Why do my child's lips dry out? Causes and treatments

Last update: 03/03/2021

Dry lips in a child can turn from a small nuisance into a big problem if care is not taken in time. But it is very easy to ignore this problem - young children may remain silent and not complain, fearing the terrible treatment with pills and injections.

In fact, there are a dozen causes of dry skin. The most common ones seem very simple, but still constantly provoke peeling and cracking of the lips.

How to deal with dry lips in a child?

To care for a child’s lips, only special cosmetics based on natural ingredients, without chemical dyes and fragrances, are suitable. In winter, before going outside, be sure to treat your baby’s lips with a rich hygienic lipstick, which will nourish and protect from the cold, while also lasting long enough.

An alternative to lipstick can be regular baby cream. If you are very dry, you can apply it in a thick layer at night. You can also lubricate your lips with olive or sea buckthorn oil - it leaves a nourishing and protective film on the lips, even if you lick it off.

Balm "La Cree" combines the best of active natural ingredients that soften and heal the skin. This hypoallergenic product can be used for very young children. Active ingredients include: shea butter, almond and castor oils, avocado extract, beeswax, vitamins A and E. This set provides comprehensive care at any time of the year.

Hormonal ointments for diathesis

A special group of local drugs used for diathesis are hormonal ointments. They are used if non-hormonal drugs do not help. Hormonal drugs have a more serious composition, including hormonal components - glucocorticoids. These are steroid hormones synthesized by the adrenal cortex. The most common among them are:

• Natural glucocorticoids: cortisol, hydrocortisone. Their effect lasts for 8-12 hours.
• Synthetic analogues: prednisolone, prednisone, methylprednisolone, mometasone, clobetasol. The substances act within 12-36 hours.
• Synthetic analogues containing fluoride: dexamethasone, betamethasone, paramethasone, fluprednisolone. The effect of the substances lasts up to 3 days.

Such substances have the following effects:

• Antiallergic. Hormones reduce the level of basophils - substances activated during allergies.
• Anti-inflammatory. Substances reduce the level of inflammatory mediators in the blood.

Hormonal drugs have a faster effect, but also have a more impressive list of side effects. For this reason, few hormonal ointments are approved for children, and they try to resort to them in extreme cases, when the child’s condition is advanced and he suffers from itching, large lesions and other unpleasant symptoms.

The list of hormonal drugs used for diathesis includes:

• Advantan (methylprednisolone) – from 4 months;
• Lokoid (hydrocortisone) – from 6 months;
• Afloderm (alclomethasone) – from 6 months;
• Beloderm (betamethasone) – from 6 months
• Dermovate (clobetasol) – from 1 year;
• Elokol (mometasone furoate) – from 2 years.

What are the dangers of using hormonal ointments for diathesis?

Because children have a larger surface area to weight ratio than adults, they are at greater risk for side effects from hormonal medications. With long-term use there is a risk of growth and development disorders. For this reason, children are prescribed minimal doses of ointments, as well as short courses. For example, Advantan cannot be used for longer than 4 weeks.

There are other features of the use of hormonal ointments associated with the small surface area of ​​the child’s body. For example, Beloderm ointment is used very carefully and should never be applied under a diaper, since due to the increased absorption of the active components, the risk of developing serious side effects increases.

It is equally important to apply hormonal ointment with caution in the area of ​​body folds. In these places, the ointment is absorbed more actively and can have a systemic effect on the body, that is, enter the bloodstream and influence from the inside.

In the case of hormonal ointments, it is also important:

• do not exceed the prescribed dosage;
• use the amount of ointment prescribed by the specialist;
• do not extend the period of use (in most cases no longer than 5 days);
• Apply only to the affected areas.

Experts' opinion

According to the results of clinical studies, which involved 50 children aged 0 to 5 years, the products were proven to be highly effective, safe and tolerable for daily skin care of children with mild to moderate forms of atopic dermatitis and during remission, accompanied by a decrease in the quality of life of patients . As a result of therapy, including the use of lip balm, a decrease in the activity of the inflammatory process, a decrease in dryness, itching and flaking was noted.

