’s face and body.
Harsh soaps and detergents can strip the skin of its natural moisture. Soap-free body cleansers like the Dermeze Moisturising Soap Free Wash help to add moisture to the skin whilst cleansing.
2.
Avoid long hot showers.
Long hot showers dehydrate the skin. Instead, keep showers short and use warm water (not hot, not cold). Alternatively, having a hot bath actually helps to hydrate the skin as the skin is soaking in the water. It’s a physics thing! Hot baths good, hot showers not. You can use your soap-free body wash in the bath too. It’s best to wash and moisturise at night so that the moisturiser absorbs overnight whilst you sleep under the occlusion of your bed sheets.
3.
Apply a good moisturiser to your child’s skin after a bath or shower.
Applying the moisturiser when the skin is already wet and slightly warm allows the moisturiser to penetrate better into the skin for better hydration of the skin. Look for a product that is designed for sensitive skin that is non-irritating and free of common products that cause irritation such as fragrances or parabens.
TIP: Take the Dermeze MoistureMatch Quiz to determine your child’s skin’s Moisture Intensity Scale and a range of suitable products.
4.
In summer, try to keep your kids cool during the hot weather.
Apply ice packs or wet compresses to their skin, if necessary. This is to avoid over sweating as this can actually dry the skin too. Wear loose clothing made of natural fibres such as cotton to allow the skin to breathe. This will cause less drying of the skin too.
5.
Avoid skin contact with (unassuming) toxins.
When it comes to arts and crafts, make sure your child’s skin is protected from irritating glues, paints and slimes! These can cause dryness and irritation to the hands and any other parts of the skin that come into contact with these sorts of products. Wear appropriate gloves or art smocks to protect the skin from fun (but irritating) art and craft ingredients. And, if you are lucky and your children help you clean around the house, ensure that they also wear gloves to protect their skin from the irritating and drying effects of cleaning products!
