In my very first blog post, I mentioned that the idea of Bubbsi came about when my daughter Juhi suffered from eczema as a newborn. As a winter baby, her skin was constantly dry and irritated but organic coconut oil helped to calm it. Thankfully, we’ve now gone 2 more winters with clear, happy skin.

I didn’t realize that warm weather could also cause eczema flare ups in some kids until we started getting great customer reviews from hot locations like Texas describing how our Bubbsi Moisture Duo helped soothe their skin. It turns out that for some kids, eczema is actually more of a problem in warmer weather.  

Here are some contributing factors that can add to skin irritation during the summertime as well as our overall best practices for reducing flare ups in the summer!

 

What causes summertime skin irritation?

1. Heat & Sweat

Eczema flare ups in the summer can be triggered when the skin’s surface temperature rises. The hot weather and heat dehydrates the skin and dries out its barrier, reducing its ability to protect skin from bacteria, irritants, and allergens. Furthermore, sweating is the body's natural defense mechanism for keeping cool. However, sweat contains trace elements like zinc, copper, and iron that can irritate sensitive skin. Regulating body temperature is important in taming eczema in summer months, but leaving sweat on the skin can cause irritation.

Our tips: Hydrate frequently to help the body regulate its temperature! A well hydrated child has the resources to keep their body cool. Additionally, rub-a-dub-dub your bub after a sweaty play-time or day in the sun. This ensures you get sweat and any other irritants off skin.  Wash with a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser like our Shampoo + Wash.  After the tub, moisturize with a rich cream like our Bubbsi Body Cream while skin is clean and damp to lock in the hydration.

  

2. Swimming

My kids spend all summer in the pool and unfortunately, constant exposure to water dries out the skin. It’s common practice to wash off after every swim; however, as I’ve mentioned in this previous blog article, this can strip the skin of natural oils and hydration. Additionally, pool or sea water could contain irritants that further bother skin. All bodies of water, natural or man-made, have different chemicals or anti-bacterial mixes within them that skin reacts differently to. The combined effect can lead to itchy and irritated skin.

Our approach: Soak, soap, and seal. It’s okay to soak in the pool or sea, but do so in moderation. As we mentioned in tip one, rinse off any possible irritants with gentle soaps and don’t forget to seal in the hydration of a clean bath with proper moisturization.

 

3. Seasonal Allergies

Even with spring past, you and your bub might still find yourself sneezing and sniffling as pollen from weeds and grass is common in the summer.  If these allergens irritate your nose, they may also happen to irritate your skin. This is why eczema flare ups come hand-in-hand around the things that cause your other allergies. The very same allergens that trigger a runny nose or scratchy throat are also left on the skin, causing inflammation on contact.

Our tip: Treating allergy symptoms can help alleviate eczema. Manage overall allergies with OTC medications (we use Zyrtec for Kids) or consult your pediatrician, as eczema can occur as a part of overall allergy flare ups.

 

4. Sunscreen

Sunscreen provides an extra layer of protection between skin and potentially harmful UV rays. However, we all know sensitive skin reacts differently to different things, and sunscreen is no exception. Some sunscreens contain chemicals that seep deep into the skin and can cause an allergic reaction. Sunscreen can also cause irritation in some people because of photoallergic contact dermatitis, a skin reaction that happens in response to the sun activating allergens in sunscreens, perfumes, and medications.  

What we recommend: Each bub and their skin is unique so if you’re having irritation, be sure to test different sunscreens to see which works best for you and your family. When shopping for sunscreen, the National Eczema Association recommends looking for products that contain mineral blockers like Titanium Dioxide or Zinc Oxide. These ingredients sit on top of your skin, causing less irritation (more info on choosing sunscreens to come soon!).

5. Clothing

As body heat rises with the temperature, certain fabrics play a large role in skin irritation. Synthetic moisture-wicking clothing, often used in exercise apparel, is made to absorb sweat into the cloth. The fabric, though, is often rough enough to irritate eczema. Tight synthetics like polyester or spandex around waistlines, necklines or cuffs are also best left in the closet as constant rubbing of these materials against the body can further irritate the skin.  

Our tip: Uptight clothes are no fun. Befriend light-colored, loose-fitting, natural cotton clothing instead! Clothes such as these allow for your little one to sweat and play while their skin can breathe, unlike their synthetic counterparts. We love the quality & softness of Lark Adventurewear’s UPF 50 bamboo clothing, pictured above!

 

Mamas truly do look out for one another! If you want to learn more about how Bubbsi can aide eczema ouchies, here’s some first-hand experience from other parents who have found great results for their bubs using our Bubbsi Moisture Duo:

"Let me tell you - this formulation is absolutely PERFECT! It's not even been a week of using the duo, and I can already tell a huge difference in my son's skin. I was using [another brand] for months with little improvement, but after using Bubbsi for only a few DAYS, his eczema patches are nearly gone!” - Sonya

"My daughter has extreme eczema coupled with skin allergies. Her skin is always having some kind of reaction, whether it be from allergies or from being too dry. Bubbsi is truly the best lotion and moisturizing cream I have ever used on her skin. It does the trick like nothing else. We use the blue bottle in place of [another brand] or [another brand] and use the white one as an all over moisturizer, both after bath time. Thanks Bubbsi for a great product!” - Larisa

The summer skincare summary? A happy summer babe is one that’s clean and well moisturized. Shop the cutest duo in skincare here!

 

Header image source: Unsplash