Baby Eczema is a common condition, and while it may not be as prevalent as cradle cap or baby acne, you may find yourself in need of a Baby Eczema cream at some point in your child’s first year (and beyond). Regular baby lotions may not be enough to take care of the problem and that’s where the best baby eczema creams come in. Scary Mommy reached out to Elizabeth Mullans, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Uptown Dermatology in Houston, Texas, to get answers. “Always choose a product that is designed for babies, ensuring it’s fragrance-free and hypoallergenic,” says Dr. Mullan. “Just because a cream is organic or natural, it doesn’t guarantee it’s hypoallergenic.”
What are the causes of baby eczema?
While eczema occurs in approximately 10 to 20% of babies, the environmental causes for it can vary (although it also tends to run in families). “Causes stem from flare-ups due to skin contact with soap, shampoo, pollen, or other irritating substances,” says Dr. Mullen.
What should you do if your baby has eczema?
“Parents can treat the problem at home by avoiding long, hot baths,” says Dr. Mullan. “Moisturize the baby’s skin frequently with fragrance- and dye-free ointments, creams, and lotions. I recommend using a mild, fragrance-free detergent such as Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free and Clear when washing baby’s clothes and linens to avoid further irritation to the skin.”
How should you choose a baby eczema cream?
All of the baby eczema creams featured below are hypoallergenic and created specifically for babies. (To be extra cautious, you may want to do a patch test on a small area of your little one’s skin first.) When a product has received a Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association, we’ve noted it in the description.
When should you call the pediatrician?
Sometimes a baby eczema cream will solve the problem, but it’s not always enough, as Dr. Mullan explains. “If the above measures are not working and you begin to notice crusty patches on baby’s skin, it is time to see a doctor, because if it goes untreated, it will get worse. A doctor will be able to prescribe something to help with this.”
Here are the nine best baby eczema creams to soothe and moisturize your little one’s dry, irritated, itchy skin.
Best Cream For Eczema
Baby Dove Eczema Care Soothing Cream
Dove’s “Baby Dove” line features products that are mild, gentle, and hypoallergenic — including this baby eczema cream, which is designed for newborns and up. It contains ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, dimethicone, and shea butter to soothe and protect skin and to create a 24-hour moisture barrier. The product is free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, dyes, steroids, and fragrance. Plus, it’s earned the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association (NEA).
CeraVe Baby Moisturizing Cream
CeraVe’s gentle baby eczema cream is formulated to be hypoallergenic. It contains dimethicone to protect and soothe chafed, chapped, and cracked skin, and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and help retain moisture. (Yes, it’s the same ingredient you’ll find in serums you use on your own face.) The cream is free of parabens, phthalates, dye, and fragrance. CeraVe gets its name from the three essential ceramides (1, 2, and 6-II) that all of its products contain; they help restore and maintain our skin’s natural barrier. This cream has earned the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association, and it comes backed by nearly 5,000 perfect five-star reviews on Amazon.
Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief Body Creme
I’m a huge fan of the grown-up version of this baby eczema cream, Eucerin Eczema Relief Cream. And it looks like this one formulated for baby works just as well, as it has almost 8,000 5-star reviews! Designed for babies aged three months and older, the cream hydrates for 24 hours and contains natural oatmeal, Ceramide 3, and licorice root to relieve minor irritation and dryness and soothe itchy skin. It’s fragrance-, dye-, paraben-, and steroid-free.
Best Organic Eczema Cream for Babies
Era Organics Superbalm
It’s easy to see why this product has earned more than 6,000 perfect, five-star reviews on Amazon. This hypoallergenic baby eczema cream is cruelty-free and also free of phthalates, petrolatum, mineral oil, fragrances, alcohol, and parabens. It contains USDA Certified Organic ingredients such as chamomile, coconut oil, cocoa butter, avocado oil, and sunflower oil. In addition to eczema, Era Organics recommends the product for cradle cap, rashes, hives, and other skin problems. (If your baby has a rash or hives, it’s best to call your pediatrician first.)
Emollient Cream for Baby
Mustela Stelatopia Emollient Cream
Made in France, this hypoallergenic emollient cream for baby eczema comes from the family-owned brand Mustela. The gentle formula is fragrance-free, steroid-free, and free of parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol. It hydrates and protects a baby’s skin, and it relieves irritation and itching with ingredients like avocado perseose and sunflower distillate. The cream is safe to use from birth and has received the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association.
Anti-Itch Cream for Babies with Eczema
Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Nighttime Balm
This balm is a little different from other baby eczema creams in that it’s designed to be applied at bedtime to moisturize your baby’s skin through the night (though whether they sleep through it is another story!). The fragrance-free, hypoallergenic balm is free of steroids, parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol and received the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance. With colloidal oatmeal and ceramides, this product soothes and moisturizes itchy and irritated skin and it helps repair its moisture barrier — without any greasy feeling.
The Honest Company Eczema Cream Soothing Therapy
Products from The Honest Company don’t contain any ingredients from their 2,500-item Honest Beauty NO List, including parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, petrolatum, phenoxyethanol, and silicones. Using colloidal oatmeal, prebiotics, coconut oil, and safflower oil, this hypoallergenic eczema cream — which has earned the NEA’s seal of acceptance — helps relieve your baby’s skin irritation and was found to effectively reduce skin dryness after three weeks of use. Bonus: The Honest Company’s products are cruelty-free and are made with a focus on sustainability and social responsibility.
Cetaphil Baby Eczema Soothing Lotion
Cetaphil may be best known for their ever-popular Gentle Skin Cleanser, but the company makes great baby products, too. This gentle, hypoallergenic baby eczema cream has received the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association and contains colloidal oatmeal, ceramide NP, shea butter, and other ingredients to hydrate skin and relieve itching. The fragrance-and paraben-free cream is safe to use on babies aged three months and older. Fans love the easy-to-use pump.
MG217 Baby Eczema Moisturizing Cream and Skin Protectant
I can’t seem to find any info on what MG217 actually stands for, but that’s less important than the fact that this baby eczema cream has earned almost 800 five-star reviews. It’s also received the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. The hypoallergenic cream is fragrance-free, steroid-free, and paraben-free. Ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, avocado oil, and shea butter moisturize your baby’s skin and relieve skin irritation and itching without any stinging.
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