Rashes in babies are incredibly common. It can be a result of many things, and a cause for worry for many new parents. Fortunately, regardless of the type of rash your little one has, there are simple ways to address, treat, and help heal any baby rash naturally.
What are the different types and causes of baby rashes? Here are the most common:
Diaper Rash:
At some point most babies will experience diaper rash. This happens easily when your delicate baby’s skin spends a long time in a damp diaper, with friction from movement and the skin breaking down from the dampness together causing a red, irritated rash on the baby's bum and private area. Best ways to treat diaper rash: prevention of course. Keeping baby’s bum as dry as possible, frequent diaper changing coupled with protecting that delicate skin with a layer of a protective balm, like Fix Your Sh*t Healing Balm applied all over the bum and private area before bedtime or any extended diaper time. Added plus of applying Fix Your Sh*t Healing Balm liberally all over baby’s diaper area is that when baby poops, it will be easier to wipe off and clean (especially the sticky black newborn meconium poops!).
Doing this consistently will help protect baby’s delicate skin, preventing diaper rash in the first place. Already have a diaper rash? No problem, do the same. Keep the area as clean and dry as possible. Coat the diaper area liberally with Fix Your Sh*t Healing Balm. Ideally, let the affected area breathe – take off the diaper and let your baby play on a soft towel or blanket on the floor or play area for a while (an hour or so at least a day until it heals). You will see improvement quickly - in 24hrs the rash will be less red and irritated. After a couple days it may be healed completely.
Don’t use any scented diapers or wipes or lotions. Wipe the baby very gently.
Cradle Cap:
Newborns and young infants often experience a rash referred to as “cradle cap” on their head, face, and neck area.
Cradle Cap looks like flaky, dry, crusty scaly skin that often covers parts of the baby’s head. How do you fix cradle cap?
Exfoliate the area super gently while bathing your baby by using a super soft washcloth or baby skin brush to gently loosen the flaky skin. Don’t use any scented soaps, cleansers or wipes or lotions.
Once out of the bath, pat your baby dry, again very gently. Then coat the area liberally with Fix Your Sh*t Healing Balm. Re-apply multiple times a day, especially before bed. Our skin works to heal itself best overnight.
Newborn “acne”:
Many Newborns and young infants will get a red bumpy rash on their faces that can appear similar to adult and adolescent acne. Little red bumps and little whiteheads around the mouth, nose, cheeks or forehead. Do not pick these bumps. Do not scrub or over exfoliate.
Exfoliate the area super gently while bathing your baby by using a super soft washcloth or extra fine baby skin brush to gently exfoliate skin. Don’t use any scented soaps, cleansers or wipes or lotions.
Once out of the bath, pat your baby dry, again very gently. Then coat the area liberally with Fix Your Sh*t Healing Balm. Re-apply multiple times a day, especially before bed. Our skin works to heal itself best overnight.
Baby Dermatitis and Eczema:
Dry, flaky, itchy red patches of dermatitis or eczema can show up anytime, often in the first few months of a baby's life. This is super common, and also simple to treat similarly to cradle cap and newborn acne.
Do not pick at the skin patches. Do not scrub or over exfoliate.
Exfoliate the area super gently while bathing your baby by using a super soft washcloth or extra fine baby skin brush to gently exfoliate skin. Don’t use any scented soaps, cleansers or wipes or lotions.
Once out of the bath, pat baby dry, again very gently. Then coat the area liberally with Fix Your Sh*t Healing Balm. Re-apply multiple times a day, especially before bed. Our skin works to heal itself best overnight.
Another thing to consider is that dermatitis or eczema can go hand-in-hand with an allergy. Often this can occur as a skin allergic reaction from contact with anything topical from a skincare product, clothing item, tag, fragrance, etc. It can also be a reaction to a food or milk allergy. You can heal the rash, but it will just continue to return if the source of the allergen remains.
My baby would continually rub his mouth and cheeks with his hands and the cuffs of his shirts while they were wet from milk and constant spitting up, continually irritating his cheeks and causing this rash to reoccur. While I can’t stop him from rubbing and scratching all the time, I can continue to protect his skin with Fix Your Sh*t Healing Balm. You can also use the little hand mittens or cuffs on baby clothes to cover your baby’s hands often to keep scratching down, but if your baby is anything like mine it won’t stop them from rubbing their face through the mittens/cuffs.
I hope this helps you feel informed and prepared on how to heal your baby's rash.