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Dry skin on the baby's face. Vitamin deficiency - if the baby's body suffers from a lack of PP and A vitamins. Causes and accompanying symptoms

The human skin is a reliable shield that protects the internal organs and the entire body from injury and negative environmental influences. Any malfunctions inside, diseases are immediately signaled by external manifestations. Dry skin of a child's feet can occur due to improper care or health problems. It is important to understand the symptoms in time and eliminate peeling.

Does the rough skin on the baby's legs always speak of pathology? When should a pediatrician intervene? In the first month after birth, and sometimes a year, the newborn's body adjusts to new living conditions and often reacts to this with diaper rash, rashes, dryness. You do not need to immediately sound the alarm, but wait for the physiological processes to end. But no one cancels the consultation, the doctor must conduct an examination.

In older age, dryness occurs as a result of the low moisture content in the stratum corneum. Symptoms:

  • roughness;
  • changed appearance;
  • loss of elasticity;
  • wrinkling;
  • the appearance of scales.

Reasons for the appearance in children

This condition can be observed in the first three years of a child's life. There are a number of reasons for its appearance:

  • Low-quality cosmetics. Using a care product that is not made for children is often problematic. When buying baby shampoo, oil, cream, be sure to pay attention to the age for which they are designed. Check the composition for the absence of preservatives, dyes.
  • Vitamin deficiency. A rough foot is the main symptom of a lack of important vitamins in the body. Avitaminosis tends to develop after prolonged illness or after winter.
  • Contact with chlorinated pool water. A harsh water treatment chemical adversely affects the skin condition of adults and children.
  • Metabolic diseases, ARVI, infection or diseases of internal organs.
  • Insufficient water volume. The main source of hydration for the human body is clean water. The more the baby drinks, the better the digestive system works, the intestines are cleansed faster, the dermis cells are moisturized and function correctly.
  • Food allergy or external factor;
  • Excess sunlight. During summer holidays, one should not forget about protection from ultraviolet radiation. In hot weather, the body evaporates a lot of moisture and cracks may appear if not properly cared for. If a cosmetic problem is not noticed in time, it will turn from temporary to permanent. It will be more difficult to cope with it.
  • Wrong food. Diet disturbances have an immediate effect on the quality of the skin. A whole list of products has been developed to increase its softness and elasticity. Make sure your child eats fresh vegetable oils, fruits and vegetables, and fish.
  • Bathing in hot water. For children, the optimal water temperature is 37-37.5 degrees.
  • Low quality synthetic clothing. All things for the baby should be made of natural fabrics that can let the air pass through.

If you do not start treatment on time, the dry skin on the legs will become covered with cracks, which will give the child excruciating pain. The danger is the addition of a secondary infection. Wounds are open gates for pathogens, they need to be healed faster.

If cracks have already appeared, do not allow the child to walk barefoot, protect the legs with socks.

Treatment methods

If the epidermis is not able to retain moisture on its own, then it needs help with external means. The pediatrician should advise which cream or ointment to buy. This is an important step, as dry skin on the legs can react negatively to new irritants.

Prescribed as treatment:

  • vitamins in a dosage strictly calculated according to the age and state of health of the child;
  • preparations based on urea, as an option - Exipial M;
  • calcium preparations;
  • vitamin E;
  • fish fat.

In each case, the doctor develops the optimal treatment regimen.

Decoctions of medicinal herbs help to quickly overcome dryness, but they can only be used after consulting a doctor.

When is it worth seeing a doctor

If the prescribed cosmetic care does not solve the problem, then the reason lies in the pathological process in the body.

Dry skin can signal the following diseases:

  • Dermatitis is atopic. It appears due to allergies, the skin is crusted, thickened, some areas become inflamed.
  • Eczema. The nature of the disease is allergic. The symptom is accompanied by burning, rash and itching.
  • Renal pathology. Against the background of poor kidney function, the skin begins to dry, turns yellow, the child does not eat well, is slow, vomiting and nausea appear.
  • Hypothyroidism. A diseased thyroid gland also manifests itself in dull hair, brittle nails, edema and fatigue.
  • Psoriasis. Dry areas can become inflamed, flaky, and swollen.
  • Sjogren's disease. The disease causes problems with skin, teeth and vision.
  • Diabetes. It is characterized by damage to the folds of the skin.
  • Lichen. Protruding dry spots of fungus.
  • Ichthyosis. The skin is covered with scales, like in fish. Bubbles rarely appear.
  • Contact dermatitis. A rough area appears where a hand, foot, or finger comes into contact with the allergen material.

