Chapped Cheeks

Updated on April 05, 2007
M.S. asks from Shawnee, KS
62 answers

We have been dealing with my daughter's chapped cheeks for about a month now. We have tried every loting and ointment we can think of, but nothing seems to help. She is going to have her 1 year pictures taken in a couple of weeks and I would love to get rid of them. Any suggestions as to what to use?

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So What Happened?

I tried just about everything everyone suggested. Nothing worked. Her cheeks looked better, but they just never cleared up. This morning when she woke up, they looked almost worse than they did a month ago. I took her to the doctor and he said that he was not sure what it was. It didn't look like all the other cases of chapped cheeks. So we got an ointment to put on it for 4 days to see if it clears up in case it was some kind of fungus. We will see how that works. We were also told to put vasoline on her from head to toe right after her bath while she was still wet. That was a task!!! If it does not work, then I will have to take her to the dermitologist. Thanks for your suggestions.

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B.L.

answers from Tulsa on

My oldest son got chapped cheeks when he was younger, I put chap stick on him. I used the Blistex kind. It worked for me.

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A.M.

answers from Tulsa on

Vaseline works best on chapped cheeks. I had to use it with all three of mine, and it cleared it up in no time!

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A.D.

answers from Springfield on

My 2 year old has the same problem. I have been using Udder cream. It has worked miracles. Her docter suggested it and I tried it and I wont use anything else. You can get it at Walmart so its not hard to find and its really not expensive.

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J.L.

answers from Wichita on

Have her checked for Roseca. It is a medical condition that has people looking like their cheeks are chapped all the time. Please keep me posted as to what happens at ____@____.com

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T.P.

answers from Oklahoma City on

TRY AQUAPHOR ITS BY EUCERIN YOU CAN BUY IT @ WALMART I HAVE 6 CHILDREN AND THIS IS WHAT I USE USE IT TWICE A DAY OR MORE IF YOU WASH HER FACE OFTEN

GOOD LUCK TO YOU

T.

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S.S.

answers from Tulsa on

something cheap and it works...carmex! works wonders!

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D.C.

answers from Topeka on

My son has the same problem and we use Aquaphor by Eucerin, its about the consistancy of vaseline but it works real well.

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B.S.

answers from Kansas City on

Aquaphor. Our pediatrician gave us tons of samples last winter and it's a miracle ointment! I actually use it on my own face to quickly heal acne scars and it's amazing. It's over the counter at Walmart, Target, any drugstore. Made by the same makers of Eucerin, just more ointment like instead of lotion.

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S.R.

answers from St. Louis on

You have a lot of good advice here I just wanted to add that if you have a fire place you may want to advoid using it for a while until your daughters cheeks are cleared. My daughters cheeks were chapped also and the doctor told us to not light it because it was drying the air in our house out and it made a huge differnce. Hope the cheeks are better for the pictures.
S.

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S.D.

answers from Springfield on

We use the Equate brand eucerin in the tub from Wal-Mart like was mentioned earlier and it definitely helps. If that doesn't cut it, and it might be eczema, you might try some over the counter hydrocortisone cream. Apply just a little, and then slather the eucerin cream on top of that. That should definitely cure it! Good luck!

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J.E.

answers from St. Louis on

My son had the same problem with the backs of his hands and with dry skin on his sides and stomach. I found using a coco butter stick works reallyl well. I won't burn like some lotions and it helps to create a barrier to keep moisture in. Another thing that helps it to put lotion on after bath time. You loose more mositure from your skin from water evaporating. If you put lotion on just after a bath it will help to lock in the mositure and prevent chapping and dry skin. Also make sure she's drinking plenty of water. Hope this helps. :-)

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J.K.

answers from Oklahoma City on

My daughter went to daycare when she was around two and they started riding my case about chapped cheeks...I could not figure out what was going on until I noticed......everytime I went in the daycare one of those daycare ladies was running around with a baby wipe, using it on their little faces! Those things are so rough that they were causing the problem...After I insisted they stop using the wipes on her face the problem went away for good. I think we used aveeno to clear it up. But I would evaluate how often you wash her face and what you are using, she may have sensitive skin.

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S.L.

answers from Oklahoma City on

hi M.,
my kids have searched for something for their lips because they get extremely dry during the winter they both found a humidifier works wonders as well as auqafina lip oil and here has become a great household item for elbows to lips to hells of feet and its lie a buck or so we use it often they have recently come out with a chap stick form 1 it tastes well and no chapped anything and its cheap comes in a package of 3 all diffrent flavors and truely is a god send worth a try good luck
S.

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T.M.

answers from San Francisco on

I have a question. Are they chapped or do they just look red? Or rosy red? My daughters cheeks look chapped and my sister in law thought they were, but she is teething so her symptom is that her cheeks turn red. Just a thought.

