Why does children's skin need daily moisturizing?

When you touch children's skin, it feels very soft. But did you know that behind this softness is a structure that is still developing?

When a baby is born, its skin barrier is not completely ready. Studies, such as those published in Pharmaceutics in 2022 e Experimental Dermatology 2023, show that children's skin continues to mature until they are around 6 years old. This means that, although it may seem resistant, a baby's skin is thinner, more sensitive and loses water more easily than that of an adult. That's why moisturizing children is part of the protection and healthy development of their skin.

Why baby's skin needs moisturizing?

Research has revealed something curious: baby skin, especially between 3 and 12 months of age, can have higher water levels than adult skin. Sounds contradictory, doesn't it? If it has more water, why does it need moisturizing?

The answer lies in retention capacity. A baby's skin absorbs water quickly, but it also loses water more easily. This happens for three main reasons:

• thinner barrier: the stratum corneum (outermost layer of skin) can be up to 30% thinner in babies;
• lower concentrations of lipids and natural moisturizing factors (NMF): these components help keep moisture inside the skin and are in shorter supply during childhood;
• greater transepidermal water loss (TEWL): because of these structural characteristics, children's skin loses water more quickly and is more vulnerable to drying out and the ingress of irritants.

In short: a baby's skin can hold water, but it can't hold it for long.

Why does skin become drier after the first few days of life?

Many parents notice that, in the first week of life, their newborn's skin looks slightly oily and then starts to dry out. There's an explanation for this. At birth, the baby still carries high levels of sebum, influenced by maternal hormones. In the first few months, this production drops dramatically and remains low throughout childhood, only increasing again at puberty.

Without this natural oiliness, the skin loses part of its protective “shield” and becomes more prone to dryness. This is when children's body moisturizers play a fundamental role: they help to replenish the elements necessary for the skin's integrity, which it cannot yet produce on its own.

Moisturizing also helps to treat skin conditions.

Daily moisturizing goes beyond preventing dry skin. According to evidence from a review published in the journal Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research (AAIR), the regular use of emollients from birth, especially in babies with an increased risk of skin disorders, can reduce the incidence of any disorder of this body structure.

By strengthening the skin barrier, moisturizers help prevent allergens and irritants from penetrating the small cracks in dry skin. As a result, the immune system tends to react less, which reduces inflammatory processes.

Does the pH of baby's skin make a difference?

It does, a lot! Adult skin has a slightly acidic hydrogen potential (pH) (between 5 and 5.5), which helps protect it against bacteria and harmful agents. Babies, on the other hand, are born with an almost neutral pH, close to 7, and it takes them weeks or months to develop the so-called “acid mantle”, which is part of the skin's natural protection.

Very alkaline products, such as some traditional bar soaps, can interfere with this process. That's why it's recommended to choose gentle cleansers and moisturizers with a physiological pH close to 5.5, as well as formulas containing ingredients such as ceramides, which help to strengthen the skin barrier.

How to moisturize children's skin?

A few simple precautions make all the difference in a child's hydration routine:

1. Apply moisturizer right after showering: with your skin still slightly damp, moisturizer helps “seal in” the water absorbed during the shower.
2. Moisturize daily: the ideal is to apply the product all over the body at least once a day. If your skin is drier, you can increase the frequency.
3. Prefer quick, lukewarm baths: very hot, long baths remove the little natural oil from your child's skin. The recommended time is between 5 and 10 minutes and use gentle cleansers (syndets).
4. Choose suitable products: prioritize moisturizers that mention characteristics such as “hypoallergenic”, “fragrance-free” and “physiological pH” on their labels. Ingredients such as dexpanthenol (provitamin B₅) and ceramides are important allies for strengthening the skin barrier.

Want to understand about factors that can affect skin health? Read the text about the impact of emotions on the skin.

More than just a cosmetic, body moisturizer is a daily care tool. It helps protect the skin against external aggressions, promotes healthier child development and reduces the risk of itching, irritation and allergies. A simple gesture, but one that has an important impact on the well-being of little ones.

Source:
https://e-aair.org/pdf/10.4168/aair.2025.17.1.32
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1933021923000132
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/14/2/433
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/exd.14843