Give Babies and Young Kids Less Frequent Baths to Reduce Eczema Issues

Ten to twenty percent of children are diagnosed with eczema, a chronic skin condition that causes patches of dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. Experts recommend less frequent baths and daily moisturizing to keep eczema at bay.

The Wall Street Journal explains that how we take care of children's skin can cause more outbreaks:

How often a baby gets a bath, what is in the baby wash and shampoo and whether the skin is properly moisturized after bathing are things that could help bring on eczema, recent studies suggest. Researchers say many babies may be getting too many baths, and two to three a week is enough. Eczema causes patches of dry, itchy, inflamed skin that usually starts in early childhood.

Scientists increasingly believe that environmental factors, such as bathing, pollutants and indoor heating, can disrupt the skin's ability to keep moisture in and allergens and microbes out. A weakened skin barrier—the outermost layer—allows outside irritants to penetrate the skin and spark an immune-system response. Other research has found that genetic variations in some eczema patients also can compromise the skin barrier.

WSJ noted a small study that found that babies with a high risk for eczema due to family history were lee likely to have incidents of eczema if they were moisturized once a day, compared to the babies who didn't use a moisturizer.

In short, especially in the drying winter months, consider giving your eczema-prone kid baths no more than three times a week.

Are You Bathing Your Baby Too Much? | The Wall Street Journal via Parents

Photo by Locutis.

from Lifehacker http://ift.tt/1FxL1PN

Related Items