Advise on Dry Face and Scalp

I also had the same issue with my daughter. Someone had suggested a brand called Mustela which can be found at Babies R Us in stores and online and also Bath and Body Works online. It is kind of pricey but it helped with the dry skin and craddle cap. Although it was not something that was cured instantly it did hydrate her skin so it did show improvement almost immediately. The ones I purchased were Mustela Hydra-Bebe Body which is what I washed her with in her baths as well as everyday with a cloth on her days she didn't get her bath. The Mustela Newborn Foam Shampoo helped a lot with the craddle cap and the Mustela Stelatopia Moisturizing Cream. My Dr also recommended every morning and night to put Aquaphor on her in generous amounts. My daughter is now 1 and every night we still have a ritual of putting the Mustela cream on which keeps her skin very hydrated. Good Luck!!

1 mom found this helpful

My older son had eczema and it started with dry patches at around 3 months. It was mostly in his face, didn't seem to bother him, and cleared up by the time he was about 18 months. Perhaps your son is getting eczema. What I learned as a result of my son's mild case was to limit use of baby products, bathe him with just water, and not every day, and use hydrolated petrolatum to moisturize after bath. Cetaphil seemed to work too and he smelled better with that. Hope this helps.

One of my twins had a terrible time with dry skin, beginning on his face and later he developed terrible excema on his body. Dermatologist sid he would always have it but we could treat it. The first thing we did was stop all fabric softener use in the house and switched to All Free & Clear laundry detergent. I use Huggies natural care baby bath but NOT ANYTHING on face but warm wet cloth. His skin has been normal ever since and that was a year ago. Keep the harsh soaps & fragrances off the delicate baby skin and too much bathing is drying too. Good luck!!

Hi A., my baby is now 4 months also full head of hair, I know this is going to soud weird but here is the cure it all my mom used olive oil or castor oil when we were little so for my baby I used the olive oil only because it was easier to find, saturate the little ones head not to much where it runs but enough were it wet, then place on of his little cotton hats on for about an hour or during his nap time. when the hour or nap time is over take his/her comb and gently go from scalp to the end of hair to remove any debris or dry scalp, wash with very gentle shampoo aveeno baby wash and shampoo is great. Good Luck take care.

Hi, I have a 6 week old who also had a dry scalp, what worked best for me was to gently stimulate the hair follicles on her head by rubbing and brushing to bring out the natural oils. I also cut back on any perfumed products (try California Babies -naturally scented available at Whole Foods) and then only 2 baths a week.
Good luck and congrats on the baby!

I would recommend Aquaphor for the face right after the bath. Not sure about the dry scalpI put Aquaphor on my 17 week old everyday after her bath and cetaphil lotion all over her body. It seems to be working great for her. I did notice some little dry patches in her scalp a while back and didn't do anything and they went away. Also a humidifier running in my daughter's room 24/7 helps a lot. Good luck, hope this helps.

Try washing with little or no soap for a week and apply Vitamin E oil to face and scalp. You can buy it at CVS for a couple dollars. A couple drops will probably do the trick. Let me know how it goes.

Have you tried any natural products (ie Burt's Bees, Weleda for babies, etc.)? Even typical OTC products for sensitive skin have a lot of chemicals in them...I don't touch the stuff! Just a thought...
M.

My sister went through the same thing with my nephew...time. Over time it got better. If you haven't tried "Kiss my face" products or arbonne try those...both are great. Kiss my face can be found at Stop and Shop or health food stores. Arbonne has to be bought by a distributor(check online). Don't bathe too often either...that washes away the natural oils and makes it worse.

Good luck!

Try a good quality olive oil right after his bath. This works wonders and it doesn't have any of the synthetic ingredients that lotions contain.

