1. www.practicalparenting.com.au 55
skincare special skincare special skincare special skincare special skincare special skincare special skincare special
54 practical parenting september 2013
Cradle Cap
Cradle cap is a form
of dermatitis that
causes thick, greasy
scales to form on
the top of newborn babies’ heads. It’s
not always a pretty picture, “but it’s very
common,” assures paediatric dermatologist
Dr Andrew Ming, from the Australasian
College of Dermatologists. “It’s not usually
itchy, it just looks unpleasant, so it tends to
upset parents more than it disrupts kids,”
he says. While the exact cause isn’t known,
cradle cap may be triggered by a mild yeast
infection on the scalp or by the hormones
left in your bub’s body after birth, which
can overstimulate the oil glands in her
scalp and in turn lead to shed skin flakes
becoming trapped. “Parents don’t usually
have to do anything, because cradle cap
goes away in time,” says Dr Ming. “But
you can use a gentle shampoo or some
olive oil with a soft toothbrush to
get rid of the scales.”
Milia
Up to half of our gurgling newborns
develop little pearly white or yellow bumps
around the nose, eyes and mouth.These
milia or ‘milk spots’ are
small, usually around
1 to 2mm in diameter, and
are often mistaken for acne.
“Milia occur when dead
skin becomes trapped in
the small pockets near the
surface of your baby’s skin,”
explains Dr Kerryn Greive,
Scientific Affairs Manager
at Ego Pharmaceuticals.
When the surface of the
bump wears away, the dead
skin comes off and the
bump disappears.Typically, this
self-healing happens within a few weeks.
Resist the urge to remove, pop or squeeze
the bumps out from under the skin, which
can cause damage to bub’s delicate skin
and potentially lead to infection.
Baby acne
Within the first few days of life, some
babies start to develop little pimples and red
bumps around the T-zone.This may look
a bit like acne that hits during the teenage
years, but it’s quite different, Dr Ming says.
“Traditional acne is hormone driven, but
your top-to-toe
Get skin savvy as
ERIN SMITH takes a look
at the most common baby
skin conditions to crop up
neonative acne is caused by the yeast that
lives on the skin.”The condition doesn’t
need treatment, but antifungal creams
can help it to clear up quickly if you want
to chat to your doctor or midwife about
these. A few weeks or months down the
track, you may notice little blackheads
and whiteheads cropping up on bub’s skin.
“We call this infantile acne,” says Dr Ming.
“This one’s thought to be triggered by some
of the hormones mum transferred when the
baby was in her tum.”You can expect these
early spots to clear up within a few weeks,
though sometimes they can linger. Most
bubs are free from this baby acne by the
age of 12 months. If it becomes a concern,
ask a medical professional for a prescribed
cream, Dr Greive says. Avoid oily lotions
and over-the-counter acne treatments, and
stick with gentle baby skincare products
to help the skin settle down. “But do not
scrub the skin,” Dr Greive stresses. “Baby
acne is not caused by dirt, so this will
only irritate the skin more.”
Birthmarks
There are some birthmarks that occur
pretty exclusively on the head, including
those known as ‘stork bites’ and ‘angel
kisses’, which are thought to be due to
blood vessels that have
been stretched during bub’s
development. “Those on
the face usually fade by
about 12 to 18 months,
but ones on the back of the
head tend to persist into
adult life,” Dr Ming says.
These are generally covered
by hair, he adds. “The more
you look at a line at the
supermarket, the more you
see some guy with short
hair who has one!”
Haemangioma – often called ‘strawberry
birthmarks’ – can grow anywhere, and
often at a very rapid pace. “They usually
occur around the first week of life and
can keep growing until around 12 weeks,”
Dr Ming says. “Their rapid growth can
be distressing to parents, but then they
tend to stay steady in size for 12 months
before shrinking away over the next five
to 10 years.” Haemangioma are generally
harmless, but some large ones, depending
on their position, can be associated with
other underlying health problems that
may need to be looked into.
