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.

Methods of treating diathesis

When dealing with diathesis in a young child, the main thing is to choose the right diet, excluding foods that may cause an allergic reaction.

For a child in his first year of life, it is very important to receive breast milk.

The proteins of human milk are easily broken down by the baby's enzymes and are completely devoid of allergic properties. However, a nursing mother must also follow a diet excluding fish, poultry, tomatoes, chocolate, smoked meats, spices and other allergenic foods.

When mixed feeding, the child should not be given some juices: orange, carrot, tomato. Introduce any new product carefully - from a small amount. It is important to prevent an allergic exacerbation, and at the same time, to give the baby’s body everything it needs for its development.

Specialist consultation

The Family Doctor pediatric allergist-immunologist will help you deal with your child’s skin problems, determine the cause of allergies, and also build a rational diet that is suitable specifically for your child.

Make an appointment Do not self-medicate. Contact our specialists who will correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.

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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.

What are the causes of the disease?

It is necessary to distinguish between the cause and triggers of atopic dermatitis.

The reason is not fully known to modern science; the main version is a set of genetic, immune and skin changes, in particular, a deficiency of the skin protein filaggrin, which is responsible for retaining moisture in the skin.

The triggers of atopic dermatitis are very diverse, atopic skin is overly sensitive to irritation, so exacerbation can be caused by increased sweating, heat, rough clothing, detergents, dry air, etc. Children with atopic dermatitis may simultaneously have allergies to food, household or other animals, dust mites, tree and grass pollen - these allergens can also be triggers for exacerbations.

In general, atopic dermatitis has a wave-like course, periods of exacerbations (most often occurring for unobvious reasons or for no reason) are replaced by periods of remission - hence there is a great temptation to associate exacerbations with factors that are not directly related to the disease, and vice versa - to attribute healing properties to completely extraneous factors (for example, a diet that parents started by mistake or out of desperation).

It is impossible not to mention the established harmful domestic tradition of calling atopic dermatitis allergic (usually associating it with an allergy to cow’s milk protein) and treating it with diets (a strict “hypoallergenic” diet for a nursing mother, and/or a hydrolysis/amino acid mixture for a child). Indeed, if a child has an intolerance to cow's milk proteins, it may aggravate or cause atopic dermatitis, but not vice versa. Not every child with atopic dermatitis has an intolerance to cow's milk proteins or any other allergens. This means that by prescribing a diet, or an expensive and unpleasant-tasting mixture, the doctor adds problems to the family without helping them. In most cases of atopic dermatitis, identifying allergies and excluding allergens does not provide any benefit.

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

Treatment of atopic dermatitis in children

There is no complete treatment for atopic dermatitis, that is, there are no methods of therapy that would lead to complete recovery (change the long-term prognosis of the disease). All existing methods of therapy change only the short-term prognosis - for the coming months.

However, treatment is necessary:

• to improve the quality of life of the child and family; for the prevention of secondary local complications (infections, skin atrophy, etc.);
• for the prevention of psychological problems (sleep disorders, depression, etc.).

Treatment is divided into lifestyle changes (eliminating triggers) and drug interventions (eliminating symptoms).

Change of life. What can parents do themselves?

Don't let your baby's skin become excessively dry, severe itching, and avoid triggers. Try following these simple tips:

• Children with atopic dermatitis should take short baths or shower with warm (not hot) water. Use mild, unscented soap or soap-free cleansers. Do not wipe, but pat your skin with a towel after washing. Immediately after bathing, apply moisturizer to your entire skin. Teenagers prefer to use unscented cosmetics and oil-free facial moisturizers.
• Consult your doctor; if your child has no contraindications, add oat decoction to the bath when bathing; it can reduce itching.
• Preference should be given to soft children's clothing made from breathable fabrics, such as cotton. Wool or polyester may be too harsh or irritating for atopic skin.
• Your child's nails should be trimmed regularly and short to prevent scratching of the skin. If your child scratches himself at night, try putting him to bed in comfortable, lightweight mittens or with the sleeves of his pajamas sewn up.
• Overheating of children should be avoided, as sweat can lead to exacerbations. This is especially true for Russian parents who are accustomed to hot temperatures in the apartment and wrapping their children up during walks.
• Children should be encouraged to drink plenty of water.
• Try to get rid of common allergens in and outside your home, such as pollen, mold and tobacco smoke.
• Stress can make atopic dermatitis worse. Help your child find ways to cope with stress (such as exercise, deep breathing, or talking to a counselor).