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R.K.

answers from Rockford on

My kids have the same thing but it's actually eczema. I try to be consistent with using Aquaphor but it doesn't always work. We have an ointment from the doctor that work's like a charm though. Maybe she needs something a bit stronger? I would ask, I'm sure her little cheeks bother her from time to time.

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D.M.

answers from Oklahoma City on

When my son's cheeks were like this my step daughter put her chapstick on them and it worked. So you may try some of that for a little while.

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S.C.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Use carmex lip balm. Just rub it on her cheeks and it should be gone in a few days. WHen ever they get red from the wind just put it on and it will be gone the next day. This is what we do for my sisters kids who can't stand to be inside. It has always worked.

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S.H.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Vitamin A & D ointment works on cheeks and lips! It is great!

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S.M.

answers from Tulsa on

I have found an awesome lotion called Renew. It clears up chapping, chafing, exzema, you name it! You can only get it by having a membership to a wellness company called Melaleuca. I can help you get a trial membership, if you're interested. Feel free to email me at ____@____.com

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L.D.

answers from Kansas City on

We have used Aquaphor and an eczema cream that comes in a green tube (I can't remember the name but it is in the baby section at drug stores and Target) This year I have been using the Arbonne baby lotion and baby oil and my son has had no chapping or eczema. Take heart, it will probably be gone within the next month as the weather warms up and the air becomes more humid.

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J.

answers from St. Louis on

we love california baby calendula cream. you can get it from amazon. but locally, we drive out to whole foods in missouri for it.

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J.S.

answers from Springfield on

Try a little bit of baby oil or a lotion made with baby oil. Also avoid getting any kind of soap on the affected area when washing her face or hair.

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M.H.

answers from Tulsa on

I had similar issues and Aveeno and Arbonne worked immediately.

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K.K.

answers from St. Louis on

A lot of good advice. My daughter suffers from the chapped checks, only it's excema. Plus sensitive skin. no way could I put vasaline on it and doc's have said it has no healing power, just insulates. I was using a prescription - Elidel. It got a black box warning about causing skin cancer in kids - so I stopped IMMEDIATELY. I had to try something, so I used my Aveda facial lotion on her. It works so wonderful, it's like a miricle. It actually heals it. Once you get it under control, you can do it once a week or even less.

I know that Arbonne, Eucerin are great too. We also have Melaluca (sp) lotion called Renew which is helping my husbands pseriasus (sp) and excema.

I would highly recommend finding Aveda facial lotion. It doesn't cause her to breakout, fixes the problem, don't have to keep treating the symptoms. You can go to Aveda.com to find someone near you or it is on ebay and internet too. Right behind that would be the Melaluca.

Best of luck! It's no fun and you worry about their little checks hurting them too!! (oh, and it is better in the summer, but I still check her checks for when they start to feel scaly - that happens before you see a thing!)!

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L.A.

answers from Kansas City on

If it's from the cold weather, and not excema, try some shea butter. You can get it at health food stores like Wild Oats. I get those old lady cracked heels in this cold, and it's the only thing that works!

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S.B.

answers from Lawton on

Hi M., I was wondering if u found anything to help your baby's checks... WE have always used the breast cream and it clears our son's redness right away because he does have dry skin so we use it often.. I Know it is frustrating trying to help and it seems like nothing works. Maybe this will work for you. Email me at ____@____.com and let me know if u try it... S.

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L.H.

answers from Joplin on

i had the same problem with my daughter except she had it all around her mouth and on her nose also. the doctor told me to get this stuff called Aquaphor. you can find it at walmart. you just apply it several times throughout the day. put a small amount on your thumbs, rub them together, then apply to the chapped areas. if you use it be persistent in applying it several times a day (expecially before bed), and it should be healed in no time. i hope this helps your daughter like it helped my daughter. happy picutres!!!

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J.T.

answers from Springfield on

I am an Independent Consultant for Arbonne International. I became involved with this company after trying the baby line with my princess. She has also had redness in her cheeks. We used the baby lotion and she cleared up immediately.
The products are pure, safe, and beneficial. The are allergist and dermatologist tested and made without animal by-products. If you would like more information I recommend going to arbonne.com or I can answer any for you.
Good Luck!

