Baby Dry Skin: Causes, Symptoms, And Tips

Parenthood is full of expectations that sometimes don’t meet reality. Smooth skin is no exception. Unfortunately, the reality is that your baby will probably have dry skin at one point or another.

Most of the time, your baby’s dry skin will go away on its own. But sometimes it needs a little help. That’s what we’re here for!

Stick around to discover what causes your baby’s dry skin, symptoms to watch for, and tips for keeping dry skin at bay.

Causes Of Your Baby’s Dry Skin

Most babies have dry, peeling skin immediately after delivery, especially if they’re born past their due date. This is completely normal and quickly gets better. But dry skin on your baby can happen at any time after that, too.

To start, bathing your baby too often or using harsh soaps can cause dry skin. This is because harsh soaps can strip your baby’s skin of its natural oils, which makes it harder to lock in much-needed moisture.

Another reason for your baby’s dry skin could be the weather. Just like you may notice your skin becoming dry and itchy during certain seasons, extremely hot or cold weather can affect the texture of your baby’s skin, too.

Speaking of your skin, if you suffer from dry skin, your baby most likely will too because genes are another dry skin cause. For example, some genetic skin conditions, like eczema, can cause dryness.

Symptoms Of Dry Skin On Your Baby

Just like the causes of your baby’s dry skin vary, their symptoms do as well. So what exactly are the symptoms of dry skin?

Most often, it appears as flaky, rough patches on your baby. Other symptoms of your dry skin include:

• Occasional itching or redness (This is also a sign of eczema, which usually shows up in elbow creases, behind the knees, or on your baby’s face.)
• Showing up anywhere and everywhere (mostly face, arms, and legs)
• Cracks (These are painful and might bleed and lead to an infection.)
• Cradle cap

Tips To Keep Your Baby’s Dry Skin At Bay 

You can treat most of your little one’s skin conditions at home just by changing up a few things in your routine. Dry skin is no different!

Try some of the tips below to help tackle your baby’s dry skin and keep it at bay.

Use Gentle Laundry Detergent

Think about it: everything that goes through the wash ends up on your baby’s skin.

Their clothes, sheets, and blankets are starters. But the bibs and burp cloths that you constantly use around their neck and face do, too.

And if your baby snuggles up to you, they lay their head on your chest. So whatever detergent you use on your clothes ends up on their skin.

Finally, if you lay your baby down on your bed to change them, the residue from the detergent and dryer sheets can affect their skin.

To keep any of these things from becoming an issue and irritating your little one’s skin, try using a gentle, fragrance-free laundry detergent.

Be Wise With Bath Time

Everybody loves bath time! But too much of a good thing can sometimes become a bad thing. We have a few tips for bath time to help with your baby’s dry skin.

Give Your Baby Short Baths

Once your baby’s umbilical cord falls off, you’re free to start giving your baby a full bath instead of sponge-bathing them. But keep in mind that babies do not need a bath every single day!

When you do give your baby a bath, keep it short, especially if they have dry skin. The water will dry out their skin even more if they’re soaking in it too often or for too long.

Fill The Tub With Lukewarm Water

Speaking of water, keep your baby’s bathwater lukewarm. The lukewarm water won’t dry out or irritate your baby’s skin like hot water will.

Even though your baby’s bath isn’t long or hot (the way you probably like yours!), you can still make it fun for them. Babo Botanicals Moisturizing Baby Bubble Bath & Wash provides gently scented bubbles for your baby’s extra sensitive skin.

While your baby plays in the bath, the oatmilk and organic calendula help relieve eczema and soothe dryness. Playing in the tub with bubbles while treating their dry skin? We call that a win-win!

Use A Gentle Baby Wash

Remember your baby’s skin is delicate and easily susceptible to breakouts, rashes, and dryness. Because of this, choose a gentle baby wash for your little one.

Our Moisturizing Baby Shampoo & Wash is an extra gentle plant-based shampoo and wash that soothes and nourishes your baby’s skin. It contains oatmilk to comfort dry, sensitive, or irritated skin associated with eczema.

It’s even formulated with calendula oil, which is known to help soothe your baby’s cradle cap or dry patches. To use, apply the Moisturizing Baby Shampoo & Wash to a washcloth and gently massage your baby’s scalp and body.

Pat Your Baby’s Skin Dry After Bath Time

If your baby has dry skin, pat it dry with a soft towel (instead of rubbing) after they get out of the bath. Rubbing their skin could actually irritate it and make dryness worse!

Keep Their Skin Hydrated

Just like with their bathtime products, choose gentle skincare products that leave your baby’s skin soft, smooth, and hydrated.

Our Moisturizing Baby Lotion is a plant-based product that contains the gentlest blend of nourishing botanicals to soothe and protect your baby’s sensitive or dry skin. 

Another option is our Sensitive Baby All Natural Healing Ointment. From your little one’s lips to their diaper area, this healing ointment does it all! It contains medical-grade colloidal oatmeal to help treat and prevent eczema, itchiness, flare-ups, rashes, and dry spots.

Also try our Sensitive Baby Fragrance Free Miracle Cream to soothe and comfort your little one's skin!

Daily use of an all-natural, gentle lotion or ointment is going to be key when it comes to keeping your baby’s dry skin at bay. Using the right products can help protect your baby’s skin and keep it hydrated all throughout the day!

Run A Humidifier At Night

Believe it or not, dry air could be causing your baby’s dry skin. And if it’s not causing it, it’s certainly not helping it.

That said, it’s important to keep track of humidity levels in your home for your overall health and the health of your and your baby’s skin.

Using a humidifier is an easy and affordable way to add moisture to the air in your home. The added moisture in the air will help your baby’s skin stay hydrated. Just be sure the humidifier goes where your little one goes!

Cover Your Baby During Cold Weather

Cold weather can take a toll on your baby’s skin. Even if your little one is outside for just a few minutes, make sure they’re completely covered from head to toe. This includes their hands and neck.

Rinse Your Baby Off After Swimming

If you’re taking your baby out for a nice dip in the pool or ocean, rinse off their skin afterward.

The chemicals from the pool and the salt water from the ocean can sometimes secretly irritate your baby’s skin, especially if they already suffer from dryness.

And after you do a quick rinse, remember to moisturize their skin!

When To See A Doctor

The good news about your baby’s dry skin is that most of the time it goes away on its own or with at-home treatments. But here are a few reasons to take your baby to the doctor for their dry skin:

• It doesn’t get any better with natural products
• Skin becomes really red and itchy
• Patches of painful dry skin (look for infection)

The Secret To Baby-Smooth Skin

Every parent wants their baby to have smooth, healthy skin. But from harsh products to the changing weather, sometimes smooth skin isn’t a reality for your baby. And flaky, rough patches are a tale-tell sign of dry skin.

Fortunately, the secret to smooth baby skin is in our tips above. Remember to use gentle laundry detergent and gentle baby products daily. Be wise with bath time and use our bath tips to help keep your baby’s dry skin at bay.

Running a humidifier at night will add moisture to the air, helping to give moisture to your baby’s skin. If your baby is out in cold weather, cover them from head to toe. And after a quick dip in the pool or ocean, rinse off your baby’s skin and cover it with a nourishing moisturizer.

After trying our tips, grab your favorite Babo Botanicals plant-based product and say goodbye to your baby’s dry skin!