Written in partnership with Dr. Clarence De BELILOVSKY, Dermatologist and member of the Mustela circle of experts.
CHOOSING YOUR CLOTHES WISELY
To feel good about themselves, your child must start by... feeling good in their clothes!
Indeed, among all the precautions to take to live well on a daily basis and not promote the appearance of extremely dry skin, one's small wardrobe has a role to play even from birth.
T-shirt, pants, sweater, dress, pajamas... They must be very soft and not too warm: atopic eczema loves anything that can irritate or make you sweat because it causes itching.
Therefore, it is preferable to:
- Choose materials that are pleasant to the touch, smooth and supple.
For example: cotton, linen, silk, hemp for their fine fibers which also allow air to pass through.
- Avoid materials that scratch the skin , such as wool. Even though there is nothing more natural and effective for keeping warm, its texture can unfortunately be rough and therefore irritating to the skin of a baby or child.
- Avoid synthetic materials and clothing such as polyester or acrylic. Even if they seem delicate and soft, they are not very absorbent when it comes to sweating and do not really allow the skin to breathe.
- Last point: to minimize irritation or overheating in babies or children, avoid turtlenecks and opt for looser cuts.
DAILY CLOTHING CARE
So how can you ensure your child stays warm in winter without wearing wool, for example?
Don't hesitate to layer. A little bodysuit or thermal underwear, a thick cotton t-shirt, a velvet vest... It's up to you to play stylist to prevent and soothe your child's itching!
And to clean all that, do you need a special detergent? Not really. Rinsing is the most important thing.
A good program may be enough. If in doubt, "two precautions are better than one": you can repeat this cycle before taking your laundry out.
And if you are lucky enough to be able to hang it outside, still prioritize drying your child's clothes indoors when pollen is in season.