Hi A.!
Obviously every child is different, so what works for my child might not work for yours, but this is what I used...
For dry skin anywhere, I really like Eucerin's Aquaphor.
Also, on my son's cheeks I use Johnson's Soothing Naturals Sooth and Protect Balm. I always put it on his face a few times a day, especially before we go out in the winter. It's great beacuse it is quick and easy! It almost looks like a little stick of deoderant. :)
For his dry scalp, Gentle Naturals Cradle Cap Treatment works really well.
My Dr. also told me not to use soap on his face, so I don't. Remember soap can really dry their sensitive skin right out.
I hope this helps!! Good luck!! :)

use baby oil on the scalp to loosen the flakes then wash with a gentle baby shampoo.

Hi A.,
Being in the skin care business...I feel so bad for you both...but it's easy to take care of...and trust me Cetaphil isn't going to do it. I work for Arbonne which is a fantastic skin care company that bases it's business on being pure, safe and beneficial. Right now you looking for benefits...we have a great baby care line that of course is hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested and certified vegan. I would be happy to ship it to you to try. If you don't see results I'll give you your money back...no questions or obligations. Email me or call at your convenience. You can also check out Arbonne at www.kellymcinnis.myarbonne.com/ ____@____.com/cell ###-###-####
Good luck...K.

Hi A.-
I have recommended and personally used the Arbonne baby oil, baby lotion and baby wash to keep dry skin away. What happens with some cleansers is that they don't rinse out well so it leaves a residue on the skin causing flaky or irritated skin. Our cleanser rinses out easily.Before becoming a consumer then a consultant with Arbonne, I had used other natural products and found my kids would still be dry or irritated. We have never had any problems with Arbonne. If you want a sample, I would be happy to send you one.

J.

Hi A.,
I am an Independant Consultant with Arbonne International. Arbonne is known for it's pure, safe and beneficial products and we have a great baby care line that may be worth trying for your little one. I would love to give you a free sample to try if you are interested. Give me a call at ###-###-#### if you would like to try it out. Looking forward to hearing from you.
M.

my daughter had the same problem. have you tried using baby oil on his head? i would comb it through her head in the morning. it would make her hair look very greasy however the problem went away in a couple weeks. also try using the burts bees baby wash and lotion on his entire body. it is all natural and i still use it on my daughter today and her dry skin is under control.

Hi A.,

I'm so sorry to hear about your little guy's face and scalp. I have personal experience with both of these conditions. Be very careful with products that can be purchased over the counter because they almost always contain harmful ingredients such as petroleum, mineral oil, fragrances, dyes, etc. Also, not everything you get in the form of a prescription is safe either. Some contain harmful steroids. The products that work the best and are the safest for children's skin conditions is the ABC line from Arbonne. They are herbal based products that guarantee results. There is a wash, lotion, body oil, diaper rash cream, and sunscreen. I have seen these products work on my own child as well as the children of many others. I highly recommend that you try them. I can help you get them and send you a sample if you'd like. I hope my suggestions have been helpful.

L.

Hi A.-
My son, who is six months old, had the same problem. I used the Cetaphil lotion and applied it three times a day for the face. I waited almost four days between baths and it seemed to help.

Have you heard of Arbonne skin care products they have a wonderful baby care products. they are pure safe bennificial and hypo allergenic dermatogly tested. they are botanically based ph correct never tested on animals. the baby care line is very gentle. there is a hair and body wash, conditioning oil, which is probably what you need, lotion and diaper cream. I use all these products on my 10 month old. I have a website www.myurbeautiful.myarbonne.com

Hi -

My 11 week year old has the same thing. Our Dr said to use Head and Shoulders shampoo twice a week (only wash his hair twice a week with this). You can also rub baby oil into his scalp (massage it in). It should clear up in about 2 weeks.

Hi A.,

For the head make sure you scrub with a decent amount of pressure when you're washing his hair. You can use a lot more pressure than most people do. Our doctor also recommended using a toothbrush with a bit of baby oil or mineral oil. Especially since it's still winter and the air is dry, get a humidifier if you don't have one. Also, since bathing dries skin out, only give your baby a bath every 2 to 3 days rather than daily. Good luck.

