Dry Skin on newborns?

Romina - posted on 08/12/2009

My baby started getting dandruff and it evolved to cradle cap, so keep an eye out for any scaby areas in and around the scalp. I'm in the same boat with extra dry skin, my sonhas it on his legs and aveeno is not working. I'm still working on that one.

Colleen - posted on 08/12/2009

My son was a week overdue. He had dry skin as well. I use Huggies Shea Butter lotion and it worked (plus it smells nice!). For his cradle cap, I put baby oil on his head and then run a comb through his hair. I don't bathe him with soap or shampoo everyday to give his skin a break.

Romina - posted on 08/12/2009

My son was 10 days overdue and had the same thing...I was recommended 2 products by community nurses....Olive oil rubbed in each time you change nappy (gets a bit messy) or Pawpaw ointment (I preferred this as it worked really quickly)

Rebecca - posted on 08/07/2009

The dry scalp is called cradle cap. Use either olive oil or apricot kernel oil and a soft brush to brush it off. The dry skin on the body is also very normal. A bath with a washcloth and oil again will help to slough off the dead skin. After the oil bath on both body and hair use a VERY mild soap like California Baby ffor sensitive skin. Natural everything is best.

Tracey - posted on 08/07/2009

Christy...there is no need to go and spend a fortune on many different creams potions and lotons..all contain synthetic ingredients. An old (and she was very old bless her) said to me after i had my first daughter..u need nothing more than olive oil. I though ewww yuck greasy didnt smell nice..but a calming massage after her bath..it just melted away into her warm skin. All the flakeyness and dry patches were gone in just 2 days..you can also use it on the scalp. may make the hair a little greasy but will soften the scalp repair the dermis and reduce all flakes..so worked with my second daughter too :)

Frances - posted on 08/07/2009

try letting them soak or play in the tub my 3 month old son had the same thing with his head and since i let him play in the tub he no longer has that problem

Melissa - posted on 08/07/2009

My daughter was 13 days overdue and her skin was really really dry,It was all over her little body,I ended up taking her to the doctor as i am a first time mum too and wasn't sure but i was reassured its really normal especially if the baby was overdue, It should clear up on its own but if it doesn't then you should be able to get some cream from your doctor or pharmacy,I used Hydrocortazone cream for a couple of days and some Oilatum cream, You can also get some stuff that goes in the bath that works great.

Bryn - posted on 08/07/2009

My son is now almost 8 weeks and he had terrible try skin also until about 5 weeks. He was also born 4 days late which pedia told me could have contributed to skin being dry (not sure why). I was told to use Aveeno and I also used Johnson baby lotion. I am not sure that the lotions helped but it went away completely by 5 weeks so just hang in there and try not to peel it off... I had trouble not peeling at it while he was feeding!

Jayme - posted on 08/07/2009

Yup, my baby had the same thing and my pediatrician advised us to NOT put lotion on the her because it wasn't dry skin it was the natural shedding process. I believe it lasted for about 2-3 weeks. He might have cradle cap, but if it's just flaky then it might just be more skin. If it's scaly and thick then it's probably cradle cap, and I used olive oil on my daughters head and then combed through her hair. I did that for a few straight days and it went away. Good luck and congrats!

Hayley - posted on 08/06/2009

My baby also has dry skin, i was told to try almond oil.

Carrie - posted on 08/06/2009

My son had the exact same issue - and our pediatrician pointed out that some "baby lotions" on the market actually have alcohol in them, so they may make dry skin worse for some kids. He prescribed hydrocortisone cream to mix in with the lotion, and that worked like a charm! So, I'd ask the doc when you see him/her next...

Dawn - posted on 08/06/2009

My baby had dry a flaky scalp and body. He had baby eczema which is very common in newborns. Your baby may develop baby acne as well.His eczema is just now going away at 4.5 months. This was the Dr's orders. In red areas use 1% hydrocortisone. You can use a lot. Then, use baby aveeno cream all over body. Use Aquaphor for the scalp.
Put the Aquaphor on the scalp and let it sit on your baby's head for a couple hours, then use a soft baby brush and then wash hair with Baby Aveeno shampoo. Use Cetaphil to wash the rest of the baby's body. Do Aveeno Oatmeal moisturizing soaks every once in awhile. You don't need to bathe the baby everyday. Maybe every 3-4 days.

Debra - posted on 08/05/2009

Actually my daughter also has the craddle cap and had dry skin so her dr. recommended the Aveeno for sensitive skin. So i got the was and the lotion and used the wash in her hair also and it worked great.

Lynlee - posted on 08/05/2009

Our son was 9 days late and had lots of peeling dry skin. We just used apricot oil I think which helped. You can get it from some supermarkets and health shops. A few months later he still had dry skin and we used QV lotion as a moisturiser and a soap substitute in the bath - it cleared up in about a week.

Tori - posted on 08/05/2009

I used selson blue (ped recommended) for really bad cradle cap (dandruff) and i agree that using any adult product is super scary! But her's smelled bad and it was on the top of her head towards the back, so I only washed that part, that way when I rinsed it went down her back. Then I washed her back! lol

Jennifer - posted on 08/05/2009

My daughter was 14 days late and had dry skin almost everywhere. I waited until she got to be a few weeks old then I used aloe vera I just broke off a piece from our plant. It seemed to work well. Once your baby gets use to his new world his skin will clear up.

Melinda - posted on 08/05/2009

My daughter had cradle cap pretty bad, which is dandruff, and my Dr. told me I could us head and shoulders on her...it was kinda scary because she was only 2 months old and I was nervous about getting it in her eyes...but I didn't and it actually worked pretty well. If that is too scary for you to do though try baby oil and using a soft baby brush to rub it in real well on his head.