If, in addition to roughness, the baby has concomitant symptoms, immediately contact a medical institution. The described pathologies require regular monitoring and serious treatment.

Baby feet skin care

To prevent dryness, you need to monitor the diet and lifestyle of your child:

  1. In the room where the child spends most of the time, optimal humidity should be maintained, especially in winter.
  2. The skin of the feet will be moisturized with the prescribed preparations.
  3. Powder, rinse aid and hygiene products must be hypoallergenic.
  4. Toys, accessories and clothing made from natural materials.
  5. Shoes are strictly in size.
  6. Nutrition is correct, complete, in compliance with the prescribed drinking regimen.

Try to dress your children according to the weather. Clothes that are too warm will cause sweating, feet will be damp, which will provoke the development of unpleasant problems.

Dryness prevention

As a prevention of dryness as a cosmetic defect, it is necessary to regularly smear the skin with moisturizers or oils. Any pharmacy offers a wide range of safe products for children with hypoallergenic ingredients. The procedures are best done after bathing on steamed skin.

There are many reasons why young children have dry skin on their feet, and many of them are harmless. Initially, try making changes to your grooming procedures and nutrition. But in case of inflammation, cracks, do not delay going to the doctor, it is dangerous for the health of the child's skin. And if damage is a symptom of a disease, then the baby needs immediate qualified help.

Velvet, elastic and tender - this is how a baby's skin is imagined, only by those who have never seen it alive. Parents and people who have had a chance to communicate with babies know that baby's skin reacts to many factors, becoming covered with acne, red spots and peeling in especially problem areas.

Why does a newborn or baby have dry skin?

Allergic manifestations on the baby's skin can cause: improper feeding of the baby, dry air in the room, especially often skin rashes arise from poor-quality washing powder and from many other factors that affect the beauty and health of the baby's skin. To regulate the humidity level in the room where the baby lives, you need to use a humidifier. And all things that the baby's skin comes into contact with should be washed only with a special baby powder.

This also applies to the clothes of parents who take their children in their arms. A mother who feeds a baby with breast milk must strictly follow a diet, because completely harmless food products for an adult can produce a painful effect on a child in the form of allergic reactions and to improper digestion of food by the baby's body.

Why does baby's skin become dry? Another possible reason may be weather conditions. Often the reasons for the baby's dry skin are too frosty, windy weather, or direct exposure to sunlight. In order not to deprive the baby of the opportunity to be in the fresh air, before the walk, the baby's skin must be moisturized with a special, nourishing cream.

Also, one of the factors of problems with the child's skin is chlorinated water flowing from the taps of city apartments, therefore, after each bathing, the baby's skin must be moistened with baby cream or oils, which are now sold in excess in pharmacies. When buying a cream, special attention should be paid to its hypoallergenic properties, but simple olive oil can serve as a good substitute for cream, since ancient times people have used it as a moisturizer.

What to do in such a situation?

The newborn is at risk of skin rashes due to underdeveloped sebaceous glands, the baby is deprived of the ability to sweat, so the baby's skin does not receive sufficient natural moisture. The thin, upper layer of the epidermis is very susceptible to damage, due to the fact that at the initial stages of a person's life, it is still poorly connected to the lower layers of the skin.

Dry skin in a baby, what to do:

  1. To avoid unpleasant manifestations on the baby's skin, it is necessary to monitor the external temperature so that the newborn's body does not overheat. Therefore, do not wrap your baby in too many blankets, and it is better to use natural materials for the baby's blanket so that the skin can breathe. For the health of the little man's skin, you should not bathe him in too hot water, it inflicts burns, imperceptible at first, not on the child's body, because of this, immunity decreases and the skin begins to react with painful manifestations. Do not use additional heating radiators in the room where the child spends most of the time.
  2. When choosing household chemicals in the house where the baby is growing, special attention should be paid to household chemicals: dishwashing detergents, detergents, soap with which, perhaps, you wash your baby's toys. These products should only be bought in specialized stores to carefully read the packaging of the goods.
  3. After each emptying of the baby, the skin of his priests must be thoroughly washed or wiped with special cleansing wipes, which, unlike toilet paper, do not harm the skin of the baby.

