Do you have questions about your baby's skincare? Ask expert Rebecca Bennett

[EllieSmumsnet]

We all want the best for our babies, especially when it comes to their delicate skin. Perhaps you need advice on your baby’s evening bath and skincare routine or maybe you are overwhelmed with all of the conflicting advice out there? That's why we've invited Rebecca Bennett, a trusted skincare expert, to answer all your burning questions and help you navigate the world of baby skincare with confidence.

• Share your questions on your baby’s skincare below.
• Everyone who shares a questions on the thread below by 19/06/2024 will be entered into a prize draw to win a £200 voucher
• Rebecca will be back in a few weeks time to answer some of your questions

About Rebecca Bennett:

Rebecca Bennett has worked with skin and skincare for over 25 years, listening to and learning from key skincare experts including dermatologists and paediatric dermatologists about baby skin and how best to care for it. She has also worked with AVEENO® Research and Development teams to understand the importance of skincare that has been specially formulated to care for sensitive baby skin, and shared all this knowledge with baby health care professionals, including midwives, and many many parents over the years.

Rebecca says "I love talking to parents (and babies) about how best to care for their skin whilst they are still very tiny and as they grow. Great skincare for babies should be easy to find and lovely to use with clinically proven ingredients to provide the very best care that everyone wants for their baby. Really looking forward to hearing all your questions! "

Here’s what AVEENO® Baby has to say:

"AVEENO® Baby is the UK’s No.1 Recommended Baby Skincare Brand by Pharmacists(1) and is Paediatrician & Dermatologist tested.

AVEENO® Baby products nourish, soothe & protect sensitive* baby skin from the first use and are specially formulated with high quality oats to preserve their protective, moisturising and soothing properties. We unlock the power of oats with our science and transform it to provide daily to soothing care to help keep your baby's skin feeling healthy."

1. Online survey of 200 UK retail pharmacists, conducted by IQVIA for Kenvue, May 2023. Participants were self-selected with geographic quotas to ensure national spread.

*AVEENO® Baby Calming Comfort range is suitable for delicate skin.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ
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UK residents, 18+. No purchase necessary. Enter rom 10:35am on 15/05 to 10:35 on 19/06. To participate, share your questions to be entered into a prize draw. Only 1 entry per person. Prize available is 1x £200 VEX Voucher (available to use in selected retailers, subject to its own T&Cs: vexgiftcard.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360021492600-VEX-Gift-Card-Terms-Conditions-Of-Use*).

As you describe the dry skin as just below her hairline and in her eyebrows, this could very well be cradle cap, or to give it its grown-up name, seborrheic dermatitis. Cradle cap doesn’t usually bother babies and generally clears up on its own. The general advice for the management of cradle cap is to apply an oil to the affected areas to soften the dry skin and then wash it away with a gentle bath wash or shampoo. It is of course important not to pick at the dry bits! However as it seems to be appearing in her eyebrows too I would suggest a chat with your health visitor or pharmacist for further advice.

Cradle cap doesn’t usually bother babies and generally clears up on its own. If you wish to help remove the dry skin and scale, the general advice for the management of cradle cap is to apply an oil (such as baby oil) to the affected areas to soften the dry skin and then wash it away with a gentle bath wash or shampoo. It is of course important not to pick at the dry bits! If you are still concerned, do please have a chat with your health visitor or pharmacist for further advice. As to removing sunscreen at the end of the day, I would suggest using a gentle baby wash product such as Aveeno Baby Daily Care Gentle Bath and Wash, or the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Baby Emollient Wash, as these washes can cleanse the skin gently and are pH balanced.

This is a great question – especially for hard water areas. We know that our drinking and bathing water is treated to ensure it is safe, but in hard water areas, the dissolved minerals in the water can remain on the skin potentially leading to dryness and irritation. We frequently recommend the use of a pH balanced baby bath product such as Aveeno Baby Daily Care Gentle Bath and Wash, or the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Baby Emollient Wash, as these washes can cleanse the skin gently and are pH balanced to help mitigate the effects of hard water.

Ovestin Estriol HRT
Has anyone else found they have a stomach ache within 5 minutes of inserting this?
I’ve been using it for 5 days, right before I go to bed, and it’s given me a stomach ache every night. It kept me up last night and I still had the pains into this morning too.
I've looked at the side effects on the leaflet and searched online but nowhere does it mention stomachs aches.
Anyone else had this?

Yes this was recommended to me by a top dermatologist when I had a bad bout of adult acne

What would the early signs of eczema be in a baby ? and at what age would they start to get it ? it's in my family and I want to help alleviate any symptons

What would you recommend for a baby who gets persistent nappy rash despite nappy changes every 2.5hrs in the day?

Also, is it normal for more acidic foods to irritate a child’s skin, such as pineapple?

Hi, DN has eczema. Mainly on her elbows and legs she is 14 months. Is it better to wash her with an emolient or just water?
Thanks

Can you recommend anything to treat/soothe baby acne? It looks so sore!

