Atopic dermatitis in babies: how do you recognise it?
Infant eczema-prone skin is a skin condition that usually appears between the ages of three months and two years old. It manifests itself in the form of eczema flare-ups: red patches. The latter are accompanied by extreme dryness and intense itching of the skin. This symptom often leads to sleep disturbances.
If the skin is scratched or rubbed, the small spots break off and cause oozing and yellowish scabs.
Eczema flare-ups in babies are interspersed with periods of remission where the symptoms subside for a while.
Before the age of one, atopic dermatitis in babies can be seen on raised areas of the body and face such as the forehead, cheeks, chin, arms and thighs. After the first year, it leaves these plumper areas and moves to the skin folds (elbows, legs and behind the ears).
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Causes of eczema-prone skin in babies
Baby eczema-prone skin is usually caused by a genetic allergic background The skin is affected by extreme dryness and eczema following a food or contact allergy (mites, animal hair, pollen, washing powder, etc.).
Babies with atopic eczema-prone skin have a porous skin barrier and a highly reactive immune system. 3n6_|2)C%6WSVwaEEKa(_G9emcpQh?2R88v9V;7sZL96z,e6
Eczema flare-ups in babies are then aggravated by external aggressors:
What care should I choose to soothe my baby’s eczema-prone skin?
For eczema in babies, a paediatrician or dermatologist will recommend three areas of action:
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- Treating dry skin on the rest of the body through intense hydration using emollient creams for babies.
- Washing your baby with mild soap-free cleansers.
What should I use to wash my baby with eczema-prone skin?
Daily hygiene for babies with eczema-prone skin should involve gently cleansing the skin and preparing it for ointments. This increases the effectiveness of prescribed treatment in the event of relapses.
Also, ban soap-based and scented toiletries. Choose, for example, Xeracalm A.D. Ultra-Rich Cleansing Bar for its very gentle cleansing base and physiological pH that do not damage the skin's protective film. This product is formulated to limit the risk of allergies.
You can also give your baby an emollient bath usingXeracalm A.D. Cleansing Oil. Its lipid-replenishing action restores the hydrolipidic film of your baby's skin and soothes itching.
Other advice:
- Wash your baby in water between 32°C and 34°C, once a day and for a maximum of ten minutes, to limit contact with tap water.
- At the end of the bath, soothe your baby's redness with a spritz of Avène Thermal Spring Water.
- Dry your child without rubbing, gently dabbing with a towel.
Our creams for eczema-prone skin in babies
After washing your baby, apply an emollient several times a day to prevent flare-ups of eczema-prone skin. The emollient’s moisturising and nourishing action reduces skin dryness and strengthens the protective barrier of the epidermis for better water retention.
Avène laboratories have designed baby emollients based on Sterile Cosmetics technology. This reduces the number of ingredients, retaining only what’s essential for baby's skin: fragrance-free and preservative-free care. It also offers perfectly sealed protective packaging (pump bottle and capsule tube).
For baby's dry sensitive skin, Xeracalm A.D. Cream restores the skin's barrier function and skin comfort and soothes itching.
If your baby has particularly dry, thickened skin, or dry patches that flake or form scabs, choose Xeracalm A.D. Balm for intense hydration.
For eczema-prone skin outbreaks and severe itching that prevent your baby from falling asleep, apply Xeracalm A.D. Soothing Concentrate. Its anti-scratching action is immediate and this emollient care can be used on the face, body and eyelids of the whole family.
In addition, the Cicalfate Spray dries up oozing caused by scratching and the Cicalfate Cream calms down your baby's skin irritations.
