Seeking Advice on Newborn Skin Rash on Face and Neck

Hi M.

It might be eczema. My daughter is 8 months old and are in a constant battle with the itching. It started out on her cheeks and then to her neck and chest. We are doing oatmeal baths (Aveeno baby) and using Aqauphor baby wash(soap free). Use tepid water and soft wash cloths. Keep her like a grease monkey. Lube her up with the Aquaphor with every diaper change. It makes a real difference! Keep her hands covered during the night so she doesn't tear up her face with her nails. Are you breastfeeding? Bottle? You might want to talk to your MD about what he/she thinks. They might say to try soy if you are bottle feeding but I would talk to your MD. There are alot of things out there that you can try before you give in to topical steroids. Because your baby is so young I would consult your MD. For now try putting the Aquaphor on with each diaper change and see if that helps. Good Luck!!!

Hi M.,

Both of my babies both suffered from rashy skin from about age 5 weeks. Here's my experience and how my doctor advised comfort my babies. Both my son and daughter were diagnosed with eczema, and even had cradle cap at about the age your daughter is now. They were both summer babies, so eczema showed up after they both first had heat rash. My own daughter still suffers from eczema but it is not nearly as bad as it was at 8 weeks old, most babies (if not all) outgrow this.

Dreft is great for the clothes, which is what I used for my daughter. My son was a bit more sensitive, and I had to use All Free & Clear. I missed that baby smell on his clothes, but he was much more comfortable.

As for the skin, I used 1% Hydrocortisone and Aquaphor. Hydrocortisone helps with the itch. I wasn't comfortable with the idea at first, but it is actually pretty mild, and helps clear the rash rather quickly. However, since it's on your baby's face, be careful to stay away from her eyes. I used it mostly on cheeks and neck. The Aquaphor works miracles on the dryness of the rash. If you use hydrocortisone, it is VERY important to back it up with Aquaphor, as hydrocortisone tends to thin out the skin, it cannot be used alone.

When I bathed my babies, I used Aveeno Baby products, or Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap in Baby Mild. Dr. Bronner's can be found in health/natural food stores. The Aveeno products are mild, but even those have perfumes that your baby could be sensitive too. I used Cetaphil creme after bathing to keep moisture in. OH... and I only bathed my babies every other day, because being in the water could actually dry out the skin more. A nice warm bowl of water and a washcloth did the trick on those non-bathtime days.

I hope this helps!

Some thoughts:

In adults, dry, cracking , itchy, and scaling skin can be caused a number of things:

vit B deficiency
Vit A deficiency
Candida (yeast) growing in the body (can also manefecst itself as psoriasis or exzema.)

Also, check out if it could be a heat rash. Try to keep the baby a bit cooler,not too swaddled or too many clothes, especially around neck area.

Hi M.,

I'm sorry your baby is experiencing this! Sounds like an allergic response to something (or some THINGS) in her environment or food. I experienced this with my infant daughter (who is now almost 4) and I didn't know then what I do now about the effects of food sensitivities and environmental triggers with little ones. The Aquaphor is an attempt to give her some comfort but isn't going to take away the actual problem.

It can be tough to pinpoint what it could be at this age so what it means is doing an elimination diet at this point (I am assuming you are breastfeeding). Dr Sears has a good one for really eliminating most any known "trouble" food though I've heard it can be a bit tough to stick on it for a long time. The health of our little ones is a big motivator though!! Common allergen culprits include milk and all dairy products, corn and all corn products, soy, wheat, gluten, eggs. There are others but these are biggies for many people.

If you are supplementing with formula at all that could be the problem. We were advised to supplement when my daughter was tiny (I now question the wisdom of that decision) and her skin only cleared up well after I eliminated that and she was exclusively breastfed again by around 3 months old. The reality is that formula has things in it that are NOT good for human babies, it's kind of like junk food for babies. Yeah, I know the formula companies don't want us to know that, but it's true. :(

You might want to switch to an even-less-allergenic laundry detergent too - Dreft still has fragrances and additives. Shaklee brand is good (I don't sell it but have used it), and 7th Generation is supposed to be, I heard (I think you can get it at Whole Foods). Careful with the cleaning products you use in the house too, and about any pesticides that might have been applied in your yard or neighborhood - some kids are very sensitive to such things and will have marked reactions.

For baby skin care have you tried Aveeno baby products? Or California Baby? And have you seen a pediatric dermatologist - it would be well worth it and they might prescribe something helpful like Elidel cream (it's non steroidal) to help soothe and calm her skin.

Best of luck in helping your baby girl - I know how tough it is to deal with this kind of mysterious rash.

Blessings,
S.

Do you use Dreft on all her/your bed linens? Don't use any "Bounce" like products in the dryer if you are. It turned out my son was allergic to them. He outgrew it, but we had to deal with a lot of static electricity in our clothes for awhile. I assume you are breast feeding her. Ask you doctor and the pediatrician if she could be allergic to something you're eating that is getting through to her in your breast milk. How about the soap you are using on her (or you for that matter).