It’s heartbreaking to see a child struggle with rashes, eczema and allergies. Fortunately, there are solutions to help kids’ sensitive skin.
Sensitive.
She’s been that way since she was born. Sensitive to smells, to sounds, to textures, motion and sunlight and even to the air she breathes. Loud noises make her cringe or cower in fear, especially public bathrooms with super-powered hand dryers and heavy duty toilets that flush by themselves.
And then there is her skin.
Her poor, delicate, easily irritated, ultra sensitive skin.
Bug bites, made unbearably itchy by an allergic reaction, become a collection of open sores on her arms & legs. Scented creams or harsh ingredients cause immediate rashes and inflammation. Any clothing with an itchy tags or rough seams is completely intolerable, and even at four years old (and potty trained), she still gets terrible diaper rashes.
Do any of your kids have skin like this?
She’s so sensitive that at her last checkup with the doctor, I was sure something must be terribly wrong. This much sensitivity just cannot be normal! Alas, according to our pediatrician sensitive skin is not only well within the norm, it is actually a very common ailment for light-haired, fair skinned kids. Unfortunately, she told us, there is no real cure, just a few ways to manage it.
Over the years, we’ve just learned to deal with it in the best way we can, and have found that there are a few tips that have helped a lot. If you too are struggling with your child’s sensitive skin, these five strategies may work for you as well:
One of the best ways to protect sensitive skin is to keep it moisturized. The dryer the skin, the more sensitive it will be. Applying generous amounts of hypoallergenic, thick white cream will really help. Our favorite cream is Dr. Smith’s which we discovered a few years ago when I got some free samples at a blogging conference. We have been addicted to it ever since! It is technically sold as a diaper rash ointment, but since it is thick and creamy unscented and so amazing, we usually use it as a full body moisturizer. (It is available nationwide at Walgreens or online; get a $2.00 off coupon here!) It works especially well applied to damp skin after a bath or shower.
Baths strip the body of natural oils, leaving skin dry and unprotected. Cutting down the number of baths your child takes per week, limiting them to 3-4 instead of daily, can allow her skin more time to build up its natural defenses. Of course kids will be kids, and obviously whether this is feasible will depend a lot on your child and how dirty they get on a daily basis! While a hot bath always seems more inviting, that warmer water will strip those natural oils even faster. When you do give your child a bath or shower, especially if you must do it daily, keep the water temperature as lukewarm as your child can stand. Finally, avoid harsh soaps or scented bubble baths, but try adding a little oatmeal to soothe & moisten the skin.
I have found that soft natural fabrics, such as cotton knits tend to be the least irritating to my little one’s skin. I choose clothing without tags whenever possible, or else cut them out. Paying attention to how apparel is put together really helps too–if something feels a little scratchy or rough to me, I know it will feel a hundred times worse to her.
The fewer allergens and scents you use in your home and on or near your child’s skin, the less chance there will be for irritation. Whenever possible, choose unscented cleaning and laundry products, including laundry detergent, fabric softener, and any other cleaners, lotions, soaps, and bubble baths.
Sensitive skin is no match for all the hazards of the great outdoors. Between sun exposure, chlorine, insects, extreme temperatures, and certain plants or chemicals on the plans, the opportunities for developing painful rashes, bug bites, sun or windburn, and just plain dry, itchy skin are everywhere. In addition to using thick cream to keep skin as moisturized as possible, guarding against the elements can help a lot. Have your child wear sunscreen and a hat in the sun. Rinse them off immediately after swimming in chlorinated water. Use bug repellant and have them wear long pants, long sleeves, and socks & shoes whenever possible. This is sometimes easier said than done, especially in the 90+ degree Florida heat, but ultimately the fewer allergens you can expose them to, the better off they will be.
While there is no surefire way to prevent or cure all skin sensitivities, managing the symptoms and limiting the causes can definitely help your little one live a little easier.
This post was underwritten by Dr. Smith’s.
All opinions are mine. Dr. Smith’s is the the go-to diaper rash ointment for moms-in-the-know. It helps your child’s skin go from rash to fast relief, and can help treat and prevent even them most severe diaper rash, often overnight. Dr. Smith’s was developed by a pediatrician and includes a fast-acting, premium blend of ingredients. It goes on like a cream but protects like an ointment, giving your child’s skin the best of both worlds. Dr. Smith’s is available nationwide at Walgreens, or online at Amazon.com. You can currently get a $2.00 off coupon on the Dr. Smith’s Facebook Page, as well at Coupons.com
Do any of your children suffer from sensitive skin? Do you have any tips to share?
