Baby Skin Care Research

A current report in Clinical Pediatrics reveals that more than seventy-five percent of newborns suffer rashes within the first few months of birth.  Researchers suspect that contributing factors include the very products that promise to help babies' skin.  They note in their research, "Newborn skin is relatively more permeable to topically applied agents than adult skin.  Therefore, the risk of systemic toxicity is much greater in newborns." If parents stop to read labels of supermarket and drug store baby skin care products, they will find that:-

Your diaper rash cream may contain ingredients likely to be contaminated with formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, and possibly even nitrosamines, all of which are cancer-causing, highly irritating or both.  Baby talc-based powders contain tiny particles that irritate the skin and may contain perfumes, a leading cause of allergy and irritation.  Parents would be wise to avoid baby powders containing talc for treating diaper rash. Although baby powders are most frequently applied to diaper rash, there can be better ways. 


Also, most pediatricians specializing in natural skin care warn parents to avoid petroleum jelly for diaper rash, which traps moisture against the skin and is also a common allergen.

Common Skin Rashes in Newborns

• Dry, peeling skin is often due to a baby being born a little late. The underlying skin is perfectly normal, soft, and moist.

• Pink pimples ("neonatal acne") are often caused by exposure in the womb to maternal hormones. No treatment is needed, just time. They can last for weeks or even months on baby's skin.

• Erythema toxicum is another common newborn rash that looks like mosquito bites or hives. Its cause is unknown, and it resolves without treatment after a few days or weeks.

• Little white bumps on the nose and face ("milia") are caused by blocked oil glands. When baby's oil glands enlarge and open up in a few days or weeks, the white bumps disappear.

• Salmon patches (called a "stork bite" at the back of the neck or an "angel's kiss" between the eyes) are simple nests of blood vessels (probably caused by maternal hormones) that fade on their own after a few weeks or months. Occasionally stork bites may not go away.

• Jaundice is a yellow coloration to your baby's skin and eyes. It is caused by an excess of bilirubin (a breakdown product of red blood cells).  If the bilirubin level becomes sufficiently high, blue or white lights may be focused on the baby's skin to lower the level, because excess bilirubin can sometimes pose a health hazard.

• Mongolian spots are very common in any part of the body of dark-skinned babies. They are flat, gray-blue in color (almost looking like a bruise), and can be small or large. They are caused by some pigment that didn't make it to the top layer when baby's skin was being formed. They are harmless and usually fade away by school age.