Listen to the other earth mamas. Go natural! Put a few tablespoons of any natural oil in the baby's bath and facecloth, they really don't need any kind of soap or cleanser at this age, especially on the face. Try something from California Baby, they have wonderful all-natural products for babies even some for sensitive skin. You can order it on line. Olive oil or calendula oils are mild. Is your water highly chlorinated? Could you filter it first? Cradle cap looks like dry skin but is actually really waxy use warm water and a natural oil to loosen it up and a fine-tooth comb to try and lift it, it is tough stuff. You could try using the pure lanolin that they sell to help cracked nipples this would protects baby's skin from the harsh cold air or dry indoor heat, test an area first some people have a reaction (but not many) it also works on diaper rash. good luck!

My son (now 8 months) had a similar problem and we used the Cetaphil lotion (not wash) every night (and extra after a tub!) and it cleared up right away. You may want to try it.

One of my children had the same problem, around the same age - my pediatrician recommened DOVE Bar soap & it worked for us - of course you have to be careful not to get it in the eyes - 3 of my 4 children have skin issues - due to a variety of reasons & I have to say that Cetaphil has worked wonders for them - but that was when they were over 2 years of age.

Hi A.,
My 4-month old also has dry skin. As needed, we use Aquafor on his face & it works really well.
Good luck,
R.

Hi A.,
My daughther (now 18 months old) had bad ezcema and the only thing that works for her is ARBONNE ABC baby skin care. I bath her at night with wash and then lotion her up. There is also a baby oil too. I used that when she had dry scalp. I tried everything!!!!! This is the only product that worked for her. Email me a ____@____.com and I can send you a sample to see if it will work for your baby. It worked so god that I now sell it. Best of luck ~C.~

Hey, I use Renew and always have! It is the best stuff out there, clinically proven to be, and it is gentle yet gets the job done! Smells great too

I would recommend Aquaphor, you can get it at CVS and other places by the baby stuff, works great!

Hi...I have a 4 1/2 month old (also a 14, 13 and 8 yr old)....When the baby was about a month or two old she had patches of dry skin and a dry scalp...also born with a full head of hair. As far as the scalp I always found baby oil works best...I would massage it into her scalp and let it sit for a few hours and then wash it out in the bath...it doesn't work right away but after a few times it had a huge improvement. On her face my pediatrician also recommended cetaphil but I bought the lotion and found it works a lot better...after applying it just once you can see the skin start to scale and flake off...I usually applied it twice a day and even now once a day after her bath to keep her skin soft. Hope this helps!

Have you tried Triple Paste cream? (Not the diaper rash cream, there is another for severly dry skin) I noticed a big differece after only one application with my daughter.

Cradle Cap on his head and maybe ezcema on his face .. my son who had severe food allergies was like that. For the dry patches on his face and as long as he doesn't get it into his mouth. Use Eucerin Aquaphor, they have a special one for babies. I know CVS carries it in the baby aisle. As far as the Cradle Cap, go to Target and in the baby section purchase the "first years cradle cap brush" it has very fine, soft plastic bristles. Use some baby oil and let it sit for a little while, and then use the brush and gently brush with the soft bristle brush and be patient -- it can be gross and it can smell terrible! Give him a nice warm bath and wash his hair a few times to get the oil out. It might take a few weeks to clear it up and he will loose some hair but it will all come back. He must be wearing a lot of hats. Once you get it cleared up be sure to brush his hair every day with a regular brush, it will help the build up of the oils that are collecting on his head!

Poor baby!!

My sons doctor recommended Safflower oil (found with the olive oil and veggie oil in food stores). It has worked *wonderfully*!. You don't have to worry about the additives, because there are none.

Also, stop bathing him so frequently. Babies don't really get dirty. My son is 6 can only bathe once a week (doctor recommended) becasue of his skin. He washes his hands and face frequently, but not his body because of dry skin.

Hi A.!

I highly recommend the Arbonne Baby Care line of products. I had similar problems with both of my boys and the difference was amazing! The products are botanically based and hypoallergenic. But the key is that they are designed to work together from head to toe! There is a Hair & Body wash, Body Lotion, Diaper Rash cream (which is good for so many things!), Baby Oil, and even sunscreen (which my whole family uses now!).

