Parenting Hacks
Derm Tips for Winter Skin
The winter is prime time for dry and inflamed skin. We caught up with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marnie Nussbaum for her top five tips for keeping your child’s skin healthy all season long.
Keep Baths to A Minimum
Limit baths to five minutes maximum with warm—not hot—water. The long, hot baths strip the skin of its natural lipids which will create a dry, red and irritated barrier. One bath a day is plenty.
Get A Humidifier
Cool air humidifiers are great to combat the dry indoor heat. Dyson makes a cool mist humidifier that will increase the moisture in the air while you sleep while combatting the dry indoor heat.
Moisturize!
I always recommend moisturizing a child's body twice a day, once being right after the bath. After bathing, pat the skin dry (never rub) and immediately apply a creamy moisturizer - look for ingredients like ceramides such as in CeraVe. Ceramides are waxy lipids (fats) that are found naturally in plants and animals, but can also be lab-created (synthetic). They help skin maintain healthy moisture levels and soothe compromised skin. When the skin’s natural moisture barrier is disrupted, inflammation can occur—ceramides are a great ingredient to help restore and replenish the skin’s moisture levels. For extremely dry skin or chapped lips, Follain makes a great lip balm that contains argan oil, shea butter and chamomile flower extract to deeply hydrate.
Remember, Less Is More
Avoid any harsh bar soaps which will leave the skin feeling tight and itchy and opt for a gentle cleanser that will remove dirt and bacteria without stripping the skin of its natural oils such as Cetaphil or Vanicream Gentle Wash. Avoid any products with synthetics, fragrances or dyes. Other ingredients which may cause issues in the skin are formaldehyde, parabens, SLS as well as propylene glycol.
Don’t Forget The Sunscreen
If you take any vacations (snow or beach) the sun should not be forgotten (snow reflects the sun's rays and amplifies them causing blisters). Use a broadspectrum sunscreen, mineral based with at least spf 30 or above and reapply every two hours or sooner if you get wet or sweat. Childhood blistering sunburns greatly increase the risk of skin cancer later in life!
Limit baths to five minutes maximum with warm—not hot—water. The long, hot baths strip the skin of its natural lipids which will create a dry, red and irritated barrier. One bath a day is plenty.
Get A Humidifier
Cool air humidifiers are great to combat the dry indoor heat. Dyson makes a cool mist humidifier that will increase the moisture in the air while you sleep while combatting the dry indoor heat.
Moisturize!
I always recommend moisturizing a child's body twice a day, once being right after the bath. After bathing, pat the skin dry (never rub) and immediately apply a creamy moisturizer - look for ingredients like ceramides such as in CeraVe. Ceramides are waxy lipids (fats) that are found naturally in plants and animals, but can also be lab-created (synthetic). They help skin maintain healthy moisture levels and soothe compromised skin. When the skin’s natural moisture barrier is disrupted, inflammation can occur—ceramides are a great ingredient to help restore and replenish the skin’s moisture levels. For extremely dry skin or chapped lips, Follain makes a great lip balm that contains argan oil, shea butter and chamomile flower extract to deeply hydrate.
Remember, Less Is More
Avoid any harsh bar soaps which will leave the skin feeling tight and itchy and opt for a gentle cleanser that will remove dirt and bacteria without stripping the skin of its natural oils such as Cetaphil or Vanicream Gentle Wash. Avoid any products with synthetics, fragrances or dyes. Other ingredients which may cause issues in the skin are formaldehyde, parabens, SLS as well as propylene glycol.
Don’t Forget The Sunscreen
If you take any vacations (snow or beach) the sun should not be forgotten (snow reflects the sun's rays and amplifies them causing blisters). Use a broadspectrum sunscreen, mineral based with at least spf 30 or above and reapply every two hours or sooner if you get wet or sweat. Childhood blistering sunburns greatly increase the risk of skin cancer later in life!