After birth, the baby finds itself in a new environment for itself, and the baby's skin needs time to get used to the new external environment. The child needs to make air baths as often as possible, stripping him naked into the room, and leaving him naked for a little. Such procedures serve to harden the child, then it raises the general immunity of the baby's body.

Dry skin on the head of a baby

In a newborn, the skin in the head area often dries and flakes, in addition to the allergic reactions of the baby's body, dry skin can also be affected by the fact that the baby was born post-term or a manifestation of the disease is atopic dermatitis. Doctors consider this a serious disease and advise parents to seek the help of specialists for treatment.

Excessive fat on the child's body can lead to the development of the disease seborrhea dermatitis, but this disease is associated only with the growth phase of the child's body, and usually goes away by itself even before the child's first birthday.

Dry skin on the face of a baby

Allergic rashes on the baby's body caused by a reaction to cosmetics, food, water and other external irritants of the environment must be treated by specialists, and dry skin can be moisturized daily with a cream, the La-Cree emulsion is well suited for this, which perfectly softens the baby skin, if you use it regularly, the skin will stop flaking, micro cracks will heal, and the moisture balance of the baby's skin will be restored.

Dry skin on the legs of the baby

Pediatricians recommend at the birth of a child not to remove the protective lubricant in which the fetus arrives in the womb. This film helps the baby's skin to quickly adapt to the new conditions of the unusual air environment, because before that he was only familiar with the aquatic environment in which he lived in the mother's belly. After a few days, the protective film will disappear by itself, absorbed into the baby's skin.

On the legs of the newborn, the skin becomes dry due to the stress caused by adaptation to new conditions, the digestive, respiratory and nervous systems of the child.

Any mother dreams of a plump, smiling baby with velvet skin that you want to stroke. But sometimes parents are faced with a problem that raises a lot of questions. Dry skin in a child is the essence of excitement. Pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky considered the causes of this trouble and what needs to be done to combat this phenomenon.

Children's skin and its features

The skin of an infant is different from that of the parents. They are vulnerable and tender. Since the development of the sweat glands occurs gradually, the infant gets rid of the excess heat through breathing through the lungs. If the air in the apartment is too dry, and the room is constantly hot, then due to the immaturity of the sweat glands, the skin becomes dry.

According to Komarovsky, the main causes of dry skin in a child are the presence of some damage. This may be due to the fact that there was contact with substances of chemical origin, they can be in large quantities in powder or cleaning products.

Contact dermatitis can also occur due to chlorinated water, which mothers often use for bathing or washing their baby. If the skin on the lips of a child begins to dry, then there may be several reasons:

  • dry air;
  • lack of vitamin A;
  • reaction to certain drugs;
  • allergy;
  • herpes.

Contact dermatitis treatment

Many parents are at a loss for what to do when they find that their child has very dry skin. If there are small spots, then you can eliminate them using moisturizers, these can be baby formulations with aloe extract.

If a baby has dry skin, Komarovsky advises using "Bepanten" in the form of an ointment or cream. If the tissue lesions are more extensive, then it is necessary to change the microclimate in the room in which the baby lives. You should also observe a number of conditions., so that the child's skin does not begin to peel off:

  1. Bathing water must be boiled and filtered beforehand.
  2. Things that the baby wears, if he is not yet a year old, as well as bedding, should be washed using only baby powder.
  3. Rinse things exclusively in boiled water.

If a newborn has dry skin, what to do, you need to figure it out. If there is an allergic reaction, the doctor will definitely prescribe drugs, but he will definitely try to find out the reason for its appearance. Some may wonder why allergies occur. This is a very common phenomenon, and the body's reaction occurs most often to pet hair, pollen, chemicals and bleach.

If the lips are chapped, and the face is covered with roughness, then you should resort to the help of oil solutions of vitamins E and A. It is necessary to smear the cheeks and forehead with sea buckthorn oil, it has a healing effect and also softens the skin. Lips can be treated with moisturizing lipstick.

During this time, the child should be given more fluids. Sometimes the mother notices that the baby's feet, or rather the area in the area of ​​the toes or heels, is covered with cracks, this may be due to the presence of a fungus. In this case, you should also use sea buckthorn oil to get rid of this trouble.

According to the specialist, many problems with the baby's skin can be avoided. if placed in normal living conditions. The air in the room should be humid and not hot. If the temperature regime is not higher than 20 degrees, you will not need to worry about which product to buy for dry skin.

