Baby Eczema - How to calm and care for eczema in babies

If your baby has patches of dry, flaky and rashy skin, they may be suffering from eczema. It’s estimated that Atopic Dermatitis, the most common type of Eczema, affects up to 17% of the Canadian population at some point in their lives. This type of eczema is hereditary and almost always starts between infancy and age 5.  

Though eczema isn’t contagious, it can be distressing for parents and cause discomfort for babies. This article explains how to care for eczema in babies. Gentle and regular skincare helps to keep young skin moisturized, prolonging the periods between flare-ups and reducing their severity. We also look at how to adjust your baby’s skincare routine to suit the phase their skin is in.

Baby eczema symptoms are marked by patches of dry, red, itchy skin that can have a rough texture. This is sometimes confused with cradle cap, which is primarily on the scalp and much less red. 

Eczema doesn't look the same on every baby. In babies with lighter skin, eczema is usually pink or red. For babies with darker-pigmented skin, the rash can look brown, purplish or greyish. Without redness and inflammation, eczema can be harder to see. 

Baby eczema symptoms can appear anywhere on the body, but the location tends to change with age: 

• 3-6 months: Flaky patches tend to appear in visible areas like the cheeks, scalp, or behind the ears. 
• 6-12 months: Eczema appears on your baby's knees and elbows. Rashes can become irritated if they're crawling on scratchy surfaces. 
• Around age 2: Patches can appear in the creases of your toddler's elbows and knees, or on their wrists, hands, and ankles. Eczema can also develop on their face and eyelids. 
  
   

Eczema is typified by two phases: 

• The acute phase when skin is at its most irritable. This is known as an eczema flare-up. 
• Calmer periods between eczema flare-ups, known as the non-acute phase. 

Your baby’s skin has slightly different needs at each of these stages and we recommend you adapt their skincare routine to suit the phase and condition their skin is in. Broadly speaking, this means: 

• Daily baby skincare to help discourage eczema flare-ups: Gentle cleansing and regular, effective, and generous moisturization to keep skin soft and supple and prolong the periods between flare-ups. 
• Acute baby eczema care: During eczema flare-ups, use a product designed for eczema-prone skin containing Colloidal Oatmeal skin protectant to help relieve itching and minor irritation caused by eczema.  Under the guidance of a pediatrician, the use of anti-inflammatory ointments and creams may be needed. 

Eczema in babies is linked to compromised skin barrier function and an immune disorder. A family history of atopic dermatitis is believed to be a factor, and there is also a proven link between eczema and the development of other inflammatory conditions such as asthma and hay fever.  

Some triggers of eczema in babies include environmental irritants like cigarette smoke, strong detergents and soaps, cow's milk allergies, and certain fabrics. While there is not one distinct cause of eczema in all babies, the good news is that it can be managed with a soothing daily skincare regimen. 

Eczema in babies often goes away by itself, and most children outgrow it before they start school. While there may be no cure for baby eczema, much of the discomfort can be alleviated with effective medical treatment and gentle, phase-specific skincare.  

The focus of daily skincare when managing eczema in babies should be on supporting skin’s protective barrier to prolong the period between flare-ups. Giving skin the moisture and lipids it needs to prevent further dryness will help to do this.  

Here are some steps you can take to help manage your baby’s eczema with a gentle skincare routine: 

Bath time is an important bonding time for baby and parent, but even pure water can increase moisture loss, so try to keep bath time quick and, when your child is old enough, encourage them to take showers instead of baths. Because hot water causes further moisture loss, be sure to use tepid to warm water instead. 

Harsh cleansers can also strip away essential lipids and damage the delicate protective barrier and moisture balance of young skin. Avoid bubble baths, alkaline soaps and harsh surfactants. Choose a mild wash such as Eucerin Body Wash for Eczema Prone Skin. This gentle soothing protective cream and non-foaming body wash contains colloidal oatmeal skin protectant to help relieve the dryness and itch of eczema-prone skin. Suitable for ages 3 months+. 
After bathing, pat rather than rub skin dry with a clean, soft towel. 

Regular moisturization can help to prevent baby’s eczema-prone skin from drying out. It’s important to moisturize your baby’s skin immediately after cleansing to avoid further evaporation of water from their skin. But once a day or only after bathing is not sufficient; effective management of eczema-prone skin rests on the regular and continuous application of moisturizers.  

When looking for a baby eczema moisturizer, seek out products that are fragrance-free and specially formulated with colloidal oatmeal skin protectant for eczema-prone skin.  

Eucerin Eczema Relief Cream is a daily moisturizer suitable for children and babies 3 months and older that provides long-lasting hydration to help relieve minor skin irritation and itching due to eczema. Fragrance- and steroid-free, Eucerin Eczema Relief Cream contains Colloidal Oatmeal (a skin protectant) to help relieve the itching and minor irritation of eczema and is enriched with Ceramide-3 and is hypoallergenic and non-irritating. 

For an ultra-lightweight, fast-absorbing option, try Eucerin Eczema Relief Hydrogel. Eucerin Eczema Relief Hydrogel glides on smoothly and is clinically proven to soothe dry skin, providing an instant cooling sensation and temporarily relieving itchiness due to eczema. Easy to apply, its steroid-free and fragrance-free formula is made with ceramide to help replenish the skin’s moisture barrier. This product is appropriate for use on adults, children, and babies 6 months and older and is not formulated to be used on newborns. 

For babies under 3 months of age, consult your pediatrician for eczema relief guidance. 

Avoid exposing your baby to the sun until consulting with your pediatrician. Be sure to limit sun exposure, avoid the peak hours when sun is at its most intense, use protective clothing to shield your child’s delicate skin, and, when they are six months or older, use a baby sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) in conjunction with other sun protection measures. 

For babies under 6 months of age, consult a pediatrician for further sun protection guidance. 

The focus of skincare during the acute phase of atopic dermatitis is to calm skin, soothe irritation and itchiness, and relieve discomfort for your child. Thankfully, there are a number of measures that can help: 

Manage eczema flare-ups with a specially formulated eczema flare-up cream. Eucerin Eczema Relief Flare-Up Treatment is clinically tested to provide relief of dry & itchy eczema-prone skin due to dryness, and is appropriate for use on infants as young as 3 months (but adults as well!). This rich, soothing eczema flare-up cream formula is fragrance, dye, and steroid-free, contains Colloidal Oatmeal (a skin protectant), and is enriched with Ceramide-3 and Licochalcone A to help relieve dry skin irritation.  

For daily management of eczema-prone skin, use Eucerin Eczema Relief Cream or Eucerin Eczema Relief Hydrogel, also appropriate for ages 3 months and up.  

If your baby is less than three months old, ask your doctor for advice on what products you should use. 

To help prevent your baby from damaging their skin from scratching, keep their nails short. Consider buying mittens to cover their hands while they sleep. Some babies can wake up bleeding from scratching their skin too hard. 

In addition to gentle and effective skincare, working out any potential triggers and helping your child to avoid them can help to prolong the periods between eczema flare-ups and reduce the severity of those flare-ups when they do occur. 

The information provided herein is not intended to be medical advice. Nor is it intended to treat the underlying skin disease or condition. The information is provided solely to: 

1. Moisturize, soften and smooth dry skin 
2. Improve the appearance of the skin 
3. Achieve healthier-looking skin