How to get rid of unpleasant symptoms at home

It is not worth treating at home without seeing a doctor. However, there are ways that you can resort to to reduce discomfort:

• If your lips become inflamed due to the sun or cold, it is advisable that they are always covered with a protective layer of balm.
• For severe itching and burning, which occur in almost all forms of cheilitis, cold compresses will help. Before applying them, the skin is covered with a layer of balm so that the lips are treated simultaneously with the reduction of pain.
• If your lips are red and covered with cracks, sores or any other open wounds, you need to make sure that bacteria do not get into them. The surrounding skin and teeth should be treated with a cotton pad soaked in hydrogen peroxide or Miramistin. Special antiseptic ointments will have the best effect.
• If pain and itching are unbearable, painkillers can be used. Ointments with a cooling effect will have the same effect.

All methods of folk treatment for cheilitis will be useless if you resort to them thoughtlessly - without consulting a doctor. In most cases, inflammation, redness and itching of the lips are harmless. Such symptoms can go away even without therapy, but sometimes they indicate dangerous diseases, so medical help should not be neglected.

How to properly wash a newborn baby girl

The girl needs to be washed every time she changes her diaper, and simple wiping with wet wipes is unacceptable here. You can remove feces with napkins, after which you should definitely rinse the perineum under running water. Mom, of course, needs to wash her hands with soap before doing this. In the first months of life, it is advisable to rinse a girl’s genitals in the direction of the anus, so that feces particles do not enter the vagina and cause inflammation. For the same reasons, it is impossible to wash the girl in the basin after defecation. Older girls are washed as follows: first, they soap and rinse the anal area (from the bottom up, towards the tailbone; a stream of water is directed into the palm), then they wash their hands again and wash the external genitalia without soap (from the perineum to the pubis, without touching the anus ).

Caring for a newborn girl after washing is performed in the following sequence: first, blot the genital area dry with a clean towel, then the labia and the skin around them, the inguinal folds, and only then the anus area. At this age, the skin and mucous membranes are dry and easily wounded, so they must be moisturized with baby cream or sterilized vegetable oil. Never wipe the inside of the labia, as this can disrupt the vaginal microflora and lead to genitourinary infections.

Does it often happen that a baby's skin peels?

Let's put it this way: if you find a baby whose skin has never peeled off in the first year of life, you will surprise not only us, but, perhaps, all pediatricians in the world. In most cases, peeling is a completely natural process that is associated with a sharp change in environmental conditions. Sometimes the baby’s skin even peels off; especially problem areas for a newborn are the feet, hands, and head.

Just think about it: over the previous nine months, the child has never encountered a situation where the temperature around him differs from his own. His skin was constantly moisturized and never came into contact with air. Finally, she did not know sunlight and was not exposed to ultraviolet radiation for a second. Now you can imagine the mess your beloved baby got into when he decided to be born

Typically, a baby's skin will peel because it needs time to adapt to life outside the womb. But there are other factors that lead to this problem.

What to do if a child has diathesis

Local therapy using ointments is one of the components of complex treatment. But both hormonal and non-hormonal drugs should be prescribed by a doctor individually for each baby, taking into account the characteristics of the diathesis.

Self-medication in such a situation is not only ineffective, but also dangerous for the child’s health. Therefore, it is better to contact competent specialists. PsorMak employs doctors with extensive experience in treating diathesis.