If problems cannot be avoided, then you should use only warm water for bathing and use bathing products as rarely as possible. The best option is to use soap once a week. After the procedure is completed, the baby must be blotted with a towel.

If feeding a baby through a bottle, be sure to pay attention to the fact that it is always thoroughly washed and boiled. It did not remain open for a long time.

When the baby begins to crawl, increased attention will be required., especially with dry skin, it is important that the baby does not rub the damaged areas with clothes. It will be better to use disposable diapers at this time, preferably with an additional layer of aloe balm.

There is dry skin in a child, the reasons for what to do, all this was described in this article. If a similar problem has arisen, it is better to contact a pediatrician who will tell you what to do in this situation.

Any changes in the condition of the child's skin should alert parents. When the baby's skin becomes dry, red, cracks, itches or flakes, this indicates the development of pathological processes in his body, improper care, or a deficiency of any substances necessary for the harmonious development. What is the danger of dry skin on the baby's body, arms, legs, head? Why can such a symptom occur in newborns, infants under one year old, preschool children, younger schoolchildren from 7 years old? How can these conditions be treated and prevented? Let's talk about this in detail.

How can dry skin in a child be dangerous?

Dry skin in a baby, even caused by harmless reasons, in the absence of proper treatment, can lead to the development of some forms of dermatitis. It should also be borne in mind that dry skin can act as one of the first symptoms of rather serious pathologies, such as hypothyroidism or diabetes mellitus.

Causes and accompanying symptoms

Dry skin in a child can be the result of exposure to a variety of factors - both exogenous and endogenous (we recommend reading :). Only a qualified technician can reliably determine the source of the problem. If the baby's skin looks dry, you should definitely contact the pediatrician to order a comprehensive examination and help establish the cause of the problem.

It should be borne in mind that when the baby was just born, his skin is by definition dry, since the work of the main glands responsible for moisturizing has not yet begun.

Allergy

Flaky red skin on the buttocks and face of the child, the appearance of dry spots on the skin of different parts of the body and face may indicate that the baby suffers from atopic dermatitis (see also:). This pathology occurs as a manifestation of allergies.

The cause of an allergic reaction is usually a hereditary predisposition - both on the mother's side and on the father's side. In infants, the problem arises, among other things, due to non-compliance with the diet by a nursing mother. Also, allergies in children can be provoked by:

  1. food for aquarium fish;
  2. inhalation of tobacco smoke (if the child acts as a passive smoker);
  3. hair of cats, dogs, other pets;
  4. hygiene products (soap, shampoo, powder used for washing children's clothes);
  5. synthetic fabrics from which clothing and bedding are made;
  6. food (including adapted formula milk and breast milk in the case of an infant).

Skin diseases

A hereditary skin disorder may develop in a child between the ages of 2 and 6. Usually, the first symptoms become noticeable before the baby reaches the age of 3 years, however, there are cases when dryness and flaking were noted in earlier or later periods (at 4-5 years).

If the baby's skin has become very dry, peeling and cracking, then the following pathologies may be the reasons:

  • Hyperkeratosis. Symptoms usually appear on the baby's head, elbows and legs (dry spots appear on the thighs and feet) (we recommend reading :). It is believed that hereditary hyperkeratosis manifests itself when exposed to provoking factors: with diseases of the digestive system, interaction with synthetic detergents, excessive ultraviolet irradiation, hormonal changes (especially in adolescents), taking hormonal medications or vitamin deficiency.
  • Ichthyosis. Hereditary pathology associated with a violation of the process of keratinization of skin cells. Over time, the patient's body becomes covered with scales, very similar to fish scales, hence the name of the disease. It is accompanied not only by dry skin, but also by metabolic disorders, dysfunction of internal organs.

Improper baby skin care


The delicate skin of a baby, especially in the early stages of its development, requires careful and proper care. If parents neglect hygiene or make mistakes while caring for a child, the skin of the baby can dry out and begin to peel off.

The most common mistakes of young parents that can lead to overdrying of the child's skin:

  • frequent use of baby powder (we recommend reading :);
  • the use of shampoo (even a high-quality one designed specifically for babies) more than 2 times a week;
  • poor-quality, hard water for bathing a baby;
  • frequent bathing of the child in decoctions of medicinal herbs with a drying effect (chamomile, string, oak bark);
  • poor-quality removal of vomit that gets into the folds of the skin when regurgitating.

