Is baby’s skin more sensitive in winter?
Dr. Valleteau de Moulliac,
Consulting Pediatrician for Laboratoires Sarbec
The skin plays an essential protective role against the drop in outside temperature by preventing the body from cooling down. Contact with cold on the skin can have more or less significant consequences depending on the individual and thermal conditions. Now, winter is coming and the temperature is dropping: cold is a normal component of winter in our regions, even though we live in a temperate climate. Your baby's skin, which is thinner and more fragile, is therefore particularly sensitive to it.
The cold, as well as the wind, cause a slowdown in blood circulation at the skin level (to keep warmth inside the body) and a decrease in the hydrolipidic film that covers it. The skin is therefore at risk of becoming dehydrated and taking on a dry and more or less rough appearance; this mainly affects exposed areas such as the face (especially the lips) and the hands, which are often the first victims of this dryness. Sudden and frequent temperature changes (home, outside, car, etc.) also contribute to this.
Chilblains can even appear on the fingers, toes, as well as the nose and ears in cases of mild (8/10°C) but humid cold, which is most common at the beginning of winter. At first, it appears as a bright red patch that gradually thickens and turns a purplish color. Warming up causes pain or itching. Chilblains heal spontaneously within three weeks, but often recur every year.
Constant friction on the baby’s skin from the various layers of clothing you use to protect them from the cold can also irritate it.
Take all these situations into account to ensure your child’s skin is protected during winter.