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L.N.

answers from Tulsa on

My daughter has eczema, but her cheeks get really chapped also. There is a slight difference in the two and sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. But either way, plain old vaseline is what both the doctor and dermatologist has told us for her chapped cheeks. If you have wood heat, try not to use it as much as possible because this does make it a lot worse. Putting a humidifier in her room does help when she is broke out but make sure it is a cool mist humidifier and not a warm mist, this does make a difference. But vaseline has not irritants in it like most lotions and ointments do and can make it worse if it is more than chapped cheeks and sometimes if it is just chapped cheeks. If you can get it under control with these things it will be better than a topical steroid because doctors normally wont prescribe a topical steroid for the face at all because the skin on the face is too thin as it is and topical steroids can make the skin even thinner. Even at 2 years old they dont have me put a prescription strength topical steroid on my daughters face. When her eczema gets real bad on her face (which it is normally on her forehead) I use over the counter hydrocortisone cream. It is a 1% solution. And then put vaseline on top of that. But unless the vaseline doesnt work on her chapped cheeks after a day or two I dont use even that on her cheeks. Hope it gets better.

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A.L.

answers from Kansas City on

M.;

Do not use any products that have a fragrance/color added to it. Try either Aquafor or Olive oil (I know, it sounds odd).
My son has really chapped skin, as well.

A. L

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J.M.

answers from Kansas City on

have you tried aquaphor.. it is expensive but works well for that.. J.

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M.L.

answers from Rockford on

Have u tried vasoline lotion unscented that's what i used on my son's cheeks and it seemed to help.

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A.H.

answers from Springfield on

My two year old has chapped cheeks constantly! The thing that we have found to work is Eucerin Calming Cream. We did it about 3-4 times per day until it cleared up and now we do it morning and night!

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D.Y.

answers from Kansas City on

I have used Neosporin (brand or generic) at bedtime and by morning saw great results. D.

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M.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Aveeno makes a stick that works wonders. It looks and works like a deoderant stick, but small. I think it's the Soothing Naturals.

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A.S.

answers from Topeka on

Both of my sons have had the chapped cheeks. I have found this ointment it is called teeny faces and it is made by gerber. I have only found it at dillions and it cleared up their exema right away. At first you may need to apply it several times a day, especially after a bath. It has a blue label and looks like a glue stick. Good luck, let me know if it helps.

A.

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C.S.

answers from Kansas City on

We have the exact same problem with our daughter and have tried everything! I have had the best result with vaseline. We did use aquaphor for quite a while, but it is expensive and the vaseline actually worked better. On the days that it flares up, we put it on her every few hours all day and then before bed and first thing when she wakes up in the morning. It usually looks a ton better by the third application. Hope that helps!

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C.R.

answers from Kansas City on

Have you had her checked for eczema? We thought my son's legs were just chapped, but they weren't healing after weeks. The doctor gave us dermatop, a script for 3wks of steriod cream and told us to coat him with vaseline (lotion can be an irritant).

It took about two days for the chapped looking area to look normal and the bad spots to show signs of healing.

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A.J.

answers from Kansas City on

I would try aloette's body butter balm. My mother has some and it works wonders on dry skin. I used it on my daughter's face a couple weeks ago. We know a girl who sells it. But you can get it on ebay or even, i think it's, aloette.com. But it's great on just about anything. Dry feet, dry skin, I used it when I was pregnant with my son to not get stretch marks. Best part is you can see it works, usually the first time you use it.

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J.S.

answers from Springfield on

We use Udderly SMOOth udder cream, in a black and white tube. Walmart carries it, but it always sells out quick, it seems. My son had really bad chapped hands across his knuckles, and this stuff had that cleared up in a day. It absorbs right in, no greasy feeling.

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M.C.

answers from Kansas City on

Buy Vitamin E in capsules. Then you poke a hole in the outer casing and use the actual oil and spread it on her cheeks. It also works for diaper rash! We never found a product on the market that could beat it!

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M.J.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Hey M.! I work in a dermatology clinic so I hope you find my info useful. Right now a really great lotion is CeraVe. You can get it at CVS for sure. I'm not sure what other retailers carry it. Also Eucerin or Cetaphil is good. It will probably be better to get creams vs. lotions if the chapping is bad. Sometimes I like to use Aquaphor (you can get it at any pharmacy, including Walmart). It's a healing ointment with a consistency like Vaseline. I use it on my chapped lips all the time. Good luck!

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S.E.

answers from Tulsa on

My son gets chapped cheeks as well. We use Vitamin A&D ointment on him. It works really well. Other than that, You may have to take your daughter to the doctor, to make sure it isn't something that needs to be by a dermatologist. I'm sorry that's all the advice I have. I hope you find something that helps. God bless you, S.

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L.C.

answers from Bloomington on

This may sound utterly crazy!!! My mom is like 64 years old and she made me use this when my daughter had diaper rash. It is called Bag Balm. It is used for cow utters. Anyway, I put this on my daughter's BLEEDING bottom and I swear to God 1 1/2 hours later her butt was completely healed!! It costs about $5 dollars per tin and is found at Farm and Fleet and places like that! Hope this helps

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A.

answers from St. Louis on

My son's cheeks get pretty chapped also. I agree with the other mom's who said they use plain old vaseline. It softens up the skin and takes away the redness pretty quickly.