Diaper rash


If the baby's skin is exposed to overheating or friction for a long time, or is in direct contact with moisture, diaper rash may occur. Clothes that are too warm, being in a wet diaper for a long time, or not changing diapers often enough can cause this skin damage.

Diaper rash appears on any part of the baby's skin that is exposed to the factors listed above (we recommend that you read:). At the initial stage, they look like pronounced red areas. In the absence of proper care and treatment, irritation will intensify, microcracks will begin to form on the skin, a rash and wetness will appear.

Other reasons

In addition to the above reasons, dry skin in children of different ages can appear as a result of the influence of other internal and external factors. The most common are neonatal acne. It usually goes away by the time the baby reaches 6 weeks of age.

The following causes of dry skin should also be noted:

  • lack of fluid in the body;
  • dry indoor air;
  • hypovitaminosis;
  • congenital diabetes mellitus (accompanied by increased blood glucose levels, increased thirst and appetite);
  • hypothyroidism (the greatest dryness is observed in the areas of the elbow and knee joints);
  • helminthic invasion.

Treatment

Areas of dry and flaky skin should not be ignored. If the cause of the problem is obvious (for example, the baby walked in a wet diaper for a long time or was dressed too warmly), such conditions do not require the help of a specialist, but you should not wait until everything goes away by itself. In all other cases, the child must be shown to the pediatrician.


Drug therapy

It is important to remember that the use of any medications is permissible only after consulting a pediatrician. An ointment or gel that worked for one baby may not be effective in treating another, or even harm him.

The following groups of drugs are among the most effective medicines used in the treatment of dry skin in a child:

  • antihistamines (Cetrin, Zyrtec), calcium preparations (Calcium gluconate, Glycerophosphate) - are prescribed for severe forms of atopic dermatitis;
  • moisturizing lotions - usually applied three times a day;
  • creams and ointments - if we are talking about superficial lesions, then it is recommended to use a cream, if about deep - ointment (drugs with glucocorticosteroids can only be used as directed by a doctor);
  • for diaper rash, moisturizers and healing agents such as Bepanten, Dexpanthenol can be used;
  • to remove toxins from the body, it is recommended to give the baby sorbents - Enterosgel, Smecta, Sorbogel.

Folk remedies

In some cases, traditional medicine is highly effective in treating dry baby skin. A pediatrician should be consulted before using any home recipes to avoid inadvertent harm to your baby. Among the most popular folk remedies are herbal teas, sea buckthorn and olive oils applied to the affected skin.


 Sea buckthorn oil is a good helper for dry skin in a child.

Prevention of dryness and flaking of the skin of the legs, arms and other parts of the body

The baby's health requires constant care from the first minutes of his life. If you perform simple preventive measures, then it is possible to minimize the appearance of symptoms such as peeling and dry skin in children.

In order for the baby to always feel comfortable, and his skin remains healthy and tender, it is recommended to be guided by the following rules:

  1. wet cleaning of the room where the baby is located should be carried out as often as possible - you do not need to use chemical detergents;
  2. if the child is genetically predisposed to allergies, then contact with possible irritants should be minimized;
  3. treat exposed skin with a baby moisturizer 15-20 minutes before walking;
  4. children who wear disposable diapers need daily air baths - 15-20 minutes several times a day;
  5. special hypoallergenic wet wipes can be used for hygiene procedures during the day, replacing washing;
  6. it is recommended to use baby soap and bathing shampoo no more than 1-2 times a week;
  7. bed linen and clothes of the child should be washed only with special baby products;
  8. you should make a choice in favor of underwear made from natural materials;
  9. maintain the temperature regime in the room (the optimum temperature is 20 degrees Celsius), monitor the humidity level (the recommended indicator is 60%);
  10. during breastfeeding, the mother should follow an appropriate diet.

To compliment a woman and emphasize her blooming appearance, they say: “Your skin is like a baby's!”. Elastic, smooth, velvety, pink - this is the most common skin in children. But they are not born that way. Wrinkling, cyanosis, dry skin in a newborn is a typical picture accompanying the appearance of a person. Rough and dry skin on the palms, feet, tummy, chest worries parents, they wonder if this is normal? In the first days of a child's life, the sweat glands are not quite active and are unable to cope with sufficient moisture, which leads to dry skin. And yet, such problems are temporary and after a few days everything should return to normal. If this does not happen, you should figure out what is wrong.