guide
to babyskin
Up the
top
W
hen you think of baby
skin you think soft, delicate
and oh-so-kissable, so it can
be a worry if your wee one’s not as smooth
as a baby’s bottom, so to speak. But as young
skin adjusts to its new surroundings, it’s
natural for a whole range of lumps and
bumps to emerge – up top, in the middle and
down below. Sidestep the stress and identify
the common culprits with this expert guide…
“Most bubs are
free from baby
acne by the age of
12 months. If it
becomes a concern,
ask a medical
professional for
a prescribed cream”
›

2. skincare special skincare special skincare special skincare
56 practical parenting september 2013
eczema
Eczema is a red,
scaly and itchy rash,
with scratching often
leading to cracked,
sore and weeping
skin. It affects up to 20 per cent of children,
usually early in childhood, and can be
inherited or due to environmental irritants
coming in contact with the skin. “Our
skin acts as a brick wall to keep moisture
in and irritants out,” Dr Ming explains.
“But with eczema, the wall is crumbly
– it’s missing a protein and not doing
its barrier function very well.”
As a result, the skin dries up easily
and irritants and infections can get in and
activate the body’s immune system. While
older children typically suffer eczema in
the crooks of their elbows and knees,
it’s not uncommon for babies to flare up
across their face and torso.There’s no
known cure for eczema, but doctors
often prescribe anti-inflammatory
medications such as topical steroids
or topical calcineurin inhibitors to treat
the inflammation, Dr Greive says. At
home, use a fragrance-free moisturiser
immediately after bathing your bub to
prevent her skin from becoming too dry,
or speak to your pharmacist about an
Nappy rash
There’s one main
problem that hits below
bub’s waist, and we’ve all
heard of it: nappy rash.
This is an easily identifiable condition, which
sees inflamed and sometimes shiny skin
with bumpy edges crop up around the genital
area and bottom. In severe cases, it can be
accompanied by blistering, peeling skin and
ulcers, too.The rash is caused by trapped
warmth and moisture, and irritation from
wees and poos.Thankfully, the absorbency
of modern nappies has reduced its pesky
occurrence. “But if babies have diarrhoea,
they’re not changed frequently enough, or
they have particularly sensitive skin, it can
still stir up,” says Dr Ming.To reduce the
rash, clean your baby’s bottom using gentle
wipes free from fragrance and alcohol, or
a mild moisturising soap, advises Dr Greive.
Give your littlie as much nappy-free time
as possible and moisturise with a gentle
barrier cream before you dress her. If the
rash doesn’t improve within three or
four days, consult your doctor. If left
untreated, thrush can develop
emulsifying ointment. And be sure to keep
track of and avoid those things that can
exacerbate the condition, such as certain
foods or washing products.
Prickly heat rash
If your little one comes out in a cluster of
fine little red bumps over her torso – often
concentrated around the upper chest or
upper back, the elbow creases or the groin
– you could be looking at prickly heat
or ‘miliaria’. “It’s just like a heat rash,” says
Dr Ming. “It occurs because newborn babies’
sweat ducts aren’t formed so well.”When
inthe
middle
the ducts get blocked, your bub can’t
sweat and inflammation can occur.
You may notice it shows up particularly
strongly in areas where bub’s clothing fits
more snugly.The rash will heal by itself
if you take care to avoid your little one
overheating.Try lightweight, breathable
cotton fabrics (in the cooler weather, dress
bub in layers of these that can be easily
added and removed), allow air to the skin
as much as possible and avoid using creams
and oils, which will keep the area moist and
worsen the condition, Dr Greive adds.
Umbilical Granuloma
If you have a brand-new littlie, her
umbilical cord stump will fall off naturally
by the time she’s about 10 days old.The raw
surface of her umbilicus – what we call
the bellybutton – then takes another two
weeks or so to heal. “Sometimes it doesn’t
completely heal properly, though,” Dr Ming
points out. “Instead it can develop a little
raw pink lump that is sometimes a bit
oozy.”The condition, known as umbilical
granuloma, is not serious and only affects
a small number of babies, but you will
need to pop to the doctor to set it right.
Your doctor will take a stick of silver nitrate
and carefully apply it to the granuloma
to dry it up and help correct the problem.
(a yeast infection identified by pus-filled
bumps in the area), which will need an
antifungal cream to clear it up.down
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