In the first months of a baby's life, parents have many problems. The baby's skin is very delicate, it is extremely susceptible to various changes in the external environment or cosmetics, which can lead to the appearance of crusts on the eyebrows of the baby, or seborrheic dermatitis.
Peeling eyebrows in babies
Sebaceous and sweat glands of the baby
The epidermis (outer layer of the skin) in a newborn is thin (0.15-0.25 mm) and loose, which can cause rapid skin irritation and flaking.
The sweat glands are just beginning to function, they are poorly developed, because the exit from the canals is closed by epithelial cells. The glands are fully formed by 3-4 months. Therefore, when a child overheats, he does not sweat, and peeling may begin on the skin, since its top layer easily exfoliates.
The sebaceous glands function intensively under the influence of maternal hormones circulating in the baby's body. Over time, they clog up and the sebum dries up, forming a thick scaly crust on the skin.
Alarming symptoms
Important! When yellow crusts form on the eyebrows and head of the baby, most often they do not cause itching and do not bother the baby. If they are present for a long time and tend to grow, they interfere with proper skin breathing, disrupt the functioning of the glands, can facilitate the penetration of bacterial and fungal infections and cause increased hair loss.
Symptoms become disturbing when:
- despite the fight against crusts, they are constantly re-formed;
- crusts appear in large numbers outside the head and hairline, for example, in the groin, on the buttocks, armpits or neck;
- the crust is extremely dense and hard;
- the baby is worried and scratches the places where the crusts appear;
- the skin turns red and rashes appear on it;
- the child's hair falls out;
- liquid appears in the area of the crusts, the skin in these places becomes warmer to the touch than other parts of it.
These signs may be evidence of allergies, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, fungal infection, which must be treated with specific agents.
Allergy on the forehead in a baby
Reasons for the appearance of crusts
Milk crust is a skin change in an infant that appears as thick white or yellow scales that resemble dandruff. Most often they are observed on the face: eyebrows, forehead and scalp. Other places are behind the ear, in the nasolabial folds, on the eyelids, in the groin, where the sebaceous glands function most intensively.
Although this phenomenon is quite common (in 76% of all infants), it does not occur in all newborns. For the first time, crusts appear in a one-month-old baby or a little earlier, but this can also happen in one-year-old children. There are many factors that determine why a baby's eyebrows turn red and flaky.
Important! It has been observed that crusts are most often formed in those babies who suffer from hypersensitivity of the skin, as well as those who are born in late spring and summer, that is, during the hot season, and are exposed to high temperatures.
Other reasons are:
- Genetic predisposition, but this factor is not well understood;
- If a newborn's eyebrows peel off, this may be caused by the use of potassium permanganate for bathing, which has a drying effect, or the frequent use of soap and shampoos;
Bathing a baby with soap
- Indoor air is too dry;
- Excessive production of sebum by the sebaceous glands;
- Using unsuitable baby cosmetics.
Parents' actions
It is better to remove the crusts immediately after they appear, since at first they can be barely noticeable, and then quickly grow and form a dense crust, which is much more difficult to remove. Although many experts do not see the need to do this and advise you to just wait until the problem disappears by itself (but this is not always the case).
Important! It is strictly forbidden to mechanically peel off the crusts from dry skin, since you can not only injure the delicate skin of the baby, but also introduce an infection.
What parents should do when a newborn's forehead and eyebrows peel off:
- First, you need to soften the crusts with regular baby oil, you can even simple olive or coconut oil. You need to notice how much time remains before bathing - it should be at least an hour. Lubricate all places where the scales appear. If they are on the scalp, then after applying the oil, put on a cap;
- Remove scales with a blunt comb or brush. You can use a soft toothbrush to remove crusts behind the ear and on the eyebrows. It is better to do this after shampooing your head, but you can also before washing;
Removal of crusts
- Thoroughly rinse off the scale-removed shampoo.
Important! After one procedure, all the scales will not be removed, it may need to be repeated.
Prevention of flaking
If the baby's eyebrows peel off and crusts form, it is not enough just to remove them, as they can form again. To prevent peeling, it is necessary to take preventive measures:
- Monitor the humidity in the room where the child is. It must be at least 70%;
Air humidification for babies
- It is important not to overheat the child, not to put on a hat when this is not necessary. In infants, the mechanisms of thermoregulation are not fully developed, and the body reacts to any overheating with an overly active work of the sebaceous glands;
- Nursing mothers need to exclude fatty and allergic-provoking foods from the diet;
- Even if there are no visible crusts, and there is no noticeable peeling, it is necessary to regularly take care of the baby's skin, lubricating it with baby oil and cream after bathing. You can also sprinkle baby powder, which absorbs sebum well and softens the skin.
Important! If the appearance of scales and peeling are associated with the use of children's cosmetics, you need to lubricate the problem areas with natural olive or almond oil, stop using cosmetics.
While seborrheic dermatitis is not a dangerous disease or the result of improper care, remember that failure to prevent and correct it can lead to serious problems. Bacteria and fungus like to settle on thick crusts. They can cause fungal infections and weaken hair roots.