ICD-10 code

L85.3 Skin conjunctiva

Epidemiology

Dry skin, including atopic dermatitis, is observed in half of the world's population, including newborns. And such a hereditary disease as ichthyosis is susceptible to 1 person in several tens of thousands of people.

Causes of dry skin in a newborn

The skin of newborns is very delicate and sensitive, therefore it instantly reacts to any unfavorable changes in the external environment and the state of internal organs. The causes of dry skin in a newborn can be as follows:

  • dry air in the room where the child is;
  • the use of low-quality and unsuitable for age hygiene products: soaps, shampoos, creams;
  • excessive wrapping of the child;
  • the use of clothes and diapers made of synthetic fabrics;
  • intestinal pathology;
  • hereditary disease ichthyosis;
  • atopic dermatitis;
  • lack of retinol and vitamin PP - the most important substance involved in the metabolic processes of the body.

Risk factors

Risk factors for dry skin in a newborn include improper nutrition of a pregnant woman, early artificial feeding or feeding, the presence of chemistry near the child's presence or toys made of chemical materials, metabolic disorders, colds and viral diseases, a hereditary factor.

Pathogenesis

The human skin is the largest organ in terms of area and it performs numerous functions: respiratory, metabolism, thermoregulation, protection from an aggressive environment. Its outer stratum corneum - the epidermis contains only 20% of all body water. As soon as, for one reason or another, the water evaporates, the lower layers of the skin, which, unlike the epidermis, consist of living cells, begin to give up their own, which leads to metabolic disturbances, the penetration of various infections, and the occurrence of pathological conditions. A baby in the womb for 9 months is immersed in amniotic fluid, which means it was in 100% humidity. With the cutting of the umbilical cord, a radical restructuring of the entire system of life takes place. A dry and one-third less humid external environment, inability to thermoregulation is a real stress for the skin of a little man. But gradually there is an adaptation to new living conditions, all processes return to normal.

Symptoms of dry skin in a newborn

In the first month of a baby's life, dry skin is quite normal. But what are the symptoms of dry skin in a newborn? The first signs are peeling of the skin of the palms, feet, dry skin of the tummy. Parents should try to create a proper microclimate in the room where the little one lives, follow all the rules for caring for him.

Very dry skin of a newborn

May be a reaction to too hot room or excessive wrapping of the child. Despite the weak thermoregulation, low humidity and high air temperature will only cause dry skin and peeling in the newborn. During the swaddling period, it is necessary to do air baths for at least two minutes, bathe in warm water every day, without adding potassium permanganate, because it dries the skin a lot, use a humidifier, do not turn on the air conditioner. If everything is in order with this, and the newborn still has dry skin and flakes, it is necessary to check the clothes and diapers in which the baby is wrapped. It is possible that they are made of synthetic materials, or the seams rub the baby's delicate body (in children's clothes, the seams are on the front side). It is possible that detergents are not suitable for washing, they must be special, not containing chemical components. Diapers should be changed every 4 hours and immediately after a bowel movement. After taking it off, it is recommended to wash or wipe the child with wet cotton pads, and give it a few minutes to take air baths. You also need to take special cosmetics to moisturize.

Dry skin on the face of a newborn

Most often, a reaction to an improper diet of a nursing mother or an inappropriate formula for infants. It is necessary to analyze what could have caused such a reaction and exclude the product from the menu. If the newborn has dry skin on the forehead, it is possible that the wrong baby soap or other detergent is used. These funds should not contain allergenic fragrances in their composition, and they do not need to be used every day, except for washing the groin area. It is enough to use once a week for shampooing, twice for the body. The baby's face requires special care: with a cotton pad dipped in boiled water, first rub the eyes, cheeks, then the nose and lips, and finish with the chin. Change the disk, repeat the procedure. Before bathing, the scalp is lubricated with vaseline or vegetable oil due to the natural formation of scaly crusts in the parietal part. They become soaked in water and are easily washed off.

Newborn has dry skin on the legs

In a newborn, in the first days of life, dry skin on the legs is a consequence of intrauterine lubrication, which exists for a better passage of the birth canal. In a few days, it is absorbed, helping to go through the adaptation period. Dryness and peeling in the folds of the legs are possible with diaper rash. To avoid them, you must adhere to the rules of hygiene: bathe, wipe all folds with wet wipes, lubricate with baby cream and sprinkle with powder. It is best to buy baby care products in pharmacies in order to avoid fakes.