This is a great question – especially for hard water areas. We know that our drinking and bathing water is treated to ensure it is safe, but in hard water areas, the dissolved minerals in the water can remain on the skin potentially leading to dryness and irritation. We frequently recommend the use of a pH balanced baby bath product such as Aveeno Baby Daily Care Gentle Bath and Wash, or the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Baby Emollient Wash, as these washes can cleanse the skin gently and are pH balanced to help mitigate the effects of hard water.

Hi drool rash is v common, as the skin can remain wet and easily become dry and irritated. Introducing new foods during weaning can lead to temporary skin sensitivity too. I would suggest using a barrier cream on little faces during this time - in the same way as using a barrier cream on bottoms can help with irritation due to wetness, they can also help on the face. Pat the skin dry gently with a clean muslin cloth and apply just a small amount around the mouth and chin area - watch out for those lovely neck rings too where drool can accumulate. Try the new Aveeno Baby Daily Care Nappy Cream or even the Aveeno Baby Dermexa Goodnight Balm with soothing oat to help dry little faces.

This is a tricky one! I think if your little one has sensitive eczema prone skin then bathing as needed is the best way to go. For example, if they have had a quiet day at home or at nursery and look pretty clean then just washing hands and face before bed would be enough. If they have been out and about, wearing sunscreen, and/or enjoying messy play at home or at the beach for example, then a bath would probably be useful. Try using Aveeno Baby Dermexa Moisturising Wash in the bath for gentle cleansing and follow with an emollient cream such as the Aveeno Baby Dermexa Emollient Cream - of course do check with your health care professionals before making any changes to any prescribed regimes. And be guided by your toddler and their skin too - do they enjoy bath time, or do they find it makes them itchy? Does their skin appear less dry if you bathe less frequently? Using a gentle bathing and moisturising routine will help - however often you bathe your child.

Nappy rash is really common, especially if your child is teething or weaning or under the weather..... lots of different reasons really, and there's lots of great advice around about how best to treat it when it does occur. For a daytime routine, try the Aveeno Baby Daily Care range which contains bathing and moisturising products with soothing oat. If your baby's skin is tending to dryness, try the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief range. And we've even got you covered with nappy rash too, with the new Aveeno Baby Daily Care Nappy Cream - thanks for your question!

My daughter is 17 months old. She sometimes comes out in spots, like little white heads, on her chest and back. Not huge numbers, just a few at a time. They then go and can be clear for a few days but then more can come up. We haven't changed anything like washing powder or bath stuff/creams etc so unclear what's causing it. Thank you x

We are so pleased you have found something that works well for your children. Regarding the variety of pack sizes, in 2022 we simplified our range to offer 150ml and 250ml lotions, and 250ml and 400ml washes. We recognise that times are increasingly hard and understand that affordability is a big priority for many families. As final pricing decisions are set by the retailers where you buy your products from, you may notice variations in price depending on where you shop. Products from Aveeno Baby are often sold as part of a retailer’s promotions, and it might be best to shop around to get the best deal.

This is a really popular question and I think the best answer is bathe them as often as needed! Little babies don't get very mucky (nappy explosions excepted!) and just cleaning little faces, hands and bottoms with cotton wool and water, or a mild cleansing product should be fine, with a bath once or twice a week. As babies grow, starting eating food - or spreading it all over their faces - and crawling into all sorts, then a more regular bathtime routine may be needed. Totally appreciate what you are saying about protecting their delicate skin, so always choose products specially formulated for babies sensitive skin, and use when needed. Again, as they get older, bathtime can be a really fun time at the end of the day for everyone, and settling a baby with a regular bathtime routine of bath, massage and quiet time can help babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. Something to think about when your baby is a bit bigger maybe?

Is there a reason why my babies stomach seems to suffer with eczema more than the rest of his body?

Also, is there a direct link between cradle cap and eczema? And as he suffers with both, does that make him more likely to be more prone to other allergies in the future? Apart from breastfeeding, id there anything else I can do to help reduce/prevent this?

Thanks

DD is now nearing 7 months old. Shes started teething and started weaning when she was about 6 months. However, since mid May, shes been having these rashes on the creases and her back. I went to the gp and shes been prescribed hydrcortisone and daktarin treatment for two weeks and they cleared. However, after about a week of stopping treatment, the crease and back rashes came back. Even now i think it spread to her upper arms. They seem to be more angry after a bath. My question is, all these time, ive been using aveeno baby daily lotion and daily wash. Is it worth it to go to the dermexa formulation? Its just that it is not that cheap, and im a bit reluctant to subject LO to changes in soap and lotion. Also, it is not officially diagnosed as eczema, but i am pretty convinced it is. Its so hard to see LO with spreading redness over the skin, i hope you can help. TIA

How can I put topics on my threads. I knew how to do it last time I posted, but now I can’t seem able to. Any ideas?

DD (9months) has eczema all over her body - I know its common in the creases like behind the knees but she also has it on her stomache which has never really gone away even with applying lots of moisturiser. We applied Steroid cream previously but have stopped this as have had conflicting advice from different GPs. Can you recommend anything to help with the itchiness?

@EllieSmumsnet morning Ellie - I don't think that a winner of this thread from May has been notified - can you have a look please ??
I'm sure a mumsnetter would love the £200 for the school hols 😁

Congratulations @youareonlyhereonce you are the winner or this Q&A!