Any tips on protecting a fat baby's cheeks?

[y1n]

She's only four months old and has got really dry/acned cheeks at the moment. And they're so fat that I think they are chafing against her little suits or any blanket we wrap her in. We put a little gauze with medical tape over the weeping bits a few nights ago but the tape, which seemed really loose when we put it on, got really sticky by the next morning so it actually took off a little of her skin when we removed it! Anyone got any suggestions on how to protect her cheeks?

[moondog]

Are you bathing her too often in harsh chemicals?
Try just plain water.

[hunkermunker]

Vaseline will stop her skin drying out and chapping. Don't use tape - some people are allergic to it (it makes my skin blister).

[KBearthePolarBear]

My DS's face was like this, they used to be red and weeping and sore when he was a baby and it started at four months.

I used Diprobase which is an emolient (from GP/HV) and never used water on his face. Eventually I had to resort to hydrocortisone which is a mild steroid which healed the weeping sores up and gave the skin a chance to soften and moisturise.

I discovered DS was allergic to bananas and as soon as I stopped eating them (he was breastfed) and giving him banana as a weaning food, it cleared up.

[Bozza]

I think its probably partly the weather atm. But vaseline on before bed and before leaving the house. Also moisturise morning and evening - maybe with E45 or similar then put vaseline on top.

[y1n]

Gosh thanks - I've been using E45 and Epaderm on her face, but they only seem to keep it moisturised for a couple of hours at best! And I only use water to wipe her face - do you think I should stop doing that daily though? I usually only give her a wipe in the morning when she gets up and then later in the day when she has a quick shower with Infaderm to wash. Maybe I should visit the GP - it's just the weeping that I'm worried about as it started off a little and seems to be getting worse, especially since I think her skin's not getting any time to heal...

[daisiesinaline]

I would call HV/GP. I know vaseline can irritate some dry skin conditions. Something like Diprobase that KBear mentioned or Doublebase (same thing I think) is better.

[FairyTaleinNewYork]

if its weepy its infected. u need to see the gp.

[KBearthePolarBear]

definitely no water. I took to bathing DS once a week and only wiping his lips to clean off food after a meal. Sounds awful not washing his face but it did more harm than good.

Sounds like it could be getting infected - your GP needs to see him. Accept the steroid cream which will heal it quickly then you can concentrate on keeping the skin soft - use the cream hourly.

I hope it clears up soon. My baby photos are all of a happy little boy with cracked lips and red raw cheeks and he has the softest skin now, it's like a miracle. He still suffers with a bit of excema now and then (still bananas seem to be the culprit but he loves them so much so i let him have one occasionally) and at the moment it's on his bum and back.

[y1n]

OK thanks, will do.

[KBearthePolarBear]

not the steroid cream hourly by the way, the moisturiser/emolient.

[y1n]

Man I hope it works! We are due to see her grandparents at the end of Jan and there will be no end of nagging if her face still looks like this!

[y1n]

Thanks KBear... OK I was wondering if putting it on every two hours was a bit much but I guess not! We will definitely up the dosage until we see the doc...

[y1n]

How did you keep your son from swiping at the cream on his face or scratching it by the way? She keeps doing that as well and I wouldn't worry but she loves sucking her hands at the moment as well so I'm afraid she might be ingesting too much of the creams! We swaddle her when she's asleep but short of putting her in a straightjacket when she's awake I have no idea what else to do.

[Bozza]

Gloves - thats what I had to do with DD when she had chicken pox at that age.

[KBearthePolarBear]

When you use the cream don't leave a thick layer on her cheeks, use enough to moisturise well and rub in as best you can - that way there isn't too much excess for her to wipe off with her hands. Keep her nails short and file the edges gently if you can (I remember DS cutting his cheek with a scratchy nail once!).

[Twiglett]

everything they said and double check all her clothes are natural fibres and not partly synthetic

Personally I would stop using infaderm .. a 4 month old really only needs water ... you could try a little aqueous cream rubbed in your hands under the tap as a soap substitute but sometimes it can be exacerbate excema

[Twiglett]

am assuming all her clothes are washed in non-bio .. try putting your washing machine on to an extra rinse anyway .. it takes more time but makes sure the soap residue has gone

[y1n]

ok thanks kbear and twiglett - yes only use non-bio and she mostly wears cotton - but will start stripping out more of her wardrobe and stop washing her face and see how it goes!

[y1n]

Hello everyone - just to let you know in case you're around - took baby to the doc and he gave her fucidin h, which has worked like a dream. Have also not washed the weepy bits in two days or showered her and everything's healing now, thank goodness. Her cheeks look terribly manky, covered as they are in fluffy scabs but they are healing! Thanks for that!

[PrincessPeaHead]

don't use e45 any more, it is very drying to ezcema prone skin.
get some diprobase OINTMENT (not cream) from the chemist, (it is the consistency of vaseline) and before every feed put a thin layer all over her cheeks to protect the skin from dribble/milk/saliva etc which can exacerbate the ezcema. it acts like a barrier. keep with the fucidin h morning and evening or whenever you have been told. and once her skin has really cleared up, keep with the smear of diprobase before every feed, even once you have started weaning, it really is effective.

my ds2 looked like a shrapnel victim aged 5 months and this really helped his face.

hth

[PrincessPeaHead]

oh and I disagree with the no washing - you HAVE to wash the weepy bits to get rid of the dead and infected skin or it will just keep reinfecting and reirritating the cheeks. so wash with a tiny bit of acqueous cream on a soft flannel (clean one each time) morning and evening, put on your fucidin afterwards, and keep the skin protected with the ointment during the day. honestly it is crucial that it is kept clean.