La Cree Lip Balm has been confirmed to:

• relieves discomfort and dry skin
• restores dry and chapped lips
• moisturizes and protects the delicate skin of the lips from cold and wind

The lack of vitamins can be replenished with the help of children's multivitamin complexes (they differ from adults in composition and dosage), lubricate the lips with vitamins from capsules and, of course, eat more foods rich in vitamins.

To humidify indoor air, you can use special humidifiers or simply place containers of water next to the radiators.

Caring for a child with dry, sensitive skin - tips for parents

At the moment of birth, the child finds himself in new conditions; he moves from the dark, warm and constantly moist uterine cavity into the air space.

The largest organ of the body, the skin, which protects the baby from all external negative influences, is gradually being rebuilt to a new level of work. In the first months of life, the skin is not ideal: it turns red, peels, becomes dry, or becomes covered with small pimples.

These are completely acceptable reactions after a long stay in a humid environment, surrounded by amniotic fluid. The functioning of the skin in the air, where temperature, humidity and the speed of air flow constantly fluctuates, requires a certain “tuning”. This takes on average about a month.

Therefore, it is important to properly care for your baby from the first days, maintaining the health of his skin, and to know what products are needed, how to avoid problems, what is needed for hygiene, how to help with minor injuries, rashes, and itching?

Sensitive skin is a major problem

A baby's skin is thin, delicate and more sensitive than that of an adult. This is due to the structural features of the children's epidermis: the cells do not adhere so tightly to each other, lose moisture faster and peel off at the slightest negative impact.

The sweat and sebaceous glands are just adjusting their work, so they either work too sluggishly, then the skin dries and cracks, or they produce an excess of secretions - then pimples, clogged pores and sweating occur.

Considering that approximately 20% of children have an initial hereditary predisposition to allergies, including skin allergies, proper care of the baby from the first days after birth becomes one of the main tasks.

Risk areas are the skin in the diaper area, in contact with urine and stool, the face, and natural folds of the skin.

The most common problems for children are diaper rash, prickly heat and dry, flaking skin, even cracking in particularly affected areas. This is not a very pleasant sight, especially if it is just a baby who himself will not complain of irritation and pain, itching and discomfort.

Dry skin of a child can be easily eliminated with the help of simple home measures; only in rare cases does the baby need the help of a doctor and the use of any medications.

Features of a newborn

To understand why dry and hypersensitive skin occurs in children, parents must understand the specific physiological changes in the epidermis of the newborn.

Babies are born covered with a whitish coating of vernix caseosa (vernix caseosa). The cream-like substance coats and protects the baby's skin from amniotic fluid until the baby is born. After childbirth, the lubricant is wiped off the skin, and the epidermis is exposed to air and bacteria, which gradually colonize its skin.

Deprived of lubrication, the top layer of skin dries out and peels off a few days after birth. Consequently, some dry skin is common in newborns.

Experts say newborns don't need extra moisturizer or lotions in their first month of life. They need to properly adjust the functioning of the glands and the activity of the upper layers of the epidermis to work in new conditions.

Excessive use of creams, cosmetics and various moisturizers during this period can only do harm!

As a child gets older, dry skin develops in response to certain external and internal irritants. In this situation, parental attention and immediate elimination of irritants are important.

Dry skin in children: what factors are to blame?

Dry skin (medical term: xeroderma) is mainly caused by increased loss of moisture, which leads to cracking and peeling of the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin.

Factors that affect the functioning of the epidermis and its condition:

Weather . Extreme cold and extreme heat significantly affect humidity, causing the skin to lose moisture and dry out at a high rate.

Temperature and humidity in the nursery. If the temperature at home is very high or too low, the air in the rooms will gradually lose moisture and dry out the child’s skin.

