It is common knowledge that skincare routine should start during puberty because this is the age when an individual suffers from breakouts, acne, or blackheads due to hormones going crazy.

However, moisturizing baby products are now popping up everywhere, which poses the question: do babies need a skincare routine?

Daily Tribune reached out to Cammie Jimenez, brand manager of Johnson’s Baby, to get some answers because Johnson’s Milk + Rice is one of those bath products that stand out in supermarket shelves.

“We have specially designed these products with moisturizers to help keep babies’ skin nourished as they grow,” Jimenez said.

“Johnson’s Milk + Rice bath has natural milk and rice extracts to help skin feel soft and smooth. As baby skin loses moisture more quickly than adult skin, it still needs gentle care.”

Jimenez also emphasized that Milk + Rice is pH balanced and hypoallergenic, and tested with pediatricians.

But, of course, we need more answers to help us understand if skincare regimen should start as early as infanthood. Pediatric dermatologist Dr. Ma. Victoria C. Dizon was kind enough to answer Daily Tribune’s (DT) questions.

Daily Tribune (DT): What are the major differences between a baby’s and an adult’s skin?

Dr. Ma. Victoria C. Dizon (MVD): Baby’s skin is thinner and more sensitive compared to an adult’s skin. It also loses excess water faster.

DT: Why do babies need a skin care regimen? How important is this?

MVD: Infants have skin unlike that of older children and adults. Upon birth, the skin (which is likened to a protective wall or a roof of a house) is still immature on a structural and chemical level. It is thinner and cell structures are likewise not fully developed. A proper skin care regimen will fortify this immature skin so that it can withstand potential aggressors from the environment and likewise prevent water from within the skin from evaporating, creating dehydrated/dried-out skin. All these measures will potentially help prevent the skin from having rashes

DT: What are the most common skin problems that babies and toddlers experience, particularly in the Philippines, and how can we prevent this?

MVD: Environment-related factors like heat rash is of one of the most common issues we see in infants and toddlers. Another very common skin problem we encounter is contact dermatitis and drying of the skin due to the use of very strong soaps during bathing. This can be prevented by using mild gentle cleansers which will be pH-appropriate for the skin, especially in children.

DT: Why should we use a baby soap versus a regular bar soap?

MVD: Baby cleansers are skin-pH friendly (5.5 to 6.5) and do not contain harmful components/irritants to the skin.

DT: If the baby is suffering from rashes, skin inflammation and the likes, do we avoid baths?

MVD: Generally, avoiding baths may cause more harm than good. Hygiene is one of the contributing factors that will benefit skin healing.

DT: Are milk baths required for babies every day?

MVD: It will be ideal to consider milk baths as an option for use in bathing every day. The lactic acid component is an ingredient that will create moisture in the skin.

When we say skincare routine for babies, it turned out, it’s not the face that we are focusing on. Jimenez noted that Johnson’s Milk + Rice is recommended to be used mainly for the baby’s hair and body.

With this new information, mommies can now have an option to choose the best bath product for their babies — because loving them also means caring for their newborn skin.