Taking care of your child’s skin in the wintertime may require a little more thought and effort, but you’ll be glad that you did it. Your child will be more comfortable, and you’ll feel good that you’ve helped them now and in the future. Because caring for your skin right from day one can help avoid a lot of uncomfortable problems.
- Avoid Long Hot Baths and Showers – It might feel good to take a hot shower in the wintertime or tempting to put your preschooler in a hot steamy bath to warm them up, but doing so causes the skin to dry out prematurely. The combination of long, cold wintery days and hot baths will just make their skin drier and more uncomfortable.
- Keep the Air at the Right Humidity – Check the humidity level in your home. The ideal humidity level is between 30 and 50 percent. If your child is suffering from dry skin, push the humidity level in their room up to the 50 percent mark. Any more than that, you risk introducing mold, but at that mark your child’s skin will get some relief.
- Stay Hydrated – Drinking a lot of fresh, filtered tap water is good for everyone’s health and not surprisingly it’s good for your skin too. Aside from water, feed your child a lot of water-rich fruits and vegetables. The extra nutrients can help the skin by keeping your child’s immune system strong and healthy.
- Moisturize More Than Normal – During the winter, find a richer moisturizer to use, especially if your child is suffering from signs of dry skin. Those containing glycerin or petroleum jelly work especially well during the winter. Even though it’s more greasy-feeling, slathering on thick moisturizer on feet and hands and any dry spots will offer a lot of relief.
- See a Doctor for Special Problems – If your child’s skin starts splitting and bleeding or you fear an infection, seek help from a dermatologist. They can offer special creams and lotions by prescription only that might help more than over the counter solutions. Your child’s pediatrician can refer you to a dermatologist.
- Keep Up the Sunscreen – Even in the winter the sun can be damaging to the skin. It’s important to keep using sunscreen. Choose more moisturizing sunscreens rather than waterproof ingredients in order to do double duty keeping skin soft and protecting against sun damage.
- Pay Special Attention to Hands – In the winter, hands do a lot of work, and often show some of the first signs of damage. Children love to play in the snow, and often take off their gloves. Plus, the extra washing of hands after going to the bathroom can increase the dryness. Put on extra lotion and remember to treat the hands with care.
- Change Wet Socks and Gloves – During the winter when playing, gloves and socks get wet. It’s important to have a change of both during the day if that happens. Having hands or feet sit inside a wet, cold environment can introduce bacteria and encourage an infection.
Winter skin care just requires more thought to staying clean, dry and moisturized. But, it’s not hard to do with all the specialty products available today. Avoid using highly perfumed ingredients on your child to prevent issues with allergies.
