How to Treat Baby Eczema

My baby has eczema! 

Eczema or atopic dermatitis is thought to affect 1 in 5 babies in the UK. If your little one suffers with eczema you are not alone – thousands of other parents across the country share your concerns and worries.

What causes eczema?

Researchers have found that different factors can cause eczema to develop in different people. It may be due to genetic predisposition, environmental factors or allergens. Triggers can include household irritants, harsh toiletries, weather and temperature changes, diet, swimming, stress or hormonal changes.

How to care for your baby’s skin

As a newborn, your baby’s skin is highly sensitive to the chemicals that can be found in many mainstream baby skin care products. It is still developing and 30% thinner during the first year of life than it is at 12 months.

The delicate skin is more prone to water loss which leads to dryness, making it a less effective barrier against chemical toxins. The early introduction of harsh toiletries onto delicate skin may be a factor in the rising rates of eczema and allergies in children.

Know your products

In those precious early days, it’s important to avoid toiletries that contain harsh foaming agents, sensitising preservatives and synthetic perfumes, as these are known to irritate eczema-prone skin.

But remember that by choosing ‘natural products’ it doesn’t always guarantee they will be free from nasties. In fact, a product only needs to contain 1% natural ingredients to be classed as natural!

Look to trusted organic products like Kokoso Baby® Coconut Oil, part of our eczema-friendly range, which is 100% pure and natural, certified organic and free from parabens, artificial colours, synthetic fragrances, lanolin and petrochemicals.

Midwives recommend bathing baby with water alone for as long as possible (our Natural Baby Sponge is perfect for using with water alone), and choosing a fragrance-free product when it comes to baby’s first bath wash.

Dermatologically approved for eczema-prone skin

Every product in the Kokoso Baby® range undergoes clinical safety testing. Our full range is dermatologically approved for sensitive, dermatitis and eczema-prone skin, and proven to be mild for skin and kind to skin. However, it’s important to remember that our products are not a medicine or treatment for baby eczema or dermatitis.

Committed to developing the mildest formulations for babies and all the family, it’s important to us to offer parents both unfragranced and fragranced products. Our fragrance-free range is ideal for newborns, very sensitive skin and parents who are worried about using fragrances on their baby’s skin.

If and when you’re ready to introduce a scrummy scent to baby’s skincare routine, our Natural Coconut range is lightly scented with a 100% natural allergen-free fragrance. An ‘allergen-free’ fragrance means it does not contain any of the 26 identified allergens listed by EU regulations.

Natural goodness you can trust

Kokoso means coconut and we hope you know by now that we pack as much raw virgin organic coconut oil into our gentle formulas as possible. We aim to ensure your little one benefits from the wonderful skincare properties of this nutrient-rich natural oil – whether they’re enjoying a bath with our paediatrician-approved Gentle Hair & Body Wash, having a massage before bed with our nourishing Coconut Oil Baby Lotion, or exploring the great outdoors with our protective Baby-Soft Balm Stick.

And as well as using the very best premium organic coconut oil in all of our formulations, our products also harness the many celebrated skincare benefits of high quality natural and organic ingredients such as soothing aloe vera, nourishing shea butter, softening sweet almond oil, calming lavender essential oil, protective beeswax and moisturising olive oil.

Natural actives for baby’s dry skin and scalp

In some Kokoso Baby® products we also include gentle naturally active ingredients, such as plant sugars to support the skin’s moisture barrier and improve hydration (Coconut Oil Baby Lotion) and celery seed extract to re-balance the scalp’s microflora and reduce sebum production (Happy Scalp Cream™).