Eczema is a skin condition that affects 10% of all babies. It involves an itchy red rash and skin inflammation. For infants under six months old, the face is the most common eczema location. You can sometimes find it on toddlers' faces too. The two key ways to manage facial eczema are by avoiding irritants and maintaining good moisture levels.
Things To Avoid
One of the best ways to soothe your child’s facial eczema is to avoid irritating products and environments. Each infant will have their own sensitivities, so only you can figure out exactly which products you need to avoid. In general, it’s best to avoid:
- All scented and colorful facial creams, soaps, and detergents. Eliminate all of the products you use on your baby’s face, clothes, and bedding that have scents or are very colorful from added products.
- All allergens. This includes dust mites, pollen, and pet dander.
- Hot baths. Use warm water instead.
- Overheating. Keep your baby cool so their cheeks don’t become rosy and dry out.
Treatments To Try
The best way to soothe facial eczema is to constantly keep your baby’s face hydrated. There are a number of ways to do this, including:
- Creating a consistent moisturizing routine. Whenever you notice that the skin is dry, use thick creams and ointments that are safe for faces. This includes after wiping the face from a meal, when your baby first wakes up, and before your baby goes to sleep. The National Eczema Association has a list of approved moisturizers and the ages that they’re approved for on their website.
- Creating a consistent bathing routine. Use warm water, not hot, for every bath, and don’t bathe your baby more than once a day. You can use a cloth or fragrance-free cleaning wipes to spot clean your baby’s face and bottom if they get dirty more than once a day. Always pat your baby’s face and skin gently instead of scrubbing it when spot-cleaning the skin or drying it off. Moisturize all of your baby’s skin, including the face, within the first three minutes after every bath.
- Protect your baby’s hands. Keep your baby’s fingernails clipped short so they can’t scratch themselves. Try to keep soft gloves on their hands while they sleep so they can’t scratch in the night.
- Over-the-counter and Prescription Treatments. There are a number of over-the-counter and prescription creams and ointments available to treat your baby’s eczema. They’re usually some type of corticosteroid, the most common of which is 1% hydrocortisone cream. But not all of these treatments are safe for babies or faces. Talk to your doctor before trying any new steroid-based ointments on your baby’s sensitive facial skin.
