From the moment a newborn is safely handed over to the family, the words “Oh, their skin is so soft and delicate!” find a prominent place in the household. From light touches to feathery kisses, we consciously guard their gentle skin and ensure they are taken care of with special products. However, with aisles overflowing with baby skincare ranges, how does one know which ones to pick? A significant part of baby skincare involves understanding their skin’s unique needs, which are markedly different from those of adults. Before diving into the details, let’s discover why their skin needs that extra care.
How Is A Baby’s Skin Different From Adult Skin?
We all know that a baby’s skin is softer and more delicate than an adult’s. But why? An infant’s outermost layer of the epidermis, known as the stratum corneum, is 30% thinner than in adults, while the infant epidermis is 20% thinner. (1)
In addition, a baby’s skin absorbs more water and loses excess water faster than adult skin. (2) This makes it more susceptible to dryness.
Finally, our skin includes a mildly acidic layer known as the acid mantle, a protective coating absent in the fragile and developing skin of newborns or infants. That is why it’s crucial to pick newborn skin care products with acidity levels matching the skin’s natural barrier. Why? Well, it’s all about the pH.
What’s pH?
“pH” is short for the Latin term “potentia hydrogenii”, or the potential of hydrogen. It is used to measure a substance’s acidity on a scale of 0–14, with seven being neutral. Below seven, the pH is acidic, and above 7, it’s alkaline. Anything that contains water also has a pH value, including our skin, because the hydrolipid film on the skin’s surface contains water. The skin is slightly acidic because of this film, and its significance is demonstrated in the acid mantle mentioned above. This mantle repels harmful microorganisms and environmental influences while protecting the skin from dryness, infections, and irritation. It is, therefore, crucial for the acid mantle to stay intact.
Why Is pH Critical For Babies?
Infant skin pH levels are higher than adult skin, which is usually 5.5. Newborns have alkaline skin surfaces that range from 6.3 to 7.5. (3) Since the acid mantle is a mechanism for skin defense against infection, skin acidification plays a vital role in the development and maturation of the barrier by keeping the pH balanced.
How Does pH 5.5 Help Tackle Skin Problems?
While baby products are plenty, choosing the right ones for your little one is crucial since they help with numerous skincare concerns, including:
Dryness
Maintaining pH 5.5 lowers the likelihood of dryness while preserving the skin’s natural hydration, and Sebamed products help ensure just that. Sebamed Baby Gentle Wash is ideal for regular cleansing without making the skin dry. Its gentle, tear-free formula with pH 5.5 helps support natural moisture balance.
Follow it up with Sebamed Baby Lotion. It has natural oils and lipids to provide long-lasting hydration with its moisture-lock formula. This emollient contains sorbitol for soft skin and chamomile to protect the skin from irritation. With pH 5.5, it promotes healthy skin balance and protects delicate skin from environmental aggressors.
While protecting the skin from dryness, one must not forget the extra moisturization required in high-stress areas like elbows and knees. As our little ones make our hearts melt by crawling around the house, their elbows and knees are prone to drying and chafing due to friction. To protect them, Sebamed Baby Cream is recommended. It supports the skin’s natural appearance, maintains moisture, and soothes it with a gentle formula replete with natural oils and lipids.
The lips are another area we often overlook in a baby’s skincare routine. The skin of the lips is extremely thin and has no sebaceous glands. The frequent flow of saliva creates an additional burden on babies’ lips. Sebamed Baby Lip Balm, with a balanced formula of Jojoba oil, shea butter, beeswax, and other natural ingredients, keeps sensitive lips soft and protected from cracking or drying. It also has Vitamin E, which helps protect the lips from environmental aggressors and free radicals.
Irritation
Dry skin causes irritation, which may be soothed with gentle skincare products. In such cases, bathtime products not catering to a baby’s sensitive skin do more harm than good. Sebamed Baby Gentle Wash with pH 5.5 is perfect for gentle cleansing and soothing irritation. Its extra-soft, tear-free, and soap-free formula with allantoin and squalene helps guard against dryness and support the lipid barrier of babies, respectively.