Complications and consequences

Dry skin is not a harmless symptom, but a problem that can lead to itching, pain, cracks in the skin. The consequences and complications are not only constant discomfort for the baby because of which he sleeps poorly, behaves badly, but also the ingress of pathogens into damaged skin: bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Without taking proper measures, the appearance of childhood eczema, psoriasis is possible.

Diagnosis of dry skin in a newborn

Human skin, including baby's, is an indicator of his health. Therefore, the diagnosis of dry skin in a newborn is a need, using tests and other research methods, to determine the presence of congenital pathologies, the possibility of exposure to an allergen and its detection. As a rule, a general analysis of blood and urine, an analysis of feces for the Co-program, and, if necessary, scrapings of the skin for histological examination are performed.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis is designed to give an answer whether a disease, improper care, nutrition of the mother, feeding the baby gives dry skin, if such a symptom does not go away after a month of the baby's life. Differentiation of pathology occurs between atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis, metabolic disorders, intestinal diseases, etc.

Treating dry skin in a newborn

Treatment for dry skin in a newborn depends on the underlying causes. First of all, it is necessary to organize the correct care of the child. Daily bathing is a must. How to bathe a newborn with dry skin? The baby should have its own bath, thoroughly washed with baking soda and a sponge before each bath. The water is used warm - 34-37 0 С and gradually decreases by a degree with each procedure to 30-32 0. A solution of potassium permanganate should not be used, because it will dry out the skin even more. You can apply a weak infusion of anti-inflammatory and antiseptic herbs. Children's hygiene products - soap, shampoo should not be used every day, 1-2 times a week is enough. After using them, it is necessary to rinse the child with clean water from under the shower or from a jug. An individual towel for wiping should be made of natural fabrics, and the movements should be blotting. How to smear dry skin of a newborn? For this, there are special products for baby skin care. They also need to process dry places, and especially carefully folds.

What to do with dry skin in a newborn if all these measures do not help and new places appear with peeling of the epidermis? Be sure to contact your pediatrician and find out the reason. The diagnosis of atopic dermatitis requires the use of anti-inflammatory, antihistamines, antibiotics, antioxidants.

Another unpleasant disease, ichthyosis, is of a genetic nature and consists in a violation of the process of keratinization of the skin. Unfortunately, no method of dealing with it has been found yet. the reason lies in gene mutations, and methods of influencing these processes have not yet been discovered, then all therapy is reduced to constant moisturizing and nourishing the skin.

Medications

Antiallergic drugs used in pediatrics for dry skin and peeling include diazolin, tavegil, suprastin.

Suprastin - prescribed for children from one month of age. It comes in tablets and injectables. The main active ingredient of the drug is chloropyramine hydrochloride. The dose for young children under one year old is 5 mg or 0.25 ml, with the expectation that no more than 2 mg per kilogram of the child's weight can be given per day. Adverse reactions that may follow after taking the drug are increased excitability, prolonged wakefulness of the baby. In this case, the drug is canceled.

Sedatives for dermatitis are used as follows: persen, novopassit, motherwort, valerian. Only a pediatrician can determine the appropriateness of the drug and its dose.

Motherwort - there are 4 dosage forms of the herb: tablets, powders, alcohol and water infusions, but the latter is suitable for a newborn. This plant contains essential oils, tannins, organic acids, vitamins A and C. Thanks to this remedy, the functioning of the nervous system and internal organs improves. Motherwort is contraindicated in case of allergy to it.

In case of disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract in infants, plantex is prescribed for newborns.

Plantex is a preparation in granules, consisting of natural ingredients: fennel, essential oil of the same plant, excipients: lactose, dextrose. Applied starting from the age of two weeks of the baby, immediately after a meal or in between feedings. To prepare the solution, one bag of granules must be poured with 100 ml of warm boiled water and shaken thoroughly until the granules are completely dissolved. Make a fresh solution at each reception, do not cook for future use. Can be given from a bottle or spoon. If difficulties arise with this, you can take a nursing mother, with her milk the remedy will get to the child. Contraindications to the drug are intolerance to the components and deficiency of the lactose enzyme. Side effects include allergies.

Indispensable for dry skin care products. Some of them are panthenol, bepanten, dermopanthen.

Panthenol - there are various forms of this drug: cream, ointment, milk, aerosols with aloe vera, vitamin complex, menthol, etc. This drug is not toxic, does not have carcinogenic properties, therefore it is indicated for use from birth. After bathing or washing, the product is applied to scaly areas, folds are especially carefully lubricated. Contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to the components, because manifestations of allergies are possible.

