Taking Care of Baby's Skin: Lotions, Powders, Soaps, & Sunscreens
Who hasn't cooed over a newborn? They have such tiny hands, those big eyes, and that super-soft baby skin.
Along with feeding and sleeping tips, you usually hear lots of dos and don'ts about how to care for newborn skin. But the hints and tips are a little harder to come by as newborn becomes baby, and baby becomes toddler.
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So how do baby skin care needs change as baby grows? WebMD got tips from the experts, covering everything from diaper rash and ointments to soaps, sunscreen, and baby powders.
Taking Care of Baby and Toddler Skin: Lotions
Many little ones get dry skin and rashes. Fortunately there are lots of treatments available. If you've ever wondered what the difference is between ointments, creams, and lotions, the answer is simple: Thickness -- meaning how much water they contain. Ointments and creams tend to be heavy or greasy, and very good at locking in moisture. Ointments such as petroleum jelly and creams have almost no water content. Lotions are on the other end of the scale, smoothing on easily and disappearing quickly. They have a high water content and very low oil content, so they evaporate easily.
To protect an infant's more delicate skin, "I usually recommend ointments and creams for babies, because lotions aren’t often thick enough," says Tanya R. Altmann, MD, pediatrician, and author of Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya Answers Parents' Top 101 Questions About Babies and Toddlers. "Another reason ointments work best for babies, is that usually a baby doesn't mind being slathered in a greasy ointment, but toddlers often do."
That's why for toddlers (and adults), creams or lotions are often the best rash or dry skin solution. You'll lock in the most moisture when you apply any ointment, cream, or lotion within three minutes of bath or shower.
Taking Care of Baby and Toddler Skin: Powders
Many experts suggest that, no matter what baby's age, it's a good idea to steer clear of using baby powder or cornstarch and cornstarch-based powders on your little one's bottom.
Cornstarch-based powders can promote yeast growth. But the key reason to avoid cornstarch or talcum powders is that they're easy to inhale and may damage baby's lungs, causing breathing problems, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"Baby powder is no longer recommended," Altmann tells WebMD, "and frankly not really needed for anything. Diaper ointments are used to prevent and treat diaper rash and other creams and ointments are used to prevent and treat skin irritation."
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