Red crispy dry skin patch on 4 month old?

[NoviceKnitter]

It's between her ear and her cheekbone - you know when skin gets so dry it seems to go a bit hard and form a barrier so not as absorbent. Is getting worse. Isn't itchy and isn't a rash - she doesn't seem to notice it. DD has slightly dry skin anyway and cradle cap so gets regular olive oil basting. wd you go to doc? don't want a steroid cream unless really necessary. any thoughts?

Could this be eczema? or baby eczema? can it be non-itchy?

ds had what sounds similar on his chin at about 6 weeks old. We did go to the docs and were told not to worry - babies just have funny skin sometimes. Doc was very interested in whether the patch had started out as a spot or not, apparantly this is important (it hadn't in our case). Go to the docs if you are worried, the reassurance should set your mind at rest if nothing else.

thanks. no not a spot just dry skin getting progessively drier. i imagine the cold wind has exacerbated it.

Could be eczema - it is a flare point on both of my eczematic kids. I rub some emollient in every night just to stop their's drying out. If I keep it greased, then I rarely need to use a steriod cream there.

You can get oliatum bath emollient and cream from HV on prescription for baby dry skin.
DS has dry patches on his elbow and knee. It has improved a lot since I stopped using baby bath and started using oliatum. (even the Halos and Horns stuff irritated his skin)

thanks - has anyone tried using weleda calendula skin protection cream for babies?

My ds has exactly the same (he's 10 wks) I asked hv about this and she said vasaline - didn't really like the sound of this so have benn using bio oil (left over from trying to sort out strechmarks) and seems to be making lots better.

thanks - what's bio oil?

This is how my ds' eczema started, in exact same place, wasn't itchy on face but when it started on his chest that was itchier. Tried a range of different emollients (= plain moisturisers) from hv and dr. till we found one that worked, now use emulsifying ointment on face several times a day and it's fine. Dr. will probably prescribe emollients before steroid cream, esp. if it's not bad, but the steroids they use on babies are considered v. safe - I was v. reluctant to use hydrocortisone but once ds' skin got bad it worked wonders, and wish I had looked into it more before to research its safety rather than just being wary, he went through more discomfort than he needed to. We don't need it now if we keep up with emollients and he isn't exposed to things that make it flare. Weather changes and central heating can make it worse.

this is a link to the bio-oil site. I got it from super drug but most chemists sell it.