Scrubby for Toddler

Try using Cetaphil bar soap. My pediatrician recommended it for my son who has the same issue. It is very mild and also serves as a gentle antibacterial soap.

My little girl gets dry skin too. We use extra virgin olive oil as lotion when she gets out of the tub, that works really well for her. I love it because there are no chemicals like so many lotions out there have that further dry out the skin and cause harm in other ways many of them have ingredients that are estrogen mimickers too. Can learn more about that if you want at bubbleandbee.com under the chemical data base on the right side. Also I would look into what might be causing her to have dry skin. My daughter also had exzema that got pretty bad. I took her to my chiropractor who also does homeopathic medicine. They tested her for allergies in a very easy pain free way. We found out she had some allergies got her on the homeopathic drops which over time help her become immune to the allergen, her skin completely cleared up in two days. It was amazing. I think a lot of our skin problems come from the chemicals we put on our skin even regular soaps and shampoos have nasty chemicals in them even baby products which really upsets me anyway I'll get off that soap box and tell in you in more direct answer to your question there are a lot of very gentle soaps you can use. Bubbleandbee.com has all organic product that is the soap we use. I haven't tried it yet but have read about the wonderful feeling of goats milk, and olive oil soap. I wish you both well.

You've got to exfoliate the dead dry skin before you moisturize. Have her soak in a bath with some vinegar and epsom salts (you can throw in a cup of plain yogurt, too - it's great for the skin). Her skin will get all water logged and wrinkly. Then use a wash cloth or scrubby gloves gently on her legs to remove the softened up dry skin. After she's dried off, use a gentle lotion to help keep her skin from drying out so fast. Once every week or two during dry winters should keep her skin in good shape.

I'm not sure about the ingrown hairs; but I think a soak and gentle scrub with a wash cloth. Towel her gently (pat, don't rub), and within a minute or two of drying her off, apply lotion. Our son has eczema, and our ped. recommended Cetaphil cream (not lotion, the cream) or Cera Ve (or it might be spelled Cerave) cream. Both are over the counter products, but you might have to ask your pharmacist to order them if you don't see them.

Using oil, such as Crystal C. recommended, is also a good idea. A little goes a long way. I actually like sweet almond oil, which can be found at Whole Foods (look in the section where they carry their olive oil, not in the beauty section--the stuff in the beauty section is the same exact stuff, but it's higher priced). Or, if you have any Indian (ie from India, not Native American) or ethic groceries/convenience stores , they often carry sweet almond oil. But olive oil will also work.

But do check with your pediactrician--there could be other things going on, and if the dry skin/skin issues are caused by, say, food allergies, then the bath time stuff will only treat the symptoms and deal with the underlying cause.

Hi J.:

To answer your question...for natural topical care I recommend a moisturizing oil, such as olive or coconut, with an essential oil appropriate for your child's skin (i.e. lavender, sweet orange). Always check for possible sensitivity on child's skin. For internal health support, I recommend consulting with a qualified natural healthcare professional to determine the cause of the dry skin/in-grown hairs. This will help you to address it completely.

Take care,
N.
Founder/Organic Mommy and Baby Healthcare Solutions
http://www.WholeCreations.com
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Mom, talk to your Pediatrician and see what he/she suggests. I know Lubiderm lotion is good for very sensitive skin. Good luck

Hi J.,
If your daughter has dry skin a soap scrub will just make things worse. Scrubs pull moisture from the skin so someone with dry skin needs as much moisture as they can get. My daughter has dry skin and the dr told me to never use scrubs. My daughter is starting to get hair on her legs too so I am interested in what others have to say.

Don't bath her so often. I would have never done this with my first, but when my second came along, it was apparent that his skin was very dry. I bathed him every other day and that helped. My third came along and she is just as dry and only needs a bath about twice a week. My six this just baby is also very dry and we get her in the tub twice a week also. Also make sure that you don't use any fabric softener and cut back on the amount of soap you use in the clothes washer. The lotion you use should have no perfumes too.

Try bathing her every other day - just a warm cloth on the stinky parts the other days. That should help her dryness. Also drinking lots of water.