Alternatively, you may also use the Sebamed Baby Cleansing Bar. Made for babies’ sensitive skin, its soap-free formula contains vitamins and amino acids that nourish and hydrate the skin while reducing water loss through the epidermis.
Babies also often tend to have diaper rash, frequently brought on by prolonged contact with urine, feces, and moisture in diapers. If the baby products or diapers are not changed regularly, the skin pH may get disrupted and lead to erosion of the skin’s protective natural barrier, thus worsening diaper rash. It can be avoided and treated by changing diapers often, maintaining good hygiene, and moisturizing. Soothing the skin with Sebamed Baby Rash Cream is highly recommended. It’s been clinically proven to significantly reduce diaper rash in three weeks. The cream contains titanium dioxide, which forms a physical barrier over the skin against the aggressive components in excrement. Its pH 5.5 formula, replete with panthenol, ensures rapid healing and promotes skin regeneration.
Allergic Reactions
If skincare products contain pH levels that are out of balance, they make a baby’s skin vulnerable to allergens or irritants, which could lead to hives, reddish skin, itchiness, or swelling.
For example, harsh baby soaps can trigger irritation and allergic reactions. However, they can be reduced by using the right hypoallergenic product with a 5.5 pH. Sebamed Baby Cleansing Bar is soap-free and suited for babies’ sensitive skin. Its mild formulation with inulin keeps the skin smooth, while panthenol helps protect it from harmful environmental factors.
For gentle care against sensitive skin prone to rashes and allergies, Sebamed Baby Rash Cream is the go-to solution. While titanium dioxide and squalene create a barrier film over the skin, the care complex with panthenol helps it return to normal. Its pH 5.5 formula promotes healthy skin balance and keeps the skin smooth and protected.
Cradle Cap
Infantile seborrheic dermatitis, or cradle cap, is a common skin ailment that causes crusty, scaly growth on a baby’s scalp. However, there’s no cause for concern since it’s common and easily remedied. It can be managed by massaging the hair with gentle oil, like the Sebamed Massage Oil. Once the crusty patch becomes soft, cleansing the scalp with Sebamed Baby Shampoo is recommended. Its 5.5 pH formula with mild active surfactants gently cleanses the fine hair and scalp, strengthens the scalp for hair growth, helps prevent dandruff, and soothes the scalp with chamomile extracts.
Sensitivity
A baby’s sensitive skin needs to be protected from noxious influences, which cause numerous skin concerns like cracks, peeling, and flaking. Using products that don’t support the acid mantle can further destroy the skin’s barrier, which is why the Sebamed Baby Cream is ideal. This nurturing emollient has rich natural lipids based formula, jojoba oil, panthenol, allantoin, and chamomile that hydrates and soothes the skin.
Salivary Rash
Sometimes, the baby’s skin may turn red, bumpy, chapped, and dry. It may happen due to salivary rashes, mainly affecting the chin, cheeks, neck, and mouth. It’s a type of topical dermatitis that may easily be cured with proper moisturization. Sebamed Baby Protective Facial Cream, with a pH of 5.5 and ingredients like panthenol, allantoin, and hyaluronic acid, can help alleviate the condition.
The proper skincare can keep your baby’s skin soft, healthy, and protected, and the Sebamed baby care range, with pH 5.5, is most suitable for protecting their skin from a wide range of potential skin problems. After all, 5.5 is more than just a number— it’s a promise of utmost care and protection. Sebamed products are clinically proven and dermatologically tested to ensure they deliver the promise they make.
References
- Infant skin microstructure assessed in vivo differs from adult skin in organization and at the cellular level
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19804498/ - How Does Infant Skin Differ from Adult Skin?
https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/743529 - Skin Physiology of the Neonate and Infant: Clinical Implications
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4593874/
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