3 Important Things You Need To Know About Your Baby’s Skin

Typically, babies are known for having very smooth and soft skin. Many adult skincare products will advertise themselves as providing results to make your skin as soft as a baby’s, but that doesn’t mean it should be used on your baby’s skin.

There are some fundamental differences between your skin and your baby’s skin. It is essential that you know the differences to ensure that you’re looking after your newborn and taking care of their skin properly. 

Things You Need To Know About Your Baby’s Skin

1. Baby Skin is Thinner

A newborn baby’s skin is significantly thinner than that of an adult. This is because the skin starts developing while they’re in the womb, but it doesn’t stop until around a year after birth. So, for that first year, your child has very thin skin, meaning their skin barrier is greatly reduced.

It is believed that their skin barrier is 30% thinner than that of an adult. This means that their skin is extremely sensitive and you have to be very delicate when treating it with anything. A lot of the best organic baby lotions are specifically designed for a baby’s thin skin. The natural and organic ingredients aren’t too abrasive, meaning they’re perfect for applying to such a thin skin barrier. 

2. Baby Skin is Drier

As you are probably aware, there’s an abundance of products on the market to treat dry skin for babies. You’ll see all sorts of lotions and moisturizers for sale, and there’s a reason for this. Baby skin is significantly drier than adult skin.

Their drier skin is due to switching from the womb to the real world. In the womb, the baby is surrounded by fluids and moisture at all times. When they are born, they suddenly have to adapt to a much drier climate.

Their skin absorbs water much faster than adults and loses it even quicker. You also will notice a lack of natural moisturizers in a baby’s skin, further contributing to excessive dryness. So, be sure you always have some lotions or creams on hand to tackle the dry skin problem and avoid issues like eczema. 

3. Baby Skin Loses Heat Quicker

This is actually a consequence of the first point. Due to the thinness of a baby’s skin, it contains fewer lipids, which means the skin doesn’t retain heat as well as an adult’s. As a result, this is one of the reasons that babies struggle to stay warm and can become cold very quickly.

You’ll see so many parents bundling their baby up in clothes and blankets, and for a good reason! Babies have a tougher time regulating their body temperature, and part of this is down to their skin. So, do what you can to keep your baby warm at all times, preventing serious problems like hypothermia.

Protecting Your Baby’s Skin

It’s so important that you know these facts about your baby’s skin. From here, you can make decisions that will target the problems and keep your baby healthy and comfortable. As they get older, their skin develops and becomes more ‘normal’, so you won’t have to worry about this forever.

What are some of your tips for protecting your baby’s skin? Leave a comment and let me know!