How to Heal Baby’s Cracked Skin Quickly?

It is pretty common to see a baby with cracked skin. Both newborns and old babies face this issue. Chapped skin can affect face, palms, legs, and other areas of his body and it should not worry parents.

Most newborns and infants get chapped skin because they are adjusting to the new environment. Their skin gets in contact with pollutants, allergens, and other objects. Certain skin conditions and dehydrations can also cause the cracked skin issue.  

Parents feel concerned when they spot the signs of skin allergies in babies. Although cracked skin is a temporary skin condition, you should know how to deal with it. Continue reading this post to learn about cures for a baby with cracked skin.

What is the Chapped Skin Problem in Babies?

Babies spend about 9 months in the womb and they are completely unfamiliar with the external environment. It gets quite daunting for the baby to adapt to the new environment after birth. Consequently, the texture and shade of a baby’s delicate skin can alter after birth.

Chapped skin is a temporary condition. It occurs when the baby’s delicate skin is adapting to the new environment. The skin over your baby’s hands, face, and lips will get cracked during the winter season. It is a natural reaction to chilling coldness of winter days. Therefore, parents need to take a better care of the child’s skin.

Most babies get chapped skin during autumn and winter:

Autumn and winter days can be a bit discomforting for the baby. The baby’s skin will look drier, thicker, and it might peel off from a few spots. A normal skincare routine can quickly cure cracked skin of the child. Therefore, parents should not worry a lot about it.

Be prepared to deal with cracked skin:

Minor lesions appearing on the child’s skin indicate that he is trying to adapt to the new environment. The skin will look drier and chapped on palms, fingers, face, and heels. Be prepared in advance to cure this issue quickly. Proper care can prevent further discomfort and your baby will be safe.

What Does Cause Chapped Skin in Babies?

Babies can get chapped skin due to many reasons. Change in weather, fraction with clothes, and certain allergens can also cause this skin issue. Babies move their hands and legs carelessly. They would like to wander across the house, regardless of how cold or hot it is out there. Therefore, they are prone to skin issues like chapped skin. The following causes can also trouble babies:

Climate:

Dry climate is quite dangerous for the baby’s skin. Their skin’s protective layer is not as thick as adults have. Therefore, babies get chapped skin more often than adults.

Soap:

Your baby’s skin can get drier and chapped if you bathe him with a regular soap. Regular soaps can remove natural protective layer of your child’s skin. As a result, the baby’s skin will get drier. Some cracks might appear on the baby’s skin if you don’t apply a moisturizing lotion quickly after the bath.

Hot water bath:

Hot water is quite dangerous for your child’s skin. It might not cause skin burn, but it will still make the skin drier. Doctors recommend lukewarm water for bathing the child. It is comforting, relaxing, and perfect to bathe the baby during the winter season.

Prolonged water exposure:

Babies have a natural layer of oil which protects their skin. Just like a hot water bath, prolonged water exposure can also cause cracked skin. It makes your child’s skin drier and it can also cause peeling of skin.

Use a baby soap when bathing the baby. Do not bathe the baby more than 5 minutes. Gently apply the soap and wash it within 30-40 seconds. That would be enough to ensure your child is clean and his skin is well-protected.

Dehydration:

Dehydration is another known cause of chapped skin. Your baby’s skin can get dehydrated quickly due to both cold and dry environments. Your baby’s skin will become dry if it loses its vital moisture. The risk of skin chapping and cracks increases in such a situation. That’s why doctors also suggest to use a humidifier in the home if the environment is quite dry.

How to Heal Your Baby’s Cracked Skin?

Even though your infant can’t express it, his skin is itching when it is chapped. Follow the below given tips to heal your baby’s cracked quickly.

Clean the baby’s skin daily:

Parents might avoid giving baby a bath or wiping his skin due to those cracked skin spots. It can make the problem worse for a baby with cracked skin. You should regularly clean your baby’s skin. Give him a lukewarm bath and then dry the water quickly.

Do not wait too long to apply a moisturizing lotion. Your baby’s skin will heal faster if you keep it well-moisturized throughout the day. You can also apply some ointment to ensure the baby won’t feel the burning sensation.

Avoid bathing the baby frequently in the winter season:

Most babies experience skin issues during the autumn and winter season. Babies can’t adapt to the coldness as easily as adults do. Therefore, their skin gets drier and rougher. The problem can get worse if you continue to bathe the child daily.

Babies do not get as dirty as adults do. Soak a soft towel in lukewarm water and use it to wipe your baby’s skin. Moisturize your baby’s skin after cleaning and he will be fine.

Provide a vitamin-rich diet to your child:

Babies need vitamin A-rich foods to improve his skin conditions. The skin gets drier when it lacks vitamin A. Add eggs, cod liver oil, peanut paste, or other vitamin A-rich foods to your baby’s complementary meals. These foods will provide enough vitamin A to ensure the baby’s skin improves quickly.  

Control the indoor environment of your home:

You cannot control the environment outside your house, but the indoor environment is under your control. Use the room heater and humidifier to make indoor air warm and humid during the winter season. Such environment is quite comforting for babies and it helps in quick recovery of chapped skin.

Apply the ointment:

The healing process speeds up when you apply ointment over skin rashes and chapped skin. Chapped skin can cause inflammation and discomfort until it is cured. There are ointments designed to speed up the curing process. Pick a high-quality ointment that heals multiple skin issues in babies. Apply it daily to the affected skin regions and thus your child will recover faster.

How to Prevent the Chapped Skin Issue in Babies?

Do all babies have dry and chapped skin? No, it is a preventable skin issue. A baby with cracked skin indicates that parents didn’t take enough preventive measures to protect the child. The following tips can help you in preventing the chapped skin issue:

Use moisturizers designed specifically for babies:

Babies need different skincare products from adults. Their skin is quite delicate and it can get damaged when comes in contact with certain ingredients. Use herbal and baby-friendly moisturizers to keep your baby’s skin well moisturized.

Carefully pick the baby’s bath products:

It is possible to reduce the drying effect of the environment on your baby’s skin. You should avoid bath products, which contain detergents, fragrances, and other such ingredients. A soap-free cleanser would be the best choice to clean your baby’s skin. It won’t make the skin dry and your baby can easily retain the protective layer of his skin.

Strictly avoid hot bath:

Hot bath is neither good for your skin nor for your child’s skin. It removes natural oil layer of your skin and immediately turns it drier. Lukewarm bath is quite comforting and perfect to clean and nourish your baby’s skin.

Apply coconut oil:

Coconut oil is an ideal choice to heal many skin issues. It is an easily available ingredient to apply over the skin. You should gently rub coconut oil on your baby’s skin. It will create a protective layer that will lock the moisture. Coconut oil also speeds up the curing process and heals rashes and other skin allergies.

Fresh Aloe Vera gel:

Aloe Vera plants are available everywhere. Cut a leave and extract its fresh gel. Now, gently apply that gel over the baby’s chapped skin. It will quickly soothe inflammation and heal skin wounds. It is not only effective in curing skin issues, but it is also used to prevent skin issues So, timely apply Aloe Vera gel on your baby’s skin to protect him against skin allergies.

Conclusion

You must be wondering when to see a doctor. Your baby with cracked skin won’t need a doctor’s help if you try some treatments shared in this post. Chapped or cracked skin issue troubles many babies. The skin condition improves within 2 or 3 days.

Suppose your child’s wounds bleed, you should take the baby to the doctor. The doctor will conduct certain tests to ensure there is no other skin issue troubling your baby.  

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