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K.H.

answers from St. Louis on

When our daughter was born she had a really dry scalp. The doctor recommended eucerine cream, so we bought some. It really works! Our daughter has very chapped cheeks in the winter as well. The eucering cream helps with this. It isn't sticky and shiny like vaseline, which is nice. You can get it at Wal Mart. It comes in a tub. You can even get an equate brand because it can be slightly expenisve. You can use it for 2-3 days twice a day and it will take the redness away. Hope this helps. God bless!

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S.W.

answers from Peoria on

CETAPHIL !! it is expensive, about 12.00 a tub, but WELL WORTH IT!
dont use the lotion, get the cream, and put it on her in the morning and again at bed time!
2 of my daughters have exczma and this is the only thing that has worked for them!
good luck!

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

my ped rec'd aquaphor, eucerin, and vasaline but nothing worked as well as CETEPHIL CREAM(in the tub, not the lotion)- it can be found anywhere in a green/white package- I buy it at Sams/Costco at $8.88 per tub, at the drugstore it's just over $11 but the only thing that works for my boys-- all the others worked for a little while but cetephil works all the time- my folks also use the really cheap aloe lotion from walmart on them and the key for any of it is to apply it every hour or two if you can-- also if you can put a humidifier in her room at nap/night that will really help, all the changes in the temps the last few weeks have caused extra problems for us! Oh, my Ped also said that Johnson & Johnson(my fav) is one of the most drying lotions out there(and bath soap) so we switched to Cetaphil and when I can get to Wild Oats any of the all natural bath washes too!

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S.P.

answers from Kansas City on

night time - hydrocortozone cream followed by eucerine cream
day time - eucerine lotion

this worked for us. good luck.

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M.

answers from Kansas City on

My son is constantly chapped. The only thing that ever worked for us is the lanolin ointment they make for breastfeeding mothers. e make sure to reappy frequently and especially at night.

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S.K.

answers from Albuquerque on

Aquaphor has always worked best for us!

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S.L.

answers from St. Louis on

Put some regular household flour in a skillet with nothing else, brown it and just rub it on the cheeks, works miracles for diaper rash also

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E.H.

answers from Tulsa on

My son is 18 months old and has a tendency to get chapped too- the best thing that's worked for him is vasoline... you can get the baby kind or regular... but I try to keep it on him round the clock and in a couple of days you should notice a difference.... Hope that helps...

E.

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N.M.

answers from St. Louis on

i went to wal mart and bought johnson's natural line look in the baby dept and its a little stick of stuff and it woker for my daughter and it smell great not mediciney?? hope everything goes well

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L.

answers from St. Louis on

Try Eucerin lotion...you can find it at any Walmart or Walgreens.

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K.B.

answers from Kansas City on

I like using the Cocoa Buttter Swivel stick, I apply it to my son's cheeks right before we go outside and keep it applied through out the day. I also like the stick because it's easy to apply and I just throw it in my purse

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J.B.

answers from Lawton on

Have you tried Eucerine cream? I buy the equate wal mart brand cause its much cheaper and it seems to have helped my daughters cheeks.

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D.B.

answers from Kansas City on

My 7 month old son has the same problem. We have found that plain old chapstick does the trick. Just coat the redness with it, and it will go away in a couple of days. Apply as often as needed.

D. B

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M.B.

answers from Joplin on

Chap stick! It works for lips, cheeks, noses, and zits. I use it on everything! Good luck! Poor baby!
God bless you and yours,
your friend,
M.

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D.M.

answers from St. Louis on

Aquaphor - over the counter, very safe. I use it on my dry hands and my sons cheeks both ends. I don't think I have the spelling right though sorry.

D.

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B.K.

answers from Wichita on

My 7 month old was having the same problem. I just bought a tube of chapstick...the plain kind so it was different from all of ours, put it on his cheeks, and voila!! within like 2 days of putting it on after every meal, no more chapped cheeks. It doesn't sting like lotion, it's easy to put on, and it's not as sticky as vaseline (which vaseline is the second best thing for chapped baby skin). Here's another tip: make putting it on into a game...otherwise you might have some fun trying to keep her from eating it!! LOL!!

G'Luck!!

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C.B.

answers from Bloomington on

Looks like you got a lot of different options, thought I would throw out one more. We tried the aquaphor and I did not see any difference, then I bought this cream from Mustela (brand name) it's called Facial hydrating cream. I got it at Von Maur here in Bloomington, but BRU just started selling this brand (not sure if they have this specific face cream) and I LOVE IT, it made almost an instant difference for us. I don't know how your daughter would respond to it. But his cheeks were so rough and now they are all cleared up.
Good luck!!

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