Help, I've ruined my baby's skin :-(

[IndecisivePramBuyer81]

Hi all

My 5 week old DS had baby acne which we were keeping clean using Dove as a gentle soap but it's dried his skin out all over his face to the point that it's gone almost scaly Have been using dry skin/eszema cream for 2, 3 days which the health visitor gave me which is helping the scaly-ness but it's still really really dry.

DS isn't bothered by it (until I put the cream on which he hates even when he's asleep) but I'm wondering if there's something else I could do like vegetable oil for example? or should I just leave it alone? we have our 6 wk check next wk too.

I feel really awful now that I've ruined my baby's skin and I should have just left it alone

Coconut oil and no chemical soaps etc.

It will resolve itself over time.

Chin up :)

Olive oil did wonders for dd skin. It cleared up in about a week

Coconut oil which is solid at room temp and waitrose does in pots as a massage cream was recommended by my dcharges Pead dermatologist to keep her birth marks soft and and the skin which was under stress nourished.

Use the cream you've been told to, wash with water and a cotton wool ball (use nothing abrasive). Do not start trying other things like vegetable oil, your attempts at cleaning and getting rid of dry skin might be too much on the delicate skin. Your dc is only 5 weeks it will rectify in time, if it doesn't go to the doctor for a check up.

Olive oil is heavier than natural skin oils and can SOMETIMES clog pores we were told.

would second suggestion of olive oil - extra virgin of course

I found Doublebase gel worked wonders on my son's eczema. You can also use it as a soap. Read the reviews on amazon. My GP prescribed it when I asked. His skin did go scaly as it healed though, so maybe your baby is on the mend?

DS had awful baby acne - just keep up with the cream (you can use it for cleaning too, as a blob on cotton wool) and all the excess hormones will be flushed out of his system in a couple of weeks.

He flaked all over, and there was lovely healthy skin underneath - just resist the urge to rub too much or it'll come off too soon, and you'll just reveal raw skin which will probably flake off again.

We've always found Nelsons calendula cream amazing for dry skin and rashes etc. But honestly, keep putting any moisturiser on and it will clear up. Oilatum in the bath water really helps too - stops the water drying out their skin.

It's nothing you've done. My son had horrid skin, everyone thought he had a rash. It cleared about 6-7 weeks maybe. I actually forgot how bad it was until I looked at photos recently. Don't use anything. My son still does has dry skin now and we've aveeno stuff prescribed (he's 1 now) but the spots did clear

We used olive oil after a bath. Just bathing in water is fine, no need for soap. Aveeno is a good moisturiser, and diprivase which we use on DS's eczema. Keep using the cream. My DS still hates being creamed at 18 months!

*diprobase

I prefer almond oil as it is less smelly and also don't bath the baby too much.

Don't use any soap on a baby, not even johnsons, it dries their skin out, as does bathing them every day.

Baby acne will clear up without you doing anything. It's just distressing to see your beautiful baby all spotty!

DS had baby acne which I only wiped with water, it then went dry and scaly. We were prescribed doublebase which really helped.

He still get dry cheeks (16 months old now) and we use weleda face cream which is lovely - sinks in easily and clears any dry skin.

He still gets dry patches on his arms and legs and the only thing that works is Milk & Co Moisturising Qweam.

It goes away, don't panic! I was horrified when DD got it because her beautiful skin went all pustule-y but when they start going flaky it can mean they are drying out and then they go away :)

Yes dont use soap on your baby - their skin is thinner than an adults. Baby acne is normal, it will clear up. Don't bathe him - just a wipe clean is fine.

You haven't ruined your babies skin, don't worry. Do as the others have suggested and keep up with three cream the HV gave you and leave it alone apart from that. My DS had awful skin as a baby, really dry excema and a big red angry rash with pus filled spots all over his face, even the doctor emailed photos of DS's skin to his colleagues to get second opinions because he'd never seen a rash so bad!, I was upset at the time because I thought babies should have perfect soft skin and I couldn't imagine it getting better, but it cleared up fairly quickly and he then had the lovely soft skin I'd hoped for!

We used just a tiny amount of olive oil but within couple weeks her skin was all peeling off all over along with the acne which lasted another couple weeks. Had lovely skin after that. It was all new to me, didn't realise newborns skin was like that along with the breastmilk rash she got all over at the same time

When Aveeno cream made DS's dry skin a lot worse, he was prescribed Hydrocortisone 0.1 % cream to give the healing process a boost then Double base cream to put on over the top. It cleared it up right away. Keep using the cream you were giving if you think it is helping then at his 6week check, ask the doctor about his skin

Thanks everyone will stick with that cream until our check next week then. I didn't expect it either! It's definitely looking less angry so hopefully it's clearing up now, fingers crossed. So annoyed at myself though

Don't be annoyed at yourself, baby acne is so common, it normally clears up by itself.

I only used water to clean DS and olive oil for dry bits.

Don't be annoyed, it happens, it's not your fault.

Don't be annoyed! I only used water and my son had it worse than anyone's I've seen. My friend used Johnsons and her girl had really clear skin