By the way, heaters and air conditioners dry out the air a lot, so humidifiers for an apartment are a very useful thing, especially if you have kids.

Long baths. Bathing a child for too long washes away the natural protective hydrolipidic film on the skin secreted by the sebaceous glands. Taking a bath in potassium permanganate-treated or chlorinated water or herbal decoction damages and dries out the skin.

Hard soap. Regular, non-baby soap is too “harsh” for a child’s skin, which causes it to become dry. “Adult” cosmetics and bathing products have a similar effect.

These were common conditions that a child might encounter in everyday life. But dryness and irritation can also be a sign of a serious problem with your baby's skin.

There are many reasons that explain dry skin in children. But it is important for parents to know what symptoms should cause alarm when the baby needs help.

Actually, parents quickly notice dry skin, and quite simple methods eliminate irritation. But there are a number of symptoms that require you to visit a pediatrician or dermatologist.

These include:

• bleeding from cracked skin; • severe itching, which makes the child whiny and irritable; • pus or yellow crusts on dry skin; • swelling of the epidermis, increased temperature; • dry skin, causing colic attacks.

How to care for your baby's skin?

Preventing and treating dry skin is quite simple and all you need to do is follow a few simple steps and procedures.

Limit your baby's bath time. Prolonged stay in the bath, especially in hot water, washes away the natural protective film from the skin, leaving the epidermis vulnerable to the external environment. Experts recommend limiting bath time to ten minutes in warm (not hot) water.

Use mild, delicate soap. Always use soap specifically made for children as it does not contain harsh or harmful chemicals. Choose bathing gels and liquid soaps with added moisturizers as they protect the skin. Avoid soaps containing dyes and fragrances, as they quickly dry out the skin and cause allergies.

Follow the washing regime. Even if it is a gentle soap, it does not have to be used daily. It is enough to wash the child’s body and head with shampoo and soap 2-3 times a week or when the baby is very dirty. The rest of the time, washing with warm water is enough.

Use moisturizing lotions after bathing your baby . From about one month of age, moisturize your baby's entire body immediately after a bath using a hypoallergenic body lotion. The fats in moisturizing lotion form a thin layer on the skin that replenishes and prevents further moisture loss. Using moisturizers is the safest home remedy for baby's sensitive skin.

Choose clothes made from natural fabrics and without tight seams. Natural fabrics such as cotton are soft, non-allergenic and allow the skin to breathe easily. If your child has dry skin, it is important to switch to cotton clothes.

Use baby detergent. Children's clothes and bedding should be washed only with special baby powder without caustic chemicals or allergens. Look for a detergent designed for children with sensitive skin.

Use a humidifier. Dry air is the worst enemy of a child's skin. Use a portable cool mist humidifier that maintains a constant level of air humidity and prevents moisture loss from the skin.

Dress your child according to the weather. It is important that during walks the child does not freeze, but does not overheat. Very hot or very cold air lacks moisture, which can increase skin dryness and irritation.

Don't forget to give your child water more often . In hot weather or when the air is very dry, the body loses more moisture. Therefore, it is important to monitor the baby’s drinking regime. Infants need to be put to the breast more often; artificial babies and children receiving complementary foods should be offered a bottle of water more often.

Simple prevention and treatment steps can help relieve dry skin quickly. Parents should constantly ensure that their child has silky smooth skin.

Alena Paretskaya

Photo depositphotos.com

The opinion of the author may not coincide with the opinion of the editors

Constantly dry lips in a child may be a symptom of a disease

If your baby’s lips are constantly dry: in any weather, under any diet, cosmetics do not help them, perhaps this is how the body indicates the presence of a more serious disease.

• Problems with the thyroid gland.
• Diabetes mellitus is also accompanied by increased thirst.
• With dryness, cracking and the appearance of various crusts - fungus, psoriasis.
• Autoimmune diseases are a complex of diseases usually associated with damage to the skin and bone tissue. They are based on the body's immune reaction against itself.