1. Use LOTS of thick cream
2. Bathe carefully
3. Choose non-irritating clothing
4. Use unscented detergent
5. Guard against the elements
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These are all really great tips! I esp. agree with the bathe carefully point! We only buy goat milk soap from a local lady and our sons sensitive skin has improved more than I thought was possible! this stuff is nothing short of a miracle!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheGoatFarmher?ref=search_shop_redirect
you have to try this, your child skin will thanks you
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My facial skin has been tricky to care for since high school. It tends to be oily but if I fail to apply a moisturizer (either I ran out or I just forget) for a day or two and it will quickly dry up, leaving unsightly white patches on my face. Given that, it’s been quite complicated to get the right product. It had to be strong enough to fight the oil but gentle enough to not cause it to dry up. I’ve always craved for some kind of balance. I sought skincare products that had simple ingredients (that I could recognize much less pronounce). I chose all natural, organic brands that promised nourishing my skin without harsh chemicals. Some of the worked but were mostly broke the bank. Too expensive to maintain. Then I reached a point where I started to make my own. I googled recipes for herbal remedies and concoctions using ingredients from my own kitchen. Blah, blah, blah, there came Matcha Skin (www.matchaskin.com). I have always been in love with green tea and when I stumbled upon an article on Matcha, I was hooked. It’s like green tea on steroids. I love its absolutely potent anti-oxidant qualities and how it balances my skin. It fights the oil but never dries up my skin. Though it’s super natural, it’s not as expensive as the other more popular (but not so effective) brands. Because of its price, I didn’t hesitate to give it a try and I am so thankful I did. I have found it. No more trial and error looking for the perfect skincare line that works for me.
Thanks for the idea! sounds interesting :) At least now I’ll know what to do with my skin that don’t look good enough. Thanks!
I had really sensitive skin like that when I was little. A run-in with the wrong type of hand soap would send me to the doctor for a prescription to deal with the rash it caused. A mosquito bite would swell to the size of a quarter and blister. It was definitely not fun! I used to carry a travel-sized bottle of clear, unscented hand soap in my purse to use in public restrooms and at other people's houses. I also would make sure to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when I spent the night at someone's house so that my skin wasn't touching the sheets that were washed in a different detergent/fabric softener.
I forgot to mention that the Environmental Working Group is a great resource for doing research on what is in the products you purchase. Needless to say, it's especially important for kids (whose bodies may not be able to handle chemicals the way adults can) to use products with nontoxic ingredients. They have ratings which can help you decide which products may be better for your family. Check out their consumer guides which include recommendations for products like bug repellants: http://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides
For personal care products (lotions, shampoo, lip balm, etc) they have a database that you can look up to find out which products are safe or a safer alternative for your family: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Consider using soapnuts. You can buy them online through websites that sell natural products. We used to use unscented laundry detergent, but soapnuts are even more gentle. You can google to find out more about how to use them. You can also make a liquid soap out of soapnuts and use it to wash other things including your dishes, or even has a personal liquid soap/ hair or body shampoo.
That is a great tip! Thanks!
You just described my son! I have noticed that when he is NOT eating certain things, it is so much better. I suggest keeping a food journal for a week or so and see if there are any patterns. I know it sounds strange but it may help. For example, when I took eggs out of his diet, tags on his clothes stopped bothering him. And a wheat/gluten sensitivity has been linked with eczema. I have also switched to dye/perfume free detergents and that has helped. Except dish soap. I can't get a handle on that one. But I will try out that company mentioned by Rebecca. Thanks for an informative post!
Just as a supportive note on skin: I am 68 and have super-dry skin that was never a problem as a young person. Not only that, it seems that now my skin is sensitive to all sorts of things that I ever gave a thought to. First off, my podiatrist highly recommends cream over lotions for skin. I never thought about it really but lotions have more water in them and don't protect the skin as long as a cream. I am really glad to know about Dr. Smith's cream and will definitely invest in it. Both hubby and I are sensitive to scented "stuff" such as laundry detergent, dryer sheets, etc. I find that scented deodorants bother me too and it is SO difficult to find unscented deodorants! Why is that? I have to spend at least 15 minutes studying all the labels on the deodorant products to locate even one brand that comes in unscented! Lastly, in the last 10 or so years, I am now allergic to (sensitive?) to adhesives such as plastic tape used in hospitals, bandages and even paper tape if I leave it on too long. Since my skin is thin and I am taking a blood-thinner, it doesn't take much of a bump to cause bleeding, particularly on my hands and arms. If I leave a bandage on too long, a rash develops and/or it goes so "stuck" that it takes baby oil, or something similar, to get it off without further tearing my skin. My heart goes out to those little ones with sensitive skin. I am sure it'll be a life-long battle for them.
Would you please share the name of the bug repellant you use? I'm always afraid to use them on sensitive skin, thinking they will be irritating. Thanks so much!
We haven't really had a problem with that and I've used all kinds--whatever we have on hand. (Usually OFF! I think) Our problem is usually that we put it on after the bugs are already biting instead of beforehand! :-)