Proper amount of bathing and moisturizing your baby may help prevent skin disease

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Parents may think theyre doing their babies a favor by bathing them frequently. But now doctors think that too much bathing and not enough moisturizing may increase the chances of eczema, a common skin disease.

At four months, Sabrina Bellach loves bathtime. So does her mom, Melissa. But that doesnt mean it should be a daily routine.

Our pediatrician definitely warned us when both our kids were bornfewer baths when theyre younger and make sure to take care of moisturizing their skin, said Melissa Bellach.

Pediatricians recommend no more than two or three baths a week so babys skin wont dry out. Yet one survey found babies are getting on average five baths a week. Bellach understands why some parents may be overbathing.

You worry about germs especially in the winter, and you want to keep your baby clean, she said.

But some researchers say frequent bathing may be contributing to more kids having eczema. It causes dry, itchy, irritated skin that can lead to infections and even hospital stays. Up to 20 percent of kids have eczema compared to three percent decades ago.

A new study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology finds too little moisturizing may also increase the chances of eczema. Babies who didnt get any moisturizer were about twice as likely to develop eczema as those who were moisturized daily.

Putting the moisturizer on right after you get out that seems to reduce the likelihood youll develop eczema to begin with, so thats very exciting, said Dr. Jay Portnoy, an allergy specialist at Childrens Mercy Hospital.

The doctor says its best to use lotions or creams with no fragrance.

Fragrances and things like that may smell nice, but they can be irritating to the skin, Dr. Portnoy said.

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Proper amount of bathing and moisturizing your baby may help prevent skin disease