Infant skin problems: everything you need to know to take care of them

13/03/2025

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Camille A.

Your baby's skin is different from yours. Thinner and more permeable, it is still immature and particularly vulnerable to its environment. It is therefore normal for your baby to have some specific concerns during his first months of life.

Diaper rash, cradle cap, atopic dermatitis, or even baby acne... In this article, we discuss the most common skin conditions in babies. You will also find practical advice for taking care of your newborn's skin.

Skin that is still immature and fragile

At birth, the infant's skin is not as mature as adult skin. As it passes from the protected environment in utero to the outside air, it is put to the test and must adapt considerably to cope with a different environment .

Due to its immaturity , your newborn's skin has special characteristics¹²:

Reduced thickness : Infant skin is approximately 30% thinner than that of an adult, making it more vulnerable to irritation.
Less natural hydration : with 30% fewer moisturizing molecules and evaporation 2.5 times greater than adult skin, but also a reduced hydrolipidic film, infant skin has difficulty maintaining good hydration. This is why it is often dry, dehydrated and prone to discomfort.
Increased permeability : A baby's skin barrier is weaker than that of an adult, making it more vulnerable to irritation by external agents.
A skin microbiota in formation : at birth, the colonization of the skin by different microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, fungi, etc.) begins, which will play a major role in establishing the skin's natural defenses. During this colonization, the newborn's skin is easily subject to infections and inflammations .

Find out more about the characteristics of your baby's skin in our dedicated article: Everything you need to know about infant skin .

Infant Skin Concerns and Their Solutions

As you will have understood, your baby's skin is fragile ! Its immature state and its evolution after birth make it subject to various specific concerns . Although common, these skin conditions deserve special attention to ensure the comfort and well-being of your baby.

Diaper rash

Diaper rash is very common in newborns. This irritation of the diaper area (buttocks and groin folds) affects between 30 and 50% of children , especially between the ages of 6 and 12 months³ .

Causes of diaper rash
- Skin irritation from diaper friction .
- Prolonged skin contact with stool and urine promotes inflammation.
- The high humidity maintained in the layer.
- In some cases, the proliferation of certain yeasts (Candida) accentuates the phenomenon.
Associated symptoms
- Diffuse redness on the buttocks, lower back and genitals.
- Irritated , hot, sometimes oozing skin in case of infection.
- Bright red plaques .
- Small buttons .
- Discomfort and crying from your baby during changing.
Tips to Relieve and Prevent Diaper Rash
- It is important to change your baby's diaper regularly .
- When changing, gently clean and dry the skin, especially in the folds of the buttocks and thighs.
- Apply a protective and soothing cream , based on zinc oxide for example.
- Use gentle care without perfume or alcohol.
The Topicrem answer

To soothe your baby's irritations and diaper rash , discover the Diaper Cream from our BABY range . Its rich-textured formula, enriched with zinc oxide and prebiotics, soothes and prevents irritations while providing an insulating barrier effect. Baby is calmer and falls asleep more easily.

CROUTES-DE-LAIT-SUR-LE-SOMMET-DU-CRANE-DE-BEBE

Milk crusts

These benign crusts are very common in newborns. Also called infant seborrheic dermatitis , they mainly form on the scalp ⁴.

Causes of cradle cap

Cradle cap usually appears between 2 and 3 weeks after birth . It results from an overproduction of sebum associated with the presence of a yeast (Malassezia), and forms oily and scaly patches on the infant's skin.
Associated symptoms
- Thick , yellow-white crusts.
- Sometimes accompanied by redness .
- Mainly located on the top of the head , on the entire scalp. And can extend to the eyebrows , the wings of the nose or behind the ears .
Please note that cradle cap is not a problem for your child . It does not cause itching or pain.
Tips for treating cradle cap
- Seborrheic dermatitis does not require any special treatment .
- Wash your newborn's head with a very gentle treatment at each bath.
- Apply a very moisturizing and emollient treatment to soften the scales and facilitate their detachment.
- Favor the use of treatments specially designed to eliminate cradle cap because they generally have a keratoregulating action which promotes natural desquamation.
With proper care, cradle cap usually disappears within a few weeks .
If this is not the case, if they spread over the body or if they become infected, then it is necessary to consult your pediatrician .
The Topicrem answer

To treat your baby's cradle cap, discover the Cradle Cap Care from our BABY range . Its transformative gel-to-milk texture combines the benefits of a cleanser and a treatment. Rich in emollients and a keratoreducing agent , it eliminates scales in 3 days and rebalances the skin microbiome for a moment of care that helps calm baby.

Baby acne

Also called neonatal acne , infant acne affects about 20% of newborns . Transient, it appears in the first weeks of the child's life , then regresses spontaneously between 1 and 3 months. Little boys are more affected⁵.

