Do Children Need to Use Skin Products?

Deciding what skin products to put on your child’s skin begins at birth. Which diaper cream do you use? Which lotion and baby wash do you like best? As your child gets older, the choices in skin products can vary greatly. Now you can buy special face wash, moisturizer, and other products just for children. The problem, though, is deciding whether or not your children should use these skin products. Do they really need them, or is the beauty industry just trying to convince us that we should buy them?

The truth is that it’s usually a good idea to talk to your pediatrician about the skin products you want to use for your child. You’ll also want to test the skin products first before approving their use, to see if your child has a reaction to them. Sometimes the strangest things can cause children to have an allergic reaction. If your child does react negatively to a product, discontinue use and speak with your doctor about it at your next checkup. They may be able to recommend an alternative product.

For the most part, children shouldn’t use harsh skin products that are made for teenagers and adults. Until your children hit puberty, they aren’t likely to have any of the problems these things are made for, anyway. Because of this, they don’t need adult skin products to keep their skin healthy.

Ideally, any skin products you use on your child’s skin will be very mild and natural. The products won’t strip the natural oils from your child’s skin and cause you to need to moisturize it too often. Sometimes you can treat specific skin issues with products made just for children. Just be sure to read up on the skin products you’re putting on your child’s skin, so that you know the product doesn’t contain harsh ingredients.