Condition guide

Baby Eczema: A Gentle, Fragrance-Free Skincare Guide for Parents

Baby eczema is common and manageable. Here's how to bathe, moisturise and choose products for delicate skin, what to avoid, and when to see your GP.

What it is

Baby eczema (infant atopic dermatitis) shows up as dry, red, itchy patches, often on the cheeks, scalp and the creases of elbows and knees. It is very common, usually improves with age, and responds well to a gentle, consistent routine.

The basics that help most

What to avoid

Fragrance and “unscented” products with masking scent, bubble baths, baby wipes with preservatives like methylisothiazolinone, wool next to skin, and overheating.

When to see your GP

If the skin is weeping, crusted or looks infected, if your baby is very distressed or not sleeping, or if a gentle routine is not helping, see your GP or health visitor. They can prescribe treatments and check for triggers.

Tools that help

To check a product, a free browser extension like Clearya flags ingredients of concern automatically as you shop online, and SkinSAFE lets you filter a product catalogue to screen out the ingredients you are avoiding and other allergens. These rate a product on general criteria rather than against your own list.

Once you know what you are screening for, a personal-list app like ClearaScan lets you save the ingredients you react to once and scan any product to flag only your triggers. It also keeps a Reaction Journal for flare-ups, a shared Care Circle so family or carers can scan for you, and a Trusted Products list for items you have cleared, and it is currently in early access. (Disclosure: our editor co-founded ClearaScan, and we are not paid to mention the others.)

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A note on this content. The Sensitive Skin Lab publishes general educational information, not medical advice. If you suspect you have an allergy or sensitivity, consult a qualified dermatologist or allergist. Product formulations and labels change without notice, so always check the ingredients on the product itself.