Infant Skin Care and Hair Care: Understanding the Do’s and Don’ts
Infants have extremely soft skin and hair. Unlike our adult hair and skin, infants need to be cared for with gentle and delicate hands. Hair care for babies differs largely because some infants are born with little to no hair, whereas, some infants are born with a lot of hair. Skin care, too, differs primarily on the skin type, seasonal changes, and occasion. This article will focus on some tips to keep in mind while caring for your infants.
Tips for Infant Skin Care and Hair Care
- While investing in skin care and hair care products for infants, be sure to buy those that are specifically made for infants. They are not filled with chemicals, theta are milder on skin and hair, and don’t have side effects. Some hair care products for babies are also known to induce tears and any heavy scent may cause sneezing. Hence, we recommend you sample the products on a section of your infant’s skin to test for allergies and rashes.
- Much like how you are bothered by dry and rough skin, infants, too, feel the itch. Moisturization is essential. Set aside a few minutes in the morning and night to moisturize your infant’s skin and scalp. This will keep the skin soft, allergy-free, and above all, this helps maintain healthy nourished skin, free from infections. Use dermatologically tested products or ones recommended by your doctor.
- Massaging the head and the body allows proper circulation. This not only enables growth but also removes dry or dead skin, making the skin soft and smooth.
- Do not bathe your infants every day. Especially for the first year, giving them a wash every three days once is considered ideal since this can reduce sickness, fever, and cold. Alternatively, you can use a wet cloth to wipe your infant to keep them clean. If you are searching for tips to treat diaper rash, look no more!
- Washing your infant’s hair and scalp can be tricky. Your little one’s skull is ever developing, hence improper handling of the head can be a cause of concern. Very gently pour warm water on the scalp and massage the shampoo with the tips of your finger to create lather. After washing the shampoo off, use scalp oil or moisturizer immediately. Using aqua-based products with castor oil, almond oil, olive oil, vitamin E or coconut oil is also beneficial - they are known to nourish, promote healthy hair.
- If you live in sunny areas, keep your infants well protected from the sun and wind. Especially infants below six months can very easily develop skin burns or rashes due to overproducing sweat glands. Using products high in SPF is one way to avoid this!
- Finally, skin care and hair care for infants also include how you wash their clothes. Using strong and high fragrant detergents can very easily cause allergies and rashes on your infant’s body.
Read here to know more about basic gadgets all young parents need!