Causes and Effective Solutions for Treating Dry Skin in Babies
Dry skin in babies is not something you need to worry about excessively. However, this condition can make your little one uncomfortable because their body will feel itchy and their skin will be prone to chafing.
Unlike adult skin, a baby's skin can be said to still be in the developmental stage.[1] Therefore, their skin is indeed more sensitive and very prone to dehydration.
To prevent your baby's skin from becoming dry, let's recognize the signs of dryness in your little one's skin, what factors trigger it, and how to solve it!
Signs of Dehydrated Baby Skin

The following indications can be clues that your little one's skin is dehydrated and dry:
- Fine lines like small cracks begin to appear on the skin.
- Your little one's skin feels rough and is no longer as smooth as before.
- The skin color looks dull and pale.
- There are visible patches of peeling skin.
- The baby's skin shows rashes in several areas, including the face, around the lips, and on the ankles.
It should be noted that peeling skin due to dehydration is different from vernix caseosa, which is the white layer visible when a baby is newborn.
Causes of Dry Skin in Babies

Why do babies have dry skin? Dry skin conditions in your little one can be triggered by several external factors such as:
1. Use of Products with Irritating Ingredients
Some ingredients in products, whether shampoo, bath soap, or even lotion, can irritate your little one's skin and affect its moisture. Some examples are alcohol, parabens, formaldehyde, and polyethylene glycol.[2]
It is best to carefully check the ingredients in products even if there are claims that the product is safe for babies.
2. Cold Weather
Cold air with low humidity can make it difficult for a baby's body to maintain skin hydration. Moreover, during the first year, the stratum corneum layer that locks in moisture in the skin has not yet developed optimally in babies.
3. Common Mistakes in Bathing Routines
Letting your little one bathe for too long will result in a reduction of the body's natural oils that help maintain skin hydration. In addition, rubbing your little one's skin too hard with a towel can also make their skin peel and become drier.
4. Use of Detergents and Fabric Softeners
Although they do not come into direct contact with your little one's skin, detergent residue and fabric softeners left on clothes will make your baby's skin dry and scaly.
How to Treat Dry Skin in Babies
Maintaining moisture in your little one's skin is not difficult, you just need to change some old habits and apply several things that can help maintain skin hydration such as:
1. Reduce Your Child's Bathing Duration

Spend just 5 to 10 minutes bathing your child. Also use a temperature that is not too hot, namely at 37 - 38 degrees Celsius, so that the body's natural oils are not lost during bathing.
2. Change Your Child's Bath Soap

Choose a gentler bath soap, such as soap without SLS, fragrance, or alcohol. Although these ingredients have usually undergone safety testing and are suitable for use, some children may have sensitivities to them.
Using a soap that is gentler on the skin will help maintain skin moisture and reduce the risk of irritation.
3. Apply Lotion After Bathing

What should be used for dry skin in babies? To minimize cracked skin and a scaly appearance, you can apply a baby-specific lotion to maintain skin hydration.
Choose a product without alcohol, fragrance, and coloring, which have the potential to irritate your little one's skin.
4. Apply Sido Muncul Minyak Telon Plus Tiga Anak

In the middle of cold weather, Sido Muncul Minyak Telon Plus Tiga Anak not only provides warmth to your little one.
Made from ambon eucalyptus oil, citronella, cassia oil, and added coconut oil, this oil will maintain your little one's body warmth while keeping them away from insect bites and maintaining their skin moisture.
Made from the best ingredients full of benefits, Sido Muncul Minyak Telon Plus Tiga Anak is guaranteed safe for your little one's sensitive skin.
5. Add a Humidifier to the Child's Room

The vapor released from the humidifier will add extra moisture to the dry air, so the air will not draw moisture from the baby's skin. Place this device about one to 1.5 meters from the baby to ensure the vapor does not directly hit your little one.
Celebrating International Children's Day is the right time to give the best to your little one. Don't let dry skin in babies disturb your little one's comfort. Use Minyak Telon Plus Tiga Anak regularly to provide warmth and maintain your little one's skin moisture every day.
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