In these cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor for a serious diagnosis.

Sources:

1. I.I. Ryumina, V.V. Zubkov, Newborn skin care, Healthy Child magazine, 2017
2. V.V. Chebotarev, N.V. Chebotareva, M.S. Askhakov, E.V. Bronnikova, Sensitive skin: causes, methods of therapy, journal Medical Bulletin of the North Caucasus, 2015
3. Drobinskaya, A. O. Fundamentals of pediatrics and hygiene of children of early and preschool age / A. O. Drobinskaya. - Moscow: Higher School, 2016. - 400 p.

Photos of diathesis

Photo album on the disease

One of the methods of treating diathesis is local therapy.

The complex treatment of diathesis includes local therapy in the form of ointments and gels. They should only be prescribed by a specialist, and he takes this issue very seriously, since the main role in the appearance of signs of diathesis is given to allergens that affect the child’s skin.

What drugs are often included in the list prescribed by a doctor:

• To soften and quickly heal the skin: Bepanten, zinc ointment, Desitin (zinc-based ointment).
• For disinfection, softening and prevention of the formation of new crusts: Diaderm, Glutamol.
• To suppress an allergic reaction: Fenistil, Vibrocil, Cetrin.

It is worth considering that ointments are not the main way to treat diathesis, since they do not affect the cause in any way. Local therapy is used as an auxiliary method. The basis of treatment should be diet, proper care, and avoidance of contact with allergens.

Should I see a doctor if my newborn's skin is peeling?

In this situation, you need to act the same way as in all others related to the baby’s health: it’s better to play it safe and go to the doctor one more time than to ignore your doubts and start a problem. In addition, there are several alarming symptoms that clearly indicate the need to consult a specialist:

• The baby is growing, but the peeling is not getting smaller.
• The skin began to peel unevenly, and one or more spots appeared on the baby’s body, where the problem manifested itself more acutely.
• The peeling increased sharply, especially if you did not introduce new foods into complementary foods, did not put new clothes on the baby, or changed anything in his life.
• Not only does the baby's skin peel, but there are also other symptoms of skin diseases - red spots or dots, itching, pimples, blisters and others.

How to recognize allergic contact dermatitis in a child

The contours of the inflammation often coincide with the outlines of the object that caused the irritation. The rash spreads little beyond the area of ​​skin that came into contact with the causative factor. The skin here becomes red and swollen, very itchy, blisters, wounds and crusts appear.

Fungal and bacterial infections easily attach to wounds and suppuration occurs. Babies may experience an increase in general temperature.

Frequent exacerbation in the same places leads to unpleasant outcomes: areas of increased or decreased pigmentation, scars, thickening and roughening of the skin.

If you notice a rash or red spots on your child’s skin, be sure to see a doctor to get tests done to determine the exact cause and begin treatment.

The disease may worsen. To prevent this from happening, you need to find and eliminate the provoking causes.

External causes of the development of allergic dermatitis in children

The disease can be caused by one of the factors or a combination of several.

1. Physical - friction or pressure on the skin of fabrics, leather products, high or low temperatures, humidity, electric current, ultraviolet or x-rays.
2. Chemical - various acids and alkalis, substances included in creams and hygiene products, medicines, tobacco smoke.
3. Biological - sap and pollen of plants, bites and secretions of insects and animals.

Of the plant agents, the most dangerous are the juice of celandine, hogweed, nettle, pollen of meadow and weeds.

In industrial cities in winter, there are widespread cases of contact dermatitis under the eyes and on the hands of children. Three factors are combined here: cold, chemical impurities in the air and touching the skin with wet mittens.

In infants, allergic inflammation can be caused by a combination of high humidity in diapers, fabric friction and the action of inappropriate cream.

A special type of contact dermatitis is phototoxic, when sunscreens degrade in sunlight and cause allergic damage to the epidermis.