These products are one of the reasons I became a consultant for Arbonne! They made that much of an impact on us! You can check out the products at my website: www.waytogrow.myarbonne.com and let me know if you have any questions. I have some sample packs that I can send to you for you to try and I do offer specials for first-time ordering, so let me know if you would like to give it a try!

Whatever you choose, I do hope you find a solution that works for you. I know how frustrating it can be!

Have a great day, A.!
C.

I recommend not using any body products by Gerber or Aveno because thay contain parabens ( methyl-, propyl-,butyl-) which are petroleum derived and controversial. They may also contain sodium lauryl or laureth sulfates, also controversial. These ingredients are outlawed in body products in most of Europe. A good rule of thumb is, don't put anything on your body you wouldn't put in your mouth. Your skin is the largest organ of your body and it absorbs a large portion of what is applied to it. Many soaps made for babies are too harsh despite being advertised as "gentle" or "all natural". A babies oil balance is very delicate and soap is usually really not necessary at all for most of his body.
I rarely wash most of my son's body with anything but water. However, occasionally I use California Baby calming shampoo and body wash on bum and hands. It is truly all natural. Also,I only use 7th Generation unscented laundry detergent and 7th gen. diapers. We have had excellent luck, NO DIAPER RASH or rashes of any kind. (my son is 8 1/2 mos.)
Weleda products are also good. And make sure he is getting enough omega 3 fatty acids in his diet.(not an issue if you are breastfeeding)

Hello~
My daughter had this problem too and I know it can be frustrating. This is when I discovered Aromatherapy. My girlfriend was selling it and I was talking to her about my daughter's skin and scalp and she turned me onto The Happy Soul. It is an Aromatherapy sales company (that I actually sell for now too!) We have a wonderful collection called Pure Bath - that is desinged for people with sensitive skin, it is fragrance-free and paraben free. there is shampoo, conditioner, gentle skin cleanser, and lotion. We have essential oils that you can mix into the soap, shampoo, lotion, etc...for different situations - dry skin, cradle cap, dandruff, etc. They truly are wonderful products. I won't use anything else anymore! they are wonderful for baby and mommy!
you can see this online at: thehappysoul.com
or you can email me if you have any questions at ____@____.com
I wish you luck and sympathize with you - it will get better :)
~M.

I use Aquaphor on my 2 girls whenever they have dry skin or redness. It also works great on diaper rash. A friend of mine has a a 10 month old and found out a short time ago that he has food allergies. The dryness wasn't just dryness but eczema which is a sign of allergies. Does his formula bother him at all? If it doesn't clear up you may want to talk to your pediatrician about it possibly being eczema.

wedela's baby cream (the 1 for face) works good for my son's face. he had very dry cheek when he was 6 mos old. i like wedela baby shampoo/body soap and lotion/cream. it works wonders on my son wih very dry skin.. eczema. we also use california baby's calming soap for night time. (both are found in natural store, california baby can be also found in target)

we prefer bath my kid at night time.. it seem always works for his skin :o)

Hi,
My son has dry skin and is sometimes a little rashy. We use a moisturizer from Nature's Gate that I think we got at Stop and Shop in the cosmetics part, but with the "natural items". It's called Colloidal Oatmeal moisturizing lotion. I think it's better than the regular products because it doesn't have mineral oil in it. I put it on daily and especially after bath. As for the scalp, that could be cradle cap and I think used a tea tree oil shampoo on my kids, bit be careful not to get it in the eyes! Otherwise, a little olive oil rubbed in is always good. By the time you figure it out, it will probably be gone and on to the next thing! Good luck.
J.

tea tree oil (you can get from aveda) works wonders! just check with your doctor - shouldn't be a problem it's all natural, but you never know.

my 9 week old had the same dry face and scalp issues. turned out he was reacting to the jonhson and johnson lotion. the pedi suggested eucerin ( not sure if i spelled that right ) it is worked wonders, he face is completely healed! i also have been using baby aveeno on hs face when he is not at home, also worked wonders! but i would start with one or the other first. as for his scalp, i have used baby oil, really messy since he was born with a full head of hair but it has helped. hope this helps, good luck!

