Many pediatricians and dermatologists recommend that parents’ bathe their baby every other day, preferably with just plain water to allow the natural oils and good bacteria to thrive on the baby’s skin which in turn will help strengthen their skin’s immune system. This is especially true for children suffering from eczema who have extremely sensitive skin. When choosing the best baby soaps and shampoos for eczema, know that many products contain harmful ingredients and harsh chemicals, so it is important to research and read the ingredients on products before use.
Here are the washes and shampoos that work best for babies with eczema because they preserve the moisture on your baby’s skin and allow the good bacteria to protect your baby’s skin from external triggers that can cause an eczema flareup.
In addition, the following tips and guidelines will help when selecting soaps, washes & shampoo for babies with eczema:
- Gentle Baby Soaps: Look for baby soaps and washes that are made especially for sensitive skin and eczema. These should be non-toxic, gentle and free of potentially harmful chemicals. A bar of harsh soap can irritate a baby’s skin and can even cause rashes beyond eczema. Liquid cleansers tend to be much less damaging to the skin than bar soaps. Studies show that emollient-rich cleansers dry out the skin the least and add moisture.
- Use Fragrance-Free: Scent is added to baby soaps for purely cosmetic reasons and offer nothing beneficial to the baby and are not worth the risk.
- Avoid Extra Lather Soaps: Extra lather soaps lather more because of additional chemicals (Surfactants like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) and can strip away needed oils that help protect and moisturize the baby’s skin.
- Hypoallergenic Soaps: If your baby has hypersensitive skin, suffers from dry skin or eczema, then you must look for hypoallergenic baby soaps, washes and baby shampoos.
- Analyze the Ingredients: You need to read the ingredient label to ensure that the baby soap is hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Steer clear of soaps that contain alcohol, glycol, propylene and other chemicals like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, parabens (commonly used as a preservative) and Balsam of Peru, also known as Myroxylon, sticky sap that smells like vanilla and cinnamon. Soaps made using natural ingredients are best for baby’s sensitive skin. Look for ingredients like almond, milk, cocoa butter, honey, and olive oil.