Marcia - posted on 08/05/2009

Congrats Christy. This is normal for over due babies, try using small amounts of pure olive oil to soak into his skin, it works wonders. It's just that your little one is still drying out so to speak, and needs his skin rehidrating. The same thing happened with my son, and he was nearly 2 weeks late. I used to cream him with Infaderm baby lotion every nappy change as well, that'll make sure he'll never dry out too much. If you don't keep him hydrated that way, he'll get creases that will crack and bleed.



He'll be ok in no time, the extreme dryness only lasts a little while if looked after well; just besure to really dry him well after baths so he doesn't get sore.



Hope that helps, :-)

Christina - posted on 08/05/2009

Yeah just do it about two times a day . Always with a bath he be ok .lol

Emily - posted on 08/05/2009

My son is the same, i put lotion on his arms and legs, eventually it just cleared up, his head is slowly getting better as well and hes 7 weeks now

Christina - posted on 08/05/2009

Yeah that happens my baby had the same thing. It will end soon can last a month. just use lotion and don't bush hard to get the fakes out. they have shampoo for hat or yyou can just wait it out. my son had the same thing everything was so flaky i hated but it stop . Good luck.

Ayanna - posted on 08/05/2009

I have a 4mo old daughter and she recently had really bad dry skin patches on her arms, legs, and shoulders; I would apply lotion and kept her bathed but wasn't getting better; She had a peditrician appt last week and asked her about that(my baby was born with a chromosomal issue and dry skin is a symptom)and she stated the Johnson baby soap discontinue use of that and use Aveeno soap with oatmeal; I went home and threw out her soap and gave her a bath using Aveeno; in one day I noticed a change; I also bought a lotion with cocoa butter and shea butter in it as well I still use a baby lotion on her but after stopping the baby bath soap her skin has gotten better.(The pediatrician says that soap drys baby's skin and she's an advocate for not using baby soaps)

Youa - posted on 08/05/2009

I know a lot of people doesnt like the feel of Vaseline but when my son was about a few months he is 9 months now - he would get really dry skin and I tried just about everything but when my mom started watching him - she started applying Vaseline on him and within a few days I notice a big difference. Try this - maybe it will work - but it worked for me. As the dandruff - when my son had it - I just stopped using shampoo on him and used only water - after a few days the dandruff went away - and when I washed his hair in water I would use a baby comb/brush and tried to brush it. I am hoping this will help you in anyway. Good luck!!

Brogan - posted on 08/05/2009

I was advised olive oil - also anything you can eat is safe to put on their skin apparantly!:)x

Lucy - posted on 08/05/2009

I agree with Ivana, i didn't use any prducts on my baby until she was about 6weeks old. She had really dry skin on her ankles and elbows and olive oil works wonders!

Ivana - posted on 08/05/2009

I am an advocate of avoiding baby cosmetics in the first couple of months - babies have a natural skin balance which can only get confused by various shampoos and lotions, organic or otherwise. Shedding skin and dry skin is normal. For cradle cap or dry scalp I heard it is best to rub in a few drops organic olive or almond oil after a bath. I do not use shampoo yet, and her skin and scalp are doing great (1 month). But, I agree that my approach may work only if the problem is not already there, I am sure I would try all knds of products if I saw dandruff appear! Let us know what worked!

Alishia - posted on 08/05/2009

maybe just try a different baby lotion theres baby ones for dry skin i think

Roxanne - posted on 08/04/2009

My daughter has dry skin. I found that johnson's baby products are very drying. i use aveeno creamy body wash. I also use adult lotion on her. It's the stuff that pharmacist use when they mix presciption creams so there is nothing that will cause a reaction. It's called eucerin.



the dandriff could be cradle cap. forget the natural remedies use mustela foaming cradle cap shampoo. it smells great and you can find it at babies r'us.

Amber - posted on 08/04/2009

My son went through the same thing and we asked the Ped at his 1 month check-up and he said its completely normal. Its not actually dry skin (I can't remember what he called it), but essentially its just the baby shedding their skin. This will go on for awhile and regardless of how much lotion you put on them, it is still going to happen. I guess my sons lasted until about 4 weeks or so. As for the flaky scalp...Im sure its the same thing. Give it time and it will go away on it own. As long as your little one doesnt seem in pain, I wouldnt worry about it. And don't apologize for being a new mom...you will have different experiences every day. My son is almost 5 months and I have learned more in the last 5 months than I had in the previous 26 years about kids! Enjoy it!!!

Ashley - posted on 08/04/2009

my son is 4 wks old and did have very dry skin but i'd say within the last wk it has cleared up. i bath him everyday and wash his hair every 2nd day which is probably why his skin was so dry. i use the johnson's soap with lotion in it and it works really well.

Melissa - posted on 08/04/2009

My son had very dry skin throughout the winter but it seemed to finally clear up this Spring. Try running a humidifier in his room if you have central air. That can be very drying. I tried all the stuff they sell for his dry skin and nothing seemed to work. Pediatrician recommended Aquaphor - I tried it and hated it. It didn't work and was super greasy. A friend recommended a brand called ShiKai Borage Dry Skin Therapy for Babies. You can get at most health food stores. it kinds of pricey but it worked well. Also, don't use too much soap when bathing. Good luck.

Christy - posted on 08/04/2009

Thanks, any other suggestions?

Ashley - posted on 08/04/2009

My daughter had very dry skin too and I bought the Aveeno baby lotion and it is great. It is unscented and completely resolved the dry skin issue. I'm not sure what to do about the dandruff though. Maybe only use soap on his hair every other day??