Hi A.. I have two boys of which they are now 8 and 4 but both had severe problems with dry scalp and skin. We did many things which i will tell and they all seemed to do the trick. First of all we bought a humidifier this past winter because our eight year old still gets really bad patches. The humidifier has shown dramatic results. His patches are now only nickel size verses all over his back and stomach and face. WHen he was little he too had a full head of hair and it too had the same problem. Massaging in olive oil on the scale seems to help loosen up the big patches and relieve the itching for the new skin underneath. For the boys face, we use a all natural product called Badger Balm. It comes in a small can and has many different types. We always use Baby version on their faces and body. The next morning they wake up with no patches. Also we were told from our doctor washing them once a week is enough during the winter. And if we wanted to let them take a bath, just dont add any soap, just water to splash with. Hope this helps. C. from New Hampshire

stop bathing him and dont use soap. only bathe him in a tub of plain water once a week. My daughter was born with awful eczema, and this helped. Babies nowadays are way over bathed, unless he poops all over himeself a quick spongebath will be fine. All the soap and water is just drying him out more. Gentle naturals unscented eczema creama and baby wash is a miracle worker, and do warm olive oil treatment on his scalp before his tubs. Ive been through all of this, and I guarantee this will help! good luck!

Hi A.,
My daughter had dry skin on her face and my friend recommended Kiels cream for babies, it worked right away! Good luck!

A.,
Well, my first advice is not to worry too much about it. It is that time of year, everyone is dry. As long as he is not cracking or red, there probably isn't much need for concern. Secondly, assuming you are breast feeding, you need to start to drink more water. If your babe is dry he is dehydrated. The more water you drink, the more hydrated he will get. He should have nice clear, not smelly urine. If it is yellow or has an odor, you know he is not hydrated enough. Secondly, i would suggest that you try to find a baby wash that is all natural, and definitely has NO alcohol in it. Many of the chemicals and certainly the alcohol in soaps can be very drying and harsh on a little one's skin. Companies such as gerber, even though they are for babies and hypoallergenic, contain irritating chemicals. I use Aubry Organics. They are a wonderful company that i trust very much. Avalon is also great. Overall, however, i suggest that you simply not use any soap. Little ones as young as yours really dont need it. Perhaps use some soap on his bottom, to clean him. But otherwise, just warm water is enough. You can also use some warm, mild calendula tea to rinse his face and hair. That was what i used on my babe when he was little and would break out on his face. it worked wonders. Good luck!

We had the same problem. Baby acne and cradle cap. We used Johnsons baby oil on the face and scalp and applied it morning and night and after 2-3 weeks it cleared up. It's messy but worth it.

A.,
My daughter (15 months) also has really dry skin and it's worse in the winter. Here are a couple things that really helped her:
-Using a warm air humidifier at night
-Bathing only once or twice a week with a capful of baby oil added to the water and then rubbing on baby oil after the bath while she's still a little damp (J&J makes a nice lavendar gel oil)
-Adding fish oil to her diet. This has really made all the difference in her skin. She gets half a tsp of cod liver oil once a day, try your local natural foods store if you're interested in trying it. We started it with our daughter when she was 5 months, I just wish I'd known to start is sooner because it really helps!

Good luck!
-S.

You want what's best for your baby and, unfortunately mainstream medicine and Pharmaceutical advertising are not leading you in that direction. If you take a look at the ingredients on all of those cleansers and lotions and bath products, unless you are a chemist, it's all going to look foreign to you. Unfortunately, it is all foreign to baby's skin, too. Chemicals, preservitives, petroleum distillates, artificial colors and fragrances. No matter if its for sensitive skin or hypoallergenic, those chemicals are stripping babys skin of its natural moisture.
Baby needs something natural on his skin in order to preserve its natural moisture. A natural pharmacy working for you.
Here is what we use on our three year old and our 5 month old since birth.

