How often a baby gets a bath, what is in the baby wash and shampoo and whether the skin is properly moisturised after bathing are things that could help bring on eczema, recent studies suggest.
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Researchers have even said that many babies may be getting too many baths, reminding parents that two to three a week is enough.
Eczema causes patches of dry, itchy, inflamed skin that usually starts in early childhood on the face and scalp of babies.
And, while prescription ointments can relieve the itching and redness , there isn't a cure.
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The condition usually develops at 18 months, when a baby's skin is still developing - and researchers have said that over-zealous bathing by mums and dads could be the cause of it.
Eric Simpson, associate professor of dermatology at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, explained: “People are bathing their babies too much.
“If you expose skin to water and let it air dry, that leads to dryness—like the bottom of a river bed that cracks open when it dries.”
Top tips for bathing your baby
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Bathe them three times a week or less
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Apply a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic moisturising lotion immediately after the bath to help keep the skin from drying out.
How many times a week do you wash your baby? Let us know via the comments box below now.