Vitamins

Since one of the reasons for the appearance of dry skin in newborns is a lack of vitamin A and PP, it is these vitamins that are prescribed to eliminate it. Vitamin E and fish oil can also solve the problem. It is necessary to control the content of vitamin D in the body, its excess reduces the content of calcium in the body, which can cause allergies. Topical baby body care products that include vitamins will also improve skin condition, as long as there is no more complex issue behind it.

Physiotherapy treatment

Physiotherapy is effective in treating such serious diseases as atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis. It includes various methods of affecting the epidermis: ultra-rays, oxygen, ozone, ultrasound, magnet, electric current, etc. In addition to the positive effect of such procedures on the affected areas, there are also contraindications that the doctor should take into account when prescribing.

Traditional treatment

Alternative treatment for dry skin offers the use of trays with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic herbs, lotions, powders, prepared according to folk recipes. Here are a few of them:

  • grate a large potato on a fine grater, squeeze out a little, wrap this mass in gauze and attach to the affected area, hold for a while;
  • mix honey and Kalanchoe juice in equal parts, leave in the refrigerator for a week, lubricate the sites of peeling;
  • treat the inflamed areas with a solution of vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:10;
  • combine geranium oil with refined sunflower oil, lubricate dry areas.

Herbal treatment

Herbal treatment for dry skin in newborns involves, first of all, the preparation of infusions for bathing. For this, chamomile, celandine, calendula, thyme, lemon balm, mint, sage, lavender are useful. The train, although it is known for its antiseptic properties, dries the skin, so its use must be treated with caution, observing the reaction. Lycopodium pollen has a good healing effect; it is used as a powder.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy in pediatrics is used quite often, but the doctor should decide whether it will harm such a small child.

As sedatives used: "Caprice", "Notta", "Hare", "Edas", "Baby-Sed", "Valerianakhel", "Nervohel", "Shalun".

"Bunny" - fruit syrup, which uses barberry, caraway seeds, mint, lemon balm, motherwort, hawthorn, chamomile, valerian root, vitamins A and B6. The dose is determined by the homeopath, but the general scheme of administration is that the drug is dissolved in water (on average, it is a teaspoon), given to the baby during feeding. Contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to any of the constituent components. Allergy is possible as a side effect.

With reddening of the epidermis, red spots, aconite, pulsatilla, lycopodium are used. Alumina 6, 12 (dilution) is prescribed for skin peeling, cracking, itching; sulfur 6 - for allergic rashes; if the cause of dry skin and peeling is a violation of the digestive tract, iris is used 3, 6; dry crusts for dermatitis are treated with arsenicum, calcarea carbonica; flaking with scales - arsenicum, acedum, calcarea.

Here are a few more homeopathic medicines that can be purchased at pharmacies and used to treat children:

  • Spenglersan coloid K is a skin spray, a clear liquid with a specific odor. For infants under one year old, one spray three times a day is recommended. No contraindications or side effects were found;
  • Traumeel C - ointment, has an anti-inflammatory, anti-exudative effect. Can be used by children from birth. Apply a thin layer on the inflamed area 2-3 times a day for 2 weeks. Additional rashes are possible in case of hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
  • Notta is a sedative, for small children, it is produced in drops. Stabilizes the autonomic nervous system. The dose is 1 drop per tablespoon of water or milk, used three times a day between feedings. Side effects are possible in the form of allergic manifestations;
  • irikar - a cream used for itching of the skin of various origins, eczema. Before use, children under one year old need a doctor's consultation. It is applied to problem areas of the skin with a light ball three times a day. There are known cases of hypersensitivity reactions to the use of the drug.

Surgery

Surgical treatment for dry skin is resorted to if the skin becomes infected with pronounced signs of intoxication: high fever, the appearance of deep abscesses or carbuncles. Other conditions do not require surgery.

Forecast

The prognosis of dry skin in newborns, not complicated by genetic diseases, is favorable, provided that the rules for caring for it are observed. Atopic dermatitis is also cured after long-term complex treatment. But ichthyosis cannot be completely cured, and therapy is aimed only at maintaining the condition, which over time is still complicated by systemic pathologies. Detection of a child's illness in the womb gives the doctor every reason to suggest termination of pregnancy.