Causes of Baby Acne

Rest assured, baby acne is not related to maternal acne during pregnancy . Neonatal acne is related to the withdrawal of maternal hormones at birth, triggering hormonal changes in your baby that cause excessive sebum production by the sebaceous glands.
Associated symptoms
- Mostly closed comedones , or whiteheads .
- Sometimes open comedones , or blackheads .
- More rarely, red papules , pustules , or even cysts .
- Located on the baby's face, mainly on the forehead and cheeks.
Tips for Treating Baby Acne

Usually, neonatal acne disappears on its own as the baby's hormonal system naturally evolves.
In the meantime, gently clean your baby's face with a very mild cleansing product.
The Topicrem answer

To gently cleanse your baby's skin, discover the Gentle Cleansing Gel from our Baby range which cleanses and moisturizes for 8 hours while preserving baby's fragile skin microbiome . A real moment of well-being during bath time.

Eczema or atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis affects about 20% of children before the age of 2 years ⁶. It is the most common skin disease in children , but can occur at any age. In infants, it can appear in the first few days after birth, or more commonly around the age of 3 months .

To learn more about atopic skin and how to take care of it, read our dedicated article.

Causes of atopic dermatitis

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, results from a genetic predisposition associated with an alteration of the skin barrier , making the skin more sensitive to external factors.
Associated symptoms
- Severe dryness of the skin (also called xerosis).
- Inflammatory, oozing or crusty red patches .
- Often located on the cheeks, arms and the creases of the knees and elbows.
- This may be accompanied by severe itching and pruritus .
Tips for treating atopic dermatitis in infants
- Eczema in infants requires pediatric management and monitoring . Treatment aims to reduce skin dryness , reduce and space out inflammatory flare-ups , and treat possible superinfections.
- Dermocorticoids are the standard treatments. They help to soothe inflammatory flare-ups .
- Antihistamines may be prescribed to your child depending on the symptoms and triggers of the inflammatory flare-ups.
- To combat dryness of your baby's skin, you can apply ultra-nourishing and emollient care . Lipid-replenishing ingredients such as vegetable oils, shea butter and beeswax will strengthen and protect the skin.
The Topicrem answer

To take care of your baby's atopic skin, discover DA PROTECT Emollient Balm which replenishes lipids and soothes scratching and itching from birth to put a smile back on your little one's face.

As you can see, your baby's skin is delicate and deserves all your attention. Sometimes impressive, the skin conditions that can affect it are, in the vast majority of cases, benign and transient . With an adapted care routine, your baby will regain soft and comfortable skin . Trust yourself.

If in doubt, do not hesitate to seek advice from a health professional (pediatrician, dermatologist) or your pharmacist. And remember: every baby is unique , you do your best to take care of him, and Topicrem accompanies you in this wonderful adventure.

TOPICREM formulas have all been designed to provide protective hydration and preserve the skin barrier of sensitive skin for the whole family.

To do this, the laboratory relies on its expertise derived from pharmaceutical excellence:

Selection of high tolerance ingredients with proven effectiveness,
Development of formulas clinically tested on sensitive skin,
Effectiveness proven by science and approved by consumers.

Through the comfort and emotional well-being they provide, our treatments help you feel confident in your skin and in yourself, to better reveal yourself to others, and thus to fully enjoy every moment of life.

Bibliographic references:

¹Telofski LS, Morello AP 3rd, Mack Correa MC, Stamatas GN. The infant skin barrier: can we preserve, protect, and enhance the barrier? Dermatol Res Pract. 2012;2012:198789. doi:10.1155/2012/198789. Epub 2012 Sep 4. PMID: 22988452; PMCID: PMC3439947.

²Schoch JJ, Monir RL, Satcher KG, Harris J, Triplett E, Neu J. The infantile cutaneous microbiome: A review. Pediatr Dermatol. 2019 Sep;36(5):574-580. doi:10.1111/pde.13870. Epub 2019 Jul 23. PMID: 31332846.

³Plantin, P. Amelline, M., Fleuret, C. Diaper dermatitis in infants. EMC – Pediatrics. 2014, Vol 9, pp. 1-5.

⁴Quéreux, G. Seborrheic dermatitis. EMC Dermatology Cosmetology. 2005, Vol 2, pp. 147-159.

⁵Cohen, BA Pediatric Dermatology. Paris: Editions Med'com, 2007. P. 273.

⁶Barbarot, S., Auziere, S., Gadkari, A., Girolomoni, G., Puig, L., Simpson, EL, Margolis, DJ, de Bruin-Weller, M., & Eckert, L. (2018). Epidemiology of atopic dermatitis in adults: Results from an international survey. Allergy, 73(6), 1284‐1293. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.13401