3 month old Dry Skin?

Question

My 3 month old daughter has awful dry skin. Patches on face, legs, arms, everywhere. I feel so bad for her. Our doc says when she gets older, they'll give her something medicated. What can I do now to help? As soon as I put vaseline on her - it's dry, flaky skin again in less than a hour. All suggestions great! I'll try all!

Answer 1

If your daughter has dry patches of skin, it sounds like this could be eczema. My son had/has the same problem, but it is now under control.

First, make sure you are NOT using Dreft detergent. Anything with the word "free" or "clear" is fine, like Arm & Hammer Free, Cheer Free, or All Free. These are all perfume and dye free -- Dreft is NOT.

Second, get another opinion. My son received a prescription for a cream called Alclometasone Dipropionate USP 0.05% when he was right around your daughter's age. My doctor explained that there are seven levels of steroid creams for eczema. Over-the-counter Hydrocortisone is the weakest, Alclometasone is the next strongest. It is still weak enough to use safely in the groin and face area. My baby scratched his head and forehead all the time. Just recently we had to get the next strength up for a new outbreak: Fluticasone Propionate Cream, 0.05%. We also got Zantac prescribed for him very young, which we only use as needed. This is an antihistamine that helps to calm the itchiness he gets all over and helps keep him from scratching his head. I eventually took him to a dermatologist and got all kinds of information about eczema to help me treat his skin better.

Even if it turns out not to be eczema, I still recommend the detergent I mentioned above. Also, don't bathe her daily (three or four times a week tops), and lather on Eucerin cream after every bath, and limit baths to no more than ten minutes to help prevent drying out her skin. Stay clear of scented bath soap as this can also irritate her skin.

Anyway, that's my own personal experience. If your baby is uncomfortable and your doctor won't give her anything, I'd go to another doctor if I were you. My baby was scratching himself all over and it was obvious he was uncomfortable.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Same thing with my daughter, I started using Eucerin - Intensive Care Lotion.

Also I made sure to give her a bath more often like every other day or every day because that is what helps the skin rehydrate believe it or not.

Do NOT use baby washes that contain soap use Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash.

After the bath only pat her dry and immediately put on like 10 pumps of the lotion. Lotion basically helps seal in hte moisture the skin received from the bath so don't remove all the moisture by drying her with the towel too much.

Don't dress her right away, let the skin absorb some of the lotion because clothing can rub it off.

Also, I reapply lotion at every diaper change in the dry spots.

You know what, at three months I was still swaddling her and I noticed that the places where it was most dry was where the swaddle was the tightest so I stopped swaddling. She was moving around in the swaddle and rubbing her body against the fabric so much it was causing irritation and more dryness than usual.

I must tell you that I noticed another answereer telling you to put baby oil in the bath but that can be dangerous because when you are trying to take the baby out of the tub she can be very very slippery. I wouldn't recommend doing that hun.

Answer 3

I have 3 redheads - believe me I know a thing or two about dry skin :) First, only give her a bath once a week and in warm water, not hot at all. Because you use baby wipes (for sensitive skin), she is clean and once a week is often enough. Secondly, don't use any baby products. They all contain scents that can be irritating to the skin. Buy cetaphil bar soap and use it everywhere on her. Funny, how the cheap stuff works so well. Third, use a lotion that is fragrant free and dye free. I like Neutrogena Fragrance Free body moisturizer. I think you'll notice a change in her skin within a few days. Best of luck!

Answer 4

Hope this treatment will work for the baby.Half an hour before the bath apply 2 tablespoon raw milk on the face and neck or where ever it is dry and leave it to dry and then give a bath.This helps to get soft skin. You can find more cheap, effective and natural home remedies for dry skin at the link below.

Answer 5

It sounds like your daughter may have Eczema. My daughter had it starting at 3 months in her head then it moved to all over her body and they determined that it was Eczema. They told me not to bath her everyday because the water will dry out her skin and i have prescription creams and lotions for my daughter. Put the word Eczema in the Yahoo search bar and more information will show up. Good luck and God Bless (I know how you feel)

Answer 6

Eucerin is GREAT. Works on dry skin, chapped cheeks, and even diaper rash. You get it at the drug store and it comes in like a tub (get the ointment in the tub, not the lotion kind.) Its thick and goopy, but it works great. Put it on before she goes to sleep to it can soak in without her rubbing it off. I still use it on my son when he has dry skin and he's 3.

But the pediatrician will give you some eladil if you ask for it.

Answer 7

Only bathe the baby every few days with soap. We use plain water on the other days, as a bath is part of our bedtime routine.

Put Aquaphor on any dry patches, and on areas that norotiously get dry/red. After soap baths use Eucerin Calming Cream. After non-soap baths, you can use Johnson creamy baby oil.

Answer 8

Try Eucerin...u can get this at Rite-Aid or CVS.
Its like lotion but I can almost gurantee you that this will most definately work.
It should be in the section with the lotions and skin care.
It is safe for babies.

speak from experience.

Good luck.

Answer 9

Try aveno...it worked so well with my daughters excema and dry patches. I know how you feel...you know they have to itch and the poor babies don't know how to itch it which may be for the best. Our doc told us not to bathe her...only once every other week and if she needs it wipe her down.

Answer 10

try something called aquaphor - it should help with the dry skin, but it's not greasy like vaseline. you should be able to get it at the pharmacy.