With more and more babies getting diagnosed with eczema, many experts are starting to question whether the cause lies at home. Between 10 to 20 percent of babies are diagnosed with the chronic dry skin condition, which causes dry, itchy and red patches. The American Academy of Dermatology has also reported that cases continue to increase by 3 percent. What should you know if your baby has eczema? The fact is you may be bathing your child too often.
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Eczema is genetic and is caused by a lack of filaggrin, a protein which helps maintain the skin's moisture. Although experts believe that soap products and environmental changes may be the main cause of eczema, a new study found that exposing your baby's skin to too much soap and water could also have an effect.
Dr. Eric Simpson, who led the study, explained to The Wall Street Journal, "People are bathing their babies too much. If you expose skin to water and let it air dry, that leads to dryness–like the bottom of a river bed that cracks open when it dries." The piece warns that infants should be bathed three times a week or less. You may even get away with twice a week during the winter months. It's also advisable to use fragrance-free and hypoallergenic soaps and lotions to avoid the skin from drying out too much.
Dr. Simpson's research was based on market research highlighting the consumption of baby skin care products. He also looked at how often households reported using baby body wash during the week, which averaged to about five times. If bathing your baby less will help then that means less bath time for them. I doubt that's something they'll be crying about.
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