We take a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment, and for local therapy we use ointment made according to our own recipe without the addition of hormones.
She has been helping our patients at our clinic for more than 25 years, so we guarantee a complete cure without side effects. Contact us for a consultation so we can begin solving your problem. April 5, 2020
Author of the article: dermatologist Mak Vladimir Fedorovich

In the first days

During the first time after birth, a light gray or creamy coating - remnants of smegma, the original lubricant. If there is not a lot of plaque, it will gradually be absorbed into the skin. However, if the plaque is abundant, it is recommended to remove it, since after a day or two the fats it contains oxidize, causing the proliferation of microorganisms and, ultimately, inflammation. This plaque is quite dense, so it needs to be removed delicately, in several steps. It is best to use cotton swabs and warm boiled water for this. The plaque will be removed in pellets and will completely disappear in 2-3 days.

Symptoms

With atopic dermatitis in children, skin tightness, redness appears, the skin flakes, feels rougher to the touch, and thickening may appear. Microscopic bubbles form, around which moisture is released. The child is worried and scratches the affected areas. When an infection occurs, local inflammation develops and the wounds heal poorly. With significant spread in young children, general intoxication of the body manifests itself: the temperature rises, the peripheral lymph nodes enlarge. Due to severe itching, sleep and appetite are disrupted, and the child often cries. Dermatitis most often affects the face, neck, armpits, scalp, groin, areas under the earlobes, popliteal fossae, and elbows.

Prevention

Atopy is translated from Latin as strangeness. The causes of the disease cannot always be determined. But long-term observation of patients and members of their families has revealed that it develops more often:

• with a genetic predisposition - if the parents are healthy, the probability of developing dermatitis in the child is 20%, if one of them is sick - 50%, if both are sick - 80%;
• in case of unfavorable pregnancy, active or passive smoking of the expectant mother, consumption of food that provokes allergy attacks, use of certain medications;
• when a newborn is in a dusty room, insufficient care for his personal hygiene;
• with prolonged exposure to allergens that enter the child’s body with food through the respiratory tract.

Breastfeeding for up to 6 months and avoiding allergy-provoking foods reduces the likelihood of developing atopic dermatitis.

Bathing

• You can bathe a newborn girl as soon as the umbilical wound dries. Up to six months, baths should be daily, then you can bathe the baby every other day, and when she reaches a year, even less often, replacing bath procedures with showers.
• You should carefully wash all the folds and spaces between your fingers and toes.
• It is recommended to use soap (not toilet soap, but a special one for children, with a minimum amount of additives!) or baby foam no more than 1-2 times a week, and do not add it to water, but apply it to the skin and wash it off with a shower. Soapy water dries out the vaginal mucosa. There is an opinion that until the moment the child begins to crawl on the floor (i.e., until the moment when he can really get dirty) or until the moment when the baby begins to eat complementary foods (i.e., smearing porridge on his face with his hands or puree) - there is no point in washing it with soap, because the child does not get dirty with anything and is constantly either in the arms of his parents or in a clean crib. And once again disturbing his skin with soap products is not only pointless, but also harmful - the protective layer of the skin is washed off. But, firstly, daily bathing in clean water is still necessary, and secondly, this does not exclude washing the child with soap after he pooped.
• Adding various herbal infusions to the bath is at your discretion. However, it must be borne in mind that almost all of them dry out the already dry skin of babies. At the end of winter and spring in cities, an increased amount of chlorine is added to the central water supply, which greatly dries out the skin of children during daily bathing. In this case, it is recommended to add special softeners to the bathing water, for example, calendula bathing agent (Weleda has this). And after bathing, lubricate the baby’s skin with baby oil.
• A newborn girl should use her own, purely individual, bathing set: towel, washcloth and mitten. By the way, you can wash the baby with a piece of gauze instead of a washcloth, since it can be washed and boiled.
• After bathing, the newborn girl is blotted dry with a clean towel or warm sheet, and the skin folds, if necessary, are treated with baby hygienic oil.