Coconut oil, unrefined, organic virgin coconut oil is (Nutiva 54oz. $20 from Amazon.com) This we use exclusively as a skin and scalp softener, for infant massage, and diaper area rub. Incidentally, We've NEVER had a diaper rash either since we started using this at every changing.

Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap (Amazon.com, 32oz. $8)
We dilute a small squirt of this with regular water for bathing and washing everything from face to diaper area. It's gentle and effective, and lasts for a very long time.

Country Comfort Baby Cream (Amazon.com, 2oz. $7 ) For rough and dry areas, like face and ear crusties, elbows, etc.

Good luck! These will help!
D.

hi

Dianne J. is right, try the pure coconut oil if your in mass. try one of the caribbean stores they might have it. my son had a allegy to johnson and johnson products. our doc advise us to remove all scented and alcohal products from his routine. gave a soap called SImple it's just pure soap and great. the oil can be use for massage, hair and all dry spots.

J

Maybe leave off any type of soap/cleanser on his face for now. Just warm water if there is something that needs to be cleaned off. When my daughter was about 3 months old, I began washing her face with soap and her cheeks got really red & chapped so my pediatrician suggested moisturizing her cheeks - I think we used Vaseline creamy lotion in the tube...its not really oily and heavy. At 11 weeks old, how dirty could he be? My daughter is 11 years old now, and she definately needs soap much more often! The scalp issue I have had no experience with...

There is no need to bathe your baby every day, and this will only contribute to the dryness. Our skin needs to create some of its own moisturizers, and such frequent bathing strips those away. Especially in the winter.

If the baby has cradle cap, most baby books (or your pediatrician) describe various ways of treating. I think one of the most common is to massage with olive oil before shampooing.

Good luck!
M.

Try Mustela products. You can find them at Babies R Us or order online. They work my 9month old had similar issues.

This is good advise for you. You have nothing to lose by trying it. I would recommend never to use anything on your baby's skin that you would not eat as food. The skin absorbes everything it comes in contact with. Using natural products will give you better results and no chemicals for your baby. Too many babies develop allergies to too many store bought chemical products.
Make a mixture of soft avacado's mashed with a piece of soft banana for his face. Let it stay on his face for about 15 minutes. It sounds awful, but it will work. Do it as often as needed. Rub a little warm pure sesame oil into his scalp. You can get this at any natural foods store, or Indian Grocer if you have one near you. The smell in the store is a little different, but they have good products at a very reasonable price.

If you are nursing him, make sure you get your fish oils. Goats milk is naturally more moisturizing. When the baby is old enough for milk, you can give him goats milk. Always warm all milk. It is easier to digest.
Good Luck!

Try the arbonne Baby wash and lotion. It is plant based and I have several children with skin conditions who use it and it went away within a week or two. Amazing what plants can do. I sell these products and would be happy to send you a Free sample pack. email me at ____@____.com or go to my website www.seethedifference.myarbonne.com we have a 45 day guarantee on all the products, no questions asked. Either way don't use any products with Mineral Oil in it. It is petroleum based and will make the skin dryer. Google mineral oil and see what it says, I think you will be very surprised. All new mothers and current mothers should know about this common baby product. L.

Hi A.. My son has major dry skin and scalp in the winter, and his pediatrician recommended we put 1 tbl mineral oil in his bath and only bathe every other day or so, and for his dry scalp maybe try T-gel shampoo. When I wash his ski I use the new Dove soap called Winter Care. Since his doctors advise he has had the best winter ever and he's only 4 years old. Hope this information helps.

B. M.

Please do not put mineral oil, or any other paraben or sulfite containing products on your baby...these are made from petroleum~the stuff we fuel our cars with! Plain old coconut or olive oil can do wonders~take the advice to heart that you should not put anything on the body that you cannot eat~think of all the drug patches they have out now, the skin absorbs whatever you put on it. If you must use a commercial lotion and soap go with something natural: Jason, Burts Bees... Babies only need to be bathed once a week so that will cut down on the cost...and always oil up after a bath or outside time.