Every parent wants to make sure their babies are happy and healthy — and pediatricians want the exact same thing. Of course, pediatricians are experts in all things kids' health, so they know a lot more than most parents. Because let’s be honest, no matter how much research you do or how much you prep for baby’s arrival, there will always be things you don’t know. One thing many parents don’t know a lot about is their babies’ skin health.
We spoke with Dr. Whitney Casares about all the things pediatricians wish parents knew about their babies' skin health. Dr. Casares is a Stanford-trained board-certified pediatrician, wellness expert, and mom-of-two. Here’s what she shared with us about babies’ skin health:
1. Babies have very delicate skin.
Babies have delicate, fragile skin. The skin barrier doesn’t mature until they are about two to four years old, making it thinner and more susceptible to irritation and infection. Protecting and restoring the delicate skin barrier with a ceramide-rich moisturizing lotion and cream is essential, not just for helping to prevent skin disorders like atopic dermatitis in the early years, but also for preventing dermatologic issues life-long. CeraVe Baby Moisturizing Lotion and Cream are formulated with three essential ceramides to help maintain the skin barrier and provide comforting, all-day moisture.
2. You don’t need to bathe your baby every day.
Babies don’t need baths every day, but no matter how frequently you cleanse the skin, using a ceramide-rich lotion or cream post-bath can help restore and maintain your baby's skin barrier. I recommend CeraVe Baby to my patients because it’s developed with dermatologists, and includes Ceramides 2, 3, and 6-II. For best results, I recommend applying CeraVe Baby Moisturizing Lotion or Moisturizing Cream while your baby is still damp to lock in moisture.
3. Moisturization is key.
In the womb, babies are protected by a coating on their skin called the vernix caseosa, which contains ceramides. This is lost soon after birth. Using ceramide-rich moisturizers, such as CeraVe Baby Moisturizing Lotion or Cream, can help soothe dry skin and help reinforce and maintain the skin barrier.
4. Skin care ingredients matter.
It’s important to look for certain beneficial ingredients, like vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. When babies are washed immediately after birth, they can become ceramide-deficient. Ceramide-rich products like CeraVe Baby Wash & Shampoo and Moisturizing Cream can help reinforce babies' skin barrier. Even better, all CeraVe Baby products are free of parabens, phthalates, dyes and fragrance.
5. Ceramides help protect the natural skin barrier.
Ceramides are lipids (or fats) that are naturally found in skin and make up 50% of the skin barrier. Ceramides help fill in the gaps between your skin cells so your skin can seal in moisture and seal out impurities. It’s why I recommend CeraVe Baby to all the parents with babies in my practice. For best results, I recommend washing with CeraVe Baby Wash & Shampoo at the hospital and using it immediately in the newborn period.
6. Some skin issues are normal.
Dry skin, baby acne, and cradle cap are all normal issues babies experience in the first few months of their lives because their skin barriers are so delicate. Skin issues can be anxiety-provoking for parents. I recommend CeraVe Baby for all my newborns. Its ceramide-rich, soothing formulas are developed with pediatric dermatologists to maintain and restore a baby’s skin barrier. It’s proactive baby skin care that I trust for the little ones in my practice and with my own kids, too!
CeraVe Baby
When it comes to choosing skin care products for your baby — like cleanser, moisturizer, and ointment, it’s important to pick a brand that is specifically formulated for babies. CeraVe Baby, developed with pediatric dermatologists and formulated with three essential ceramides, helps reinforce baby's skin barrier and provide long-lasting hydration.
