Extremely dry skin in babies – how can you tell the difference to neurodermatitis?

With extremely dry skin, many parents worry whether this is due to neurodermatitis in the baby. Neurodermatitis is a skin disease with a genetic predisposition, which can be recognized by its agonizing itching. Affected children have very dry skin on the sides of the arms (e.g. the crook of the arm or the back of the knee) or skin folds that are very itchy and reddened.

Preparations containing urea or omega fatty acids soothe the itching and have a calming effect on irritated skin. In severe cases, a cortisone ointment can also be prescribed. Very dry skin can therefore be an indication of the inflammatory skin disease, but many babies suffer from skin irritations without being affected by neurodermatitis. In case of doubt, a pediatrician or dermatologist should be consulted.

Cause

Usually the causes of dry skin are harmless and only rarely are diseases, such as neurodermatitis or infectious diseases behind it. The problem of dry skin in a baby can be, on the one hand, that the baby’s well-being is impaired and, on the other hand, infectious germs can penetrate the skin through itchy spots scratched by the baby and lead to inflammation. The skin of a baby is more delicate and sensitive than the skin of an adult.

This can be explained on the one hand by the fact that sebum production and the acid mantle are not yet fully developed and on the other hand by the fact that baby skin is thinner than adult skin. As a result, a baby’s skin is not always able to bind water sufficiently. Therefore, baby skin is particularly susceptible to drying out.

In addition, the body surface area in relation to the body size is much larger than that of an adult, so active ingredients applied to the skin can be absorbed much more effectively. The causes of dry baby skin can be manifold. In winter, especially the cold, dry air outside and the frequent change with dry, warm heating air inside lead to the baby’s skin drying out and in summer, the sun, salt water, chlorinated water in swimming pools or air conditioning systems can cause dry skin.

Hypersensitivity to a detergent or fabric softener can also be a cause. If this is the cause of dry skin, the affected areas are mainly on the baby’s arms, legs and belly, i.e. those areas that come into contact with the washed clothes. Another and not quite so frequent cause of dry skin in a baby can also be neurodermatitis.

This is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin, which is accompanied by reddened, dry and itchy skin areas. The skin of the cheeks, the hairy head and the extensor sides of the arms and legs are particularly affected. The diaper area is often left out in the case of neurodermatitis.

If neurodermatitis is suspected, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist or pediatrician, as this skin can be treated well with special care. Other causes of dry skin can also be allergies. In most cases, dry skin disappears by itself over time and as the baby grows up.

Dry skin can also often be found on the baby’s head. However, this dryness should not be confused with head gneiss and milk crust. The head gneiss usually begins in the first weeks of the baby’s life and can also occur on the face.

Here you can find mostly soft, tallowy scales and itching is hardly ever present. The head gneiss always disappears by itself and no therapy is needed. If a therapy is still desired, it can help to soak the scalp with some oil a few hours before bathing and then comb out the dandruff with a comb.

The milk crust, on the other hand, usually begins after the 3rd month of life and is noticeable by hard scales and crusts with severe itching. Milk crust can spread over the entire body and can be a first sign of a predisposition to neurodermatitis or allergies. Therefore it is advisable to consult a doctor if you suspect that cradle cap is involved.This could also be interesting for you: Baby hair – how to cut it right!

Many babies suffer from dry skin on their face. Dry skin can be caused by the baby’s own saliva, especially in children who are already receiving formula in addition to milk. The skin on the face is much more sensitive than on the rest of the body and the digestive enzymes contained in saliva additionally irritate the skin.

Another cause of dry skin on the face can be cold air. In the cold season, the skin on a baby’s face dries out quickly because the sebaceous glands in babies do not yet produce enough protective sebum. That is why it is especially important in winter to protect babies from drying out their skin with creams and hats or scarves.

Dry skin on a baby’s cheeks can be caused by the dry cold outside, especially in winter. No matter how thick a baby is dressed during a winter walk, it is difficult to protect the cheeks from the cold air. Here it can help to apply a fat cream to the affected areas to protect them during outdoor activities.

Dry skin can also occur when teething due to the constant flow of saliva. If teething is the reason for dry skin on the cheeks, this should disappear with the presence of teeth. Dry skin on the baby’s tummy can also occur frequently.

Here, in addition to all the causes already mentioned, an allergy to detergents or fragrances must be considered, because the abdominal skin is in constant contact with clothing and is therefore exposed to harmful substances in clothing for a particularly long time. It is important to avoid the use of detergents with fragrances as far as possible. A change of the previously used detergent can already provide an indication of the cause of dry baby skin.

It can also be helpful to avoid using scratchy materials, such as wool, when clothing your baby. Very dry skin can itch, flake off and lead to red spots. However, the combination of dry skin and red spots can also indicate a skin disease such as neurodermatitis.

A pediatrician can make the diagnosis and prescribe appropriate therapy. Refatting creams and oil baths soothe redness and calm dry skin. In very severe cases of acute neurodermatitis, the doctor can also prescribe a cortisone ointment which is applied thinly to the affected areas.

The cortisone is effective against the inflammation on the red areas of the skin and improves the appearance of the skin. Dry skin and rashes in babies can simply be a sign of very sensitive skin. In some cases, however, psoriasis is hidden behind it.

This is a benign autoimmune disease of the skin and nails that leads to unpleasant symptoms. The baby suffers from inflammation of the skin, which is very itchy. The doctor prescribes special skin care products for psoriasis and, in severe cases, cortisone preparations.

Parents should make sure that the children do not scratch the inflamed skin areas any further and thereby worsen the rash. Therefore, the fingernails of the affected babies should be cut very short. It may also be possible to put gloves on the baby to prevent scratching.