Skin care in children
The skin is our largest organ. The skin of young children, and especially babies, is still developing and is much thinner than adult skin at this delicate early stage. The skin’s primary function is to protect against environmental influences, and in infants, the less developed protective acid layer and reduced secretion of the skin glands make the skin more permeable, more susceptible to bacterial infections and inflammation, and more sensitive to the ingredients of cosmetic products.
When caring for children’s skin, it is important to take all these facts into account and to use proven, high-quality and mild products with as few dyes, preservatives and, above all, fragrances, which are the most common cause of allergies, eczema and other adverse skin reactions.
Baby skin care starts with cleansing, which should be gentle, with mild products that have a neutral pH. The use of mild “foaming agents” (decyl glucoside, sodium cocoyl glutamate, cocamidopropyl betaine, coco betaine, sodium cocoamphoacetate, lauryl glucoside, sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate, sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate, sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate, sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate, ….) instead of products containing classic “foaming agents” (sodium laureth sulphate, sodium lauryl sulphate) which can over-dry delicate baby skin by leaching the hydrolipidic layer.
After cleansing, nourish your baby’s skin with skin care products (creams, lotions, milks, oils, etc.).
These products should also contain good quality oils and butters (almond oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, etc.). The high fat content of baby care products protects baby’s skin from drying out by retaining moisture in the skin. It is very beneficial to use almond oil for the care and massage of children after bathing. Almond oil is one of the most widely used oils in baby cosmetics due to its high content of vitamins A, B and E. It protects and softens the skin and promotes the repair of chapped skin. A special chapter in baby skin care is the care of baby’s bottom and the skin under nappies. The retention of urine and faeces creates specific conditions under nappies where the moist environment and mechanical and chemical irritation can cause the skin to inflame rapidly. Red and inflamed skin is also susceptible to infection by micro-organisms and itchy rashes may occur. This phenomenon is often referred to as ‘nappy rash’. With regular and proper care, you can prevent the development of inflammation under the nappy. It is important to change nappies often enough and to clean the skin gently when changing nappies, either with lukewarm water or by using mild moisturising wipes. Almond oil can also be used for cleaning. After cleansing, the skin should be allowed to air dry. Protect dry, clean skin by using a protective cream or ‘cooling ointment’. These are oily products that act as a moisture barrier and nourish the skin by retaining moisture in the skin, while at the same time preventing skin contact with urine and faeces. Protective creams and ointments also contain astringent and mild antiseptic ingredients (zinc oxide, bismuth subgallate). If, however, there is redness and inflammation of the skin under the nappies, we recommend the use of Powder Paste, which is a traditional product of Galenic laboratories and can be obtained from a pharmacy. The powder paste contains ingredients that act antiseptically, dry inflamed skin and promote healing and skin repair (zinc oxide, bismuth subgallate, fish oil, ihtamol).
Zlatko Serdt, M.Pharm.
