Skin care is not just an issue for adults, it plays a big role even for our little ones. Especially in infants and very small children, the skin is still very sensitive and can therefore react particularly sensitively to a wide variety of influences. For this reason, care tailored to children's sensitive skin is extremely important. Under no circumstances should ointments or creams for adults be used. In most cases, these are not suitable for children and, in the worst case, could even cause harm.
A look at the ingredients
Retailers now offer numerous care lines that have been developed specifically for the needs of children's skin. You can recognize many of them by their brand name. But instead of trusting them blindly, you should get into the habit of taking a look at the ingredients every now and then before buying. Every manufacturer is obliged to label their products accordingly, so it's worth taking a look at the back of the product. Unfortunately, it is not always the case that products for children consist of ingredients that are actually suitable for children's skin. Creams or lotions in particular often contain fragrances to “make the baby smell good”. But these are exactly the things that can be responsible for triggering allergies. Especially for children who are particularly sensitive or at risk of allergies, you should use products that are free of fragrances, colors and preservatives as well as parabens and silicones.
Sensitive like a baby's bottom
Baby skin is particularly sensitive, and the diaper area in particular, which comes into constant contact with urine and feces, should be cared for particularly carefully. It starts with the choice of diaper. These should be particularly absorbent and should be changed as often as possible. When it comes to cleaning, you should make sure to use wet wipes that are ideally free of the ingredients listed above. Even when bathing, if necessary, a very mild bath additive is sufficient. Many midwives even recommend skipping this altogether and washing the children with pure water. Avoid bathing too often or for too long, as this puts a lot of strain on the skin and dries it out. Bath water that is too hot would also put too much strain on sensitive skin; it should be around body temperature. After bathing, the body should not be rubbed dry wildly, but should be dabbed carefully.
The sun protection factor: the higher, the better
It is always said: Less is more - but when it comes to sun protection factor, the exact opposite applies to children. Here it is actually important to use a particularly strong sunscreen to avoid sunburn. In infants and small children in particular, the skin reacts particularly sensitively to increased UV radiation, as the skin's own protection still has to develop. For this reason, the blazing sun should be taboo for your child - even if you have applied cream to it beforehand. Therefore, prefer a place in the shade for you and your little darling.