How to Protect Your Baby’s Skin From Winter’s Impact

Winter is synonymous with dull weather, cool breeze, cold hands, and red cheeks! But the cold, dry winter air can also cause rough, dry, red and flaky skin, which signals that it’s time to amp up all efforts to provide extra TLC for your little one’s skin. Just like you would bundle up your baby in cute, snuggly winter wear to keep them warm as the temperature dips, it’s equally important to change how you care for their skin.

So, if you’re looking for tried and tested ways to safeguard your baby’s skin from the harsh cold weather, we’ve got the following tips you could use!

Baby Skincare Tips for Winter

1. Moisturise Your Baby’s Skin

You may ask – does an infant really need a moisturiser? Absolutely! A baby’s skin is thinner and more delicate and lacks the protective skin mantle that an adult’s healthy skin has. The skin barrier function is still developing, making it more sensitive and susceptible to moisture loss. This coupled with the rapidly changing temperatures, chilly winds and sudden heating to deal with the cold, can make skin more prone to dryness and itching. Additionally, winters are often when eczema flare-ups are at their peak!

Using a gentle baby moisturiser that matches the skin’s natural barrier’s acidity level, that’s around 5.5 pH level, will do wonders for your baby’s skin! Include the Sebamed Baby Lotion into your baby’s daily routine. The natural moisturizing complex protects against dryness. Calming formula with Chamomile soothes irritated skin. Care complex with Allantoin hydrates & makes the skin soft and smooth.

Pro tip: The best time to apply moisturiser to your baby is immediately after their bath time to lock in the moisture.

2. Be Conscious of Heat

If you live in a city that uses heating in winter, this is for you. The plummeting temperature calls for ramping up the heater inside. Even though a warm environment can make your baby feel comfortable and cosier in the short run, it also causes skin dryness. For best results, try keeping the heater’s temperature around 21 degrees.

3. Protect Your Baby’s Skin

Cold wind around your baby’s face and ears may lead to flaky skin and wind burns on your bub’s delicate cheeks and lips, while constantly wiping your baby’s nose with tissues during colds and flu episodes may lead to dryness and cracked skin around the nose area. Apply a quick-absorbing light textured cream like the Sebamed Protective Facial Cream or lotion to your baby’s face, which will protect your baby’s delicate skin from the onslaught of dry & cold climatic conditions before stepping outside to protect them from the cold wind. Use Sebamed Protective facial cream, which contains Vitamin E & Squalene that retains moisture, Panthenol soothes irritation & prevents dryness, redness & salivary rashes

4. Protect the Lips

We all dread chapped, bleeding lips during winters. Licking the lips does more harm than help the situation. The same goes for babies, and also they drool a lot. Due to the dry & cold climatic conditions, the baby’s lips become dry. Also, excessive drooling in some cases makes the skin more dry & irritated. Use a water & mineral oil-free baby lip balm made with baby-friendly natural ingredients. And if you’re breastfeeding your baby, you can apply some breast milk to your baby’s lips.

5. Guard Against Diaper Rash

Diaper rash is every parent’s worst nightmare! Winter is particularly troublesome as babies pee more because of the cold temperature.

Make sure you give diaper-free time between diaper changes. If your baby does develop a diaper rash, avoid using talcum powder, as it tends to dry out the skin even more. Instead, use a diaper rash cream that contains titanium dioxide to create a protective layer between the skin and any moisture that may worsen the rash. Additionally, if the cream has Panthenol, it will heal the rashes faster & if it contains natural oils, it forms a physical barrier, thus helping the rashes to heal faster.

6. Follow a Good Bathing Routine

While giving a bath to your newborn baby, you need to ensure the following:

1. Baby’s bath should always be given at a warm room temperature of around 26 – 27°C, and the temperature of bath water should be between 37 0C – 37.50C.
2. Avoid alkaline soaps i.e. soaps with a pH of more than 7, which might damage the skin’s protective barrier.
3. Using baby care products with pH 5.5 benefits supports the development of the protective barrier of the skin that keeps skin hydrated and free from infections and rashes.
4. Ensure all skin folds are dried thoroughly, like armpits, groin, neck and behind the ears
5. Apply moisturizer daily right after bath – the ideal moisturizer has a pH of 5.5 and should be free from irritants like parabens, phthalates, nitro musk, and formaldehyde.
6. Ensure you hydrate all folds of skin as well using the ideal moisturizer, and then use a diaper.

Right from the baby’s first bath, use baby care products like baby wash, lotion, cream, shampoo, etc. With a pH of  5.5, the same pH as that of healthy skin and hair is beneficial for your baby. It supports the development of the skin’s natural protective barrier and helps to keep it hydrated and rash-free. 

7. Layer With the Right Clothing

Babies are incapable of regulating their body temperatures, so it is necessary to ensure that they do not get overheated or too cold. Did you know babies can still get heat rashes even in colder temperatures? This happens if they are too tightly swaddled or bundled up in more clothes than required.

Dress your baby in layers. It helps as it allows you, if needed, to add or remove any excessive clothing. You can also use hats, mittens, socks, and a scarf to minimise exposure to harsh weather conditions.

8. Don’t Skip the Sunscreen

Even though it may be freezing outside, it will be a mistake to ditch the sunscreen for your little one. Though it may be gloomy and the sun might not be as strong, it can still reflect harmful UV rays onto your baby’s skin. Avoid sunscreen only if your baby is less than six months old and if the baby is above 6 months, keep the sun exposure to a minimum unavoidable time. Instead, you can use a cover over your stroller or car seat to limit exposure to direct sunlight. If your baby is six months or older, use sunscreen with SPF 30 or above to protect the skin. Choose one that has pH 5.5 and is fragrance-free for your baby, and re-apply every 2 hours.

Now there’s no reason for you to stay huddled up indoors to protect your baby from the impact of the cold weather. Remember always to follow these winter skincare tips to keep your baby’s skin moisturised and healthy.

Reference:

https://www.webmd.com/baby/what-is-the-right-room-temperature-for-a-baby#:~:text=You%20don%27t%20want%20your,20%20to%2022%20degrees%20Celsius.