Here’s the best way to care for your child’s skin!
Mums and Dads, your body’s skin (or epidermis) is pretty tough. Its outside layer covers an average area of 2 square metres and weighs around 2.5 kilograms. It’s constantly regenerating: in one month, your body completely
replaces every skin cell, and you shed around 45 kilograms of it over a lifetime. The thickness of the skin varies from less than 1 millimetre thick on the eyelids to 4 millimetres thick on the heels of your feet. However,
your child’s skin is thinner than yours. In the first 12–14 months of a baby’s life, it’s about half the thickness, so more care is required to protect it properly. As with all other physiological functions, even a baby’s
skin has to be ‘trained’ to prepare it for its life ahead. For example, when the temperature allows, removing excess layers of clothing and letting the skin breathe helps it to find its balance and fulfil its many functions,
protective and otherwise.
Being outdoors as much as possible is the best thing, along with a few simple precautions.
During pregnancy, the baby’s skin is protected in the amniotic fluid by a layer of sebum and skin called the vernix caseosa, a white film that disappears shortly after birth. Sebum production stops almost instantly, which explains
why a baby’s skin can be quite dry in the first few months. As melanine production has not yet started, and since the skin is very thin, an external substance such as the artificial colouring in a felt-tip pen can be more dangerous
for a little one than for an older child. Of course, even when your child is no longer an infant, it’s important at any age to avoid prolonged exposure to strong sunlight and wind. That aside, fresh air can only do a world of good.
Watch out for mosquitoes
Mosquitoes really love children’s skin, because their blood is exactly where they can find a wealth of Vitamin B, lactic acid and fatty acids. The tiger mosquito specifically is a very aggressive type. For one thing, it can
penetrate clothing and bites during daylight hours, unlike common ‘nocturnal’ mosquitoes, injecting a particularly toxic liquid into the skin. You can reduce the risk of being bitten by installing screens in the windows
of your house, or using products specifically designed for the sensitive skin of children. If your child does get bitten, a good remedy is to apply ice, wrapped in a soft cloth, directly to the swelling caused by the
mosquito bite: by doing this, the vasoconstricting action of the cold acts as an anaesthetising and soothing remedy, although of course ice isn’t always readily available. To reduce swelling quickly, it’s also a good
idea to use astringent products – which ease itching and also help prevent infections.
The scalp - where head lice feel right at home
Heat, moisture, darkness... the scalp is the perfect hiding place for a tiny and annoying parasite called the head louse. It’s a minuscule insect that’s only transferred through direct contact, and can affect anyone, regardless of
age or state of hygiene. Why does it love children so much? That’s easy! It’s because the skin of little ones produces a smaller amount of lower quality fats and oils than that of adults, so it’s an ideal habitat for head lice to
survive in for up to 30 days, and their eggs for more than 2 weeks. But not to worry! There are specially designed treatments available to get rid of them just as easily as they appeared. However, once they’re gone, you must also
remember to disinfect clothing, bedding, hats and scarves... anything that could have been in contact with them. Clothing only needs a 60° wash — soak combs and brushes in rubbing alcohol or a lice-destroying agent (peliculicide).