Written in partnership with Dr Clarence De BELILOVSKY, dermatologist member of the Mustela circle of experts.
CHOOSE YOUR CLOTHES WELL
To feel good about themselves, your child must start by... feeling good about their clothes!
Indeed, among all the precautions to adopt to live well on a daily basis and not encourage the appearance of extremely dry skin, your little wardrobe has a role to play even at birth.
T-shirt, pants, sweater, dress, pajamas... They should be very soft and not too hot: atopic eczema loves anything that can irritate or make you sweat because it causes itching.
It is therefore preferable to:
- Choose materials that are pleasant to the touch, smooth and flexible.
For example: cotton, linen, silk, hemp for their fine fibers which also allow air to pass through.
- Avoid materials that scratch the skin such as wool. Even if there is nothing more natural and more effective for keeping warm, its texture can unfortunately be rough and therefore irritating for baby or child's skin.
- Avoid synthetic materials and clothing such as polyester or acrylic. Although they seem delicate and cozy, they are not very absorbent when sweaty and don't really let the skin breathe.
Last point: to minimize irritation or heatstroke for babies or children, avoid turtlenecks and prefer looser cuts.
DAILY CLOTHING CARE
But then, how can you ensure that your child is warm in winter without wearing wool for example?
Don’t hesitate to make overlays. A small thermolactyl bodysuit or underwear, a thick cotton t-shirt, a velvet vest... It's up to you to play the role of stylist to avoid and relieve your child's itching!
And to clean all that, a special detergent? Not especially. It is especially the rinsing which is very important.
A good program may be enough. If in doubt, “two precautions are better than one”: you can repeat this cycle before taking out your laundry.
And if you are lucky enough to be able to hang it outside, still favor drying your child's clothes indoors when pollen is in season.