Taking care of your child’s skin is just as important as watching what they eat or how much sleep they get. From an early age, your child’s skin can be super sensitive because they have thinner skin than adults. Their immune system also hasn’t fully developed yet, so they can be more vulnerable to irritants in the environment.
Some of these irritants can lurk in everyday skincare products such as soaps, bubble baths and deodorants. But by adopting good children’s skin care habits early on, you can teach your child to avoid these potential irritants as they grow and become more independent.
How to take care of your kid’s skin
It’s important to help your kids adopt healthy skincare habits as they grow from a toddler to a young and more independent individual. Some healthy children’s skincare habits include:
Cleaning their skin by bathing regularly
Does your child hate bathing? Well, your goal is to make bathing a comfortable, enjoyable experience to ensure they learn good personal hygiene habits and keep their skin clean. You can make bathing fun by:
Helping them count the number of bubbles they make in a bubble bath
Singing the bubble bath song
Playing with a waterproof toy.
Reading an engaging book about bath time.
Telling them their favourite stories
Creating a mini adventure while bathing.
Once they’re happy and comfortable in the bath, the goal is to teach them how to place a washcloth into soapy water and scrub a body part before rinsing.
Drying their skin properly
When your child is done bathing, guide them on how to dry their skin properly. Give them a soft towel and instruct them to gently pat their skin. Tell them not to rub too hard to avoid irritation.
Moisturising regularly to keep their skin soft and hydrated
Regularly applying moisturiser to your child’s skin can help prevent dry skin. Show your child how to apply lotion, ointment, or cream right after a bath or during cold months when the heating is on.
Moisturising lotions and creams that have a high oil content are often the best skincare products for kids with eczema or other dry skin conditions, as they provide a thicker protective layer. Avoid creams and lotions that are heavily scented/fragranced, as these may irritate sensitive skin.
Using child-friendly sunscreen
Sunscreen is essential for kids’ skincare. It only takes one instance of severe sunburn to double your child’s chances of getting melanoma as an adult.
Always apply sunscreen on your child’s skin before they go outside to play and encourage them to do so, especially during summer. This can help protect them from strong ultraviolet sunlight that can damage their skin and lead to premature wrinkles or cancer later in life. You can make it into a fun game by teaching your child to spell BEANS. They’ll remember all the spots they need to apply their sunscreen:
Back of knees
Ears
Around the Eyes
Neck
Scalp.
But don’t just give them any sunscreen. Choose one that has ingredients which are friendly to your child’s skin. The ideal option for sensitive skin is a sunscreen that contains titanium oxide or zinc oxide because these compounds don’t get absorbed by the skin and are less irritating than others.
Using kid-friendly skincare products
Remember, your little one’s skin is sensitive because it’s thinner than an adult’s. Therefore, it’s important to teach your children good skin care habits by using products that won’t irritate them.
AVEENO® offers a wide range of skincare products for children such as shampoos, conditioners, and body wash designed specifically for them. These products can help your kids adopt good skincare habits while being gentle on their skin.
Monitoring their skin
Last but not least, continue to monitor their skin to ensure it remains healthy. Encourage them not to scratch their skin and be on the lookout for any infections caused by viruses or bacteria. You should speak to your GP if you think they may have eczema, or a skin infection.
Building an effective skincare routine for kids
Just like teaching your child how to brush their teeth, you can create a daily skincare routine for your kids to help them adopt healthy skincare habits. An effective skin care routine includes:
Bathing – Encourage your child to bath daily using mild cleanser or a body wash. While bathing, instruct them to concentrate on cleaning their face, underarms, feet, hands, bottom, and groin. Washing under their fingernails is also important.
Washing their face – Guide your child to gently wash their face twice a day, and to avoid picking any pimples if they begin to develop.
Washing and conditioning hair – Instruct your child to wash their hair with shampoo. How often they should wash depends on the kind of hair they have. If they have hair that greases easily, they can wash it once every couple of days, otherwise, they can wait a while longer before washing with shampoo and conditioner.
Encouraging them with positive reinforcement – Finally, be sure to give them lots of words of encouragement. By being positive and assuring, they’ll likely be more receptive to adopting it into their daily routine.
The ideal skincare routine for kids based on their skin type
It’s important to help your child identify the kind of skin they have. This way, they can discover the best way to care for it, and which kid’s skincare products are right for them. The common skin types include:
Normal skin
Your child’s skin will often be soft in texture and have a smooth tone. There will usually be no visible flaky patches, red spots, or blemishes. That’s because this type of skin has a good balance of water and oil, as well as great blood circulation.
If your child has normal skin, instruct them to wash their face twice a day using a mild cleanser, before rinsing to remove sweat and dirt.
Oily skin
This type of skin can be quite oily and acne prone. It usually presents a shiny complexion, pimples, open pores, and blackheads. As hormones influence the production of oil on the skin, a slight change in hormone levels may trigger an outbreak.
For this type of skin, guide your child to wash their face twice a day with an oil-free cleanser. If your child has pimples, advise them not to squeeze or pop them, as this can worsen their acne and increase the inflammation
Dry skin
This skin can be itchy, scaly, rough, dull, and with almost invisible pores. Dry skin is caused by an unusually high shedding of cells from the outer layer of the skin. This means that the outer layer loses a lot of the natural oils that protect the skin from losing water.
If your child has dry skin, instruct them to wash their face daily with a gentle cleanser, which can help prevent it from getting drier. After washing, they can moisturise with a child-friendly moisturiser like AVEENO® Kids Face & Body Moisturing Lotion.
You can also advise your child to limit taking very hot showers, as this can remove more moisture from their skin. Most children typically have dryer skin during winter when humidity is low, and heating elements push hot air into rooms. During winter, instruct your child to take a warm bath for no more than 20 minutes, then gently pat their skin, before applying a cream or lotion to help lock in moisture.
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin can often show up as stinging, red, itchy or dry skin. If your child has sensitive skin, it’s a good idea to find out what may be triggering their skin to react, so you can teach them to avoid these triggers. It’s also recommended to look out for kids’ skincare products that are soap-free, free from strong, heavy fragrance and alcoholfree, as this can help to limit any potential irritation.