Eczema In Babies: Causes and Treatments


If your baby is experiencing red, scaly patches on his/her skin they may be suffering from eczema in babies. Eczema can begin sometime after your baby reaches two months and can be at risk for at least two years after. Eczema can show up as scaly, thick and dry skin or can be red, tiny bumps that look like blisters and ooze. Your baby is at risk of infection if this is happening.

What Causes Eczema in Babies?

There are no certain answers for what causes eczema in babies. One thing that is known about eczema is that it is inherited. If you or someone in your family suffers from eczema, it is more likely your baby will suffer with eczema as well.

Eczema in babies is not caused by allergies, but can be affected by the allergens in the detergent you use to wash your baby clothes. Eczema can also be worsened when you use fabric softener or fabric sheets in the dryer.

How Usual is Eczema in Babies?

While only 3 to 6 percent people suffer from eczema, eczema in babies is fairly common during the first two years of life. There are said to be from 10-20 percent of babies who have eczema in their first year of their life. Most cases of eczema in babies rectifies itself by either improving drastically, or no longer troubling, by the time most children reach the age of two.

What You Can Do For Your Baby

You can try and control eczema in babies by ensuring that your babys skin is always kept well moisturized. Dry skin is a major factor when it comes to eczema, and keeping their skin nice and moist will alleviate some of the discomfort. When you are bathing your baby, be sure that the water isnt too hot. Try and wash your babys body and hair at the end of the bath so that he/she isnt sitting in soapy water for an extended period of time.

Eczema in babies can also be controlled by allowing your childs skin to breathe. Try to dress your children in fabrics that are natural, such as cotton. You would do best to avoid scratchy materials such as wool to help control eczema. You can also switch your detergent to one that is mild and fragrance free in order to keep allergens away from skin when you have a case of eczema in babies.

Eczema is fairly common and you can do many things to ensure that your babys skin has adequate moisture, and you are doing all you can in order for your baby to be as comfortable as possible.

Eczema Rash Pictures

Usually the skin becomes very dry because of this skin condition so one of the first steps toward effective treatment begins with moisturizing the skin.

Check with your employer or school dress code before you shave it all off, especially if you are a woman. Eczema in babies can also be controlled by allowing your childs skin to breathe. Although there are some folks who will still exhibit an allergic reaction even when there is no moisture of excretion to provide the medium, it is certainly relatively rare. People are fed up with harsh chemicals and their effects on the skin which is why they are turning in their droves to milder solutions such as natural skin care products for eczema. Most people who suffer from both psoriasis and low self esteem feel the need to cover their patches of inflammation although it is thought to be preferable to let the sun work its magic on these areas. Since eczema can occur on the face and hands, it can make the sufferer feel extremely self conscious if it is severe.

In such cases you may experience irritation to something you have tolerated for years such as dish soap or your brand of shaving cream.
Some of the steroid creams and medicated lotions used on eczema and extremely dry skin can have certain side effects, eventually thinning out the skin and many people wish to avoid using steroid creams on their children in particular. Getting help means you will eventually get better. Another common cause of eczema occurs in everyones life at some point or another. Determining what works for you is often a matter of trial and error.

This is particularly effective at reducing the itching that can occur with this condition.
Eczema shampoo can help you more if you also take short showers of lukewarm NOT hot water. Contact eczema is a more localized type of eczema, and is usually the result of the skin coming in contact with a known allergen. This form of skin condition, which is actually a form of contact dermatitis, may simply be a part of a much larger allergic reaction that can result in a life-threatening emergency known as anaphylactic shock where the entire organism is adversely engaged.