Your child’s skin is naturally sensitive to begin with. That in itself should not be a big cause for concern. Unfortunately, this sensitivity can sometimes lead to various sakit sa balat, like rashes due to allergic reactions and dry skin. Other times, an underlying skin disease such as vitiligo and seborrheic dermatitis worsens this natural sensitivity. Whatever the case, you can treat your kid’s sensitive skin by using the following pointers:
Practice Good Hygiene
Dirt can make your child’s sensitive skin flare up. Worse, it can attract bacteria and other harmful germs that can cause skin infections such as pigsa and erythrasma. The solution to this is to make sure your child has good hygiene.
So, bathe your child every day, but make it a point to lower the water’s temperature since hot water can dry the skin and leave it at risk of irritation. Use mild soap as well as it is safest for sensitive skin. In addition, make sure you are wiping your child’s perspiration because leaving sweat to dry on skin can clog its pores and cause skin problems such as acne.
Keep Their Skin Moisturized
Sensitive skin is oftentimes dry, and this dryness can make your child feel uncomfortable. You can prevent this from happening by regularly applying moisturizer on your child’s skin. You need to do this frequently because children’s skin dries up faster than adult skin since the former absorbs and loses moisture at a faster rate.
Ideally, use a mild ointment or cream specifically formulated for children as it is more hydrating than lotions. Look to apply moisturizer two to four times daily, including once after bath time. Doing so will not only moisturize your child’s skin, but also give it an additional layer of protection against dirt and bacteria.
Moisten the Air with a Humidifier
Aside from causing water on the skin to evaporate faster, dry air can also open small cracks on the skin, thus causing it to lose even more moisture at an even faster rate. This exacerbates the problem of dry skin, which are commonly associated with symptoms like cracked, flaky skin, itching, inflammation, and flare-ups.
This is why you need to invest in a humidifier as it can keep your home’s humidity level at an ideal 30–50%. At these levels, your child’s skin will be able to better retain its natural moisture, thus minimizing their vulnerability to dry skin. In addition to keeping dry skin at bay, humidity levels in the 30–50% range can lower your child’s risk of catching common skin diseases, relieve allergies, and ease congestion.
Cool the Skin
A common manifestation of sensitive skin is itchiness, and it can cause your child plenty of discomfort. Not to mention, your child can scrape or injure their skin when they scratch this itch incessantly. To prevent this from happening, apply cold compress on the affected area. This remedy works because it numbs the area, thus eliminating that itchy feeling.
While cooling is a great remedy for itchy skin, never put ice directly on your child’s skin as doing so can cause frostbite. When this happens, the ice crystals that form in the skin will slow down the blood flow in the area, thereby depriving it of oxygen and potentially damaging the skin itself and the tissues underneath it. The workaround to this is to use an ice pack or a towel drenched in cold water.
Get Some OTC Help
There are over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone creams available nowadays that are milder compared to OTC hydrocortisone creams for adults. These medications are formulated specifically to treat dry skin, reduce inflammations, and lessen itchiness. They can be used as a remedy for a host of skin conditions, including skin allergies, eczema, rashes, and insect bites.
Mild OTC hydrocortisone creams are, for the most part, safe to use on children. However, you should start with one that has the lowest potency and apply only small amounts of it to check if there will be side effects like changes in skin color, more itching, and flare-ups. Discontinue use if there are side effects; if none, continue using the product until the skin condition is remedied. For children below the age of 2, consult with a dermatologist first before using any OTC skin medication.
Parting Thoughts
There is generally little reason for you to worry about your child’s naturally sensitive skin. But you need to be extra careful with it and make sure that you and your kid are taking great care of it. Observe it closely as well for signs of something more serious, like rashes that are progressively getting bigger and frequent flare-ups of eczema. In this case, schedule an appointment with a dermatologist right away for a checkup. By doing so, you can get a diagnosis at the soonest possible time, along with a course of action that you must follow to the letter.