Written in partnership with Dr. Clarence De BELILOVSKY, Dermatologist and member of the Mustela circle of experts.
Extremely dry skin alternates between periods of calm and periods of flare-ups…
What should be done depending on the phase?
Rest assured, it's nothing too complicated. When things are calm... While periods of calm mean a break from extremely dry skin in children, they don't mean a break from skincare. On the contrary! It's the perfect time to pamper your baby's skin, help it rebuild and protect itself, and make it more comfortable.
To achieve this, simply apply specific baby-child emollient care products daily: in addition to effectively helping to rehydrate their fragile skin, they are true moments of bonding with your child.
You could even set up a little game: a kiss on the shoulder when the right arm is finished, two kisses on the inside of the hand when it's the left arm... not forgetting the surprise tickles!
First signs of a relapse...
Is your baby's skin starting to show redness? To become thicker? Is he/she having trouble sleeping? A flare-up is certainly about to occur.
You can anticipate this and, in this case, don't hesitate to apply emollient treatments more often than usual, several times a day. They help treat extreme dryness. They can even immediately reduce itching by up to 95%, like Stelatopia Emollient Cream or Emollient Balm. A real advantage to have on your side.
A one-on-one with extremely dry skin
Despite all the care you take to prevent extremely dry skin from appearing on your baby, does it still decide to make an appearance? Here's a simple two-step action plan for when a flare-up occurs:
1. Focus on the red areas.
This means focusing on the inflamed areas as soon as they appear. Like many ailments, the earlier they are treated, the faster and more effective the remedy. For this, nothing beats the treatment prescribed by your doctor. Indeed, whether they are simply irritated or already oozing, these symptoms require specific and highly targeted care.
Whether in ointment or cream form, you've likely been prescribed a "topical corticosteroid," a corticosteroid-based treatment to be applied directly to the skin. Its purpose? To reduce inflammation. Redness, lesions, itching, swelling, patches: it's up to you to use your magic touch, and for it to soothe everything and, above all, make it all disappear within a few days. Here, each type of extremely dry skin has its own treatment.
The treatment your doctor prescribes may not be the same as the one your neighbor, who also suffers from atopic eczema, uses. So don't worry if the dosage or application time differs. The only rule to follow is to apply this treatment only to the red patches, during flare-ups, and for as long as your doctor recommends.
2. Continue to pamper the skin on the rest of the body.
This means continuing to apply emollient treatments everywhere except on the weeping patches. From face to toes, starting in the shower and/or as often as needed with massage, they will continue to repair the skin, making it more supple and hydrated. A few tips for added comfort: Another great benefit is that these emollient treatments will also help you combat the sensation of itching.
A few tips can also help you forget these unpleasant sensations, or at least prevent them from becoming overwhelming: - Use a combination of methods. Rely on the cold to numb the itching. So don't hesitate to put a spray bottle and/or your emollient cream in the refrigerator and take them out just before using them, or apply cold compresses...
If your baby can't stop scratching, don't hesitate to trim their nails regularly to prevent scratching injuries. This small precaution will undoubtedly help them avoid making things worse!
