Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy It’s NormalSkin ConditionsAt-Home Treatments

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Why It’s Normal

Skin Conditions

At-Home Treatments

Normal skin peeling in newborns usually stops within a few weeks after birth. If it persists, it’s worth mentioning to your child’s healthcare provider.

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Closeup instep or foot of a newborn with a skin peeling on white cloth. Skin allergies in newborn called Vernix. the concept of health care and medical.

Normal Causes of Newborn Skin Peeling

What to Know About a Stork Bite

Most babies will experience some degree of peeling skin, so there’s no need to see your healthcare provider right away. However, it’s possible that peeling could be due to a skin condition that should be evaluated.

If you notice that your little one seems uncomfortable and is itching or in pain, see your child’s healthcare provider.

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Baby with dermatologic problem Cradle Cap Seborrheic Dermatitis

Cradle Cap

If your infant’s scalp is flaking, it may be a sign of cradle cap, also known asseborrheic dermatitis.

Cradle cap is common in the first three months of life. Like normal peeling skin, it usually resolves on its own.

If it starts to get worse or lasts longer than a few months, talk with your pediatrician.

Diego Cerro Jimenez / Getty Images

Closeup of the face of a newborn baby with pimples on the cheeks due to accumulation of keratin.

Eczema

Eczemais a skin condition that causes skin peeling, but it also results in red, dry patches of skin. Known as atopic dermatitis, eczema often begins before 6 months of age.

How to Treat Toddler Eczema

This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from © DermNetdermnetnz.org2023.

This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo

This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.

Harlequin ichthyosis

Reproduced with permission from © DermNetdermnetnz.org2023.

Ichthyosis

Newborns with ichthyosis are usually cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and placed in a high-humidity chamber. Babies usually need extra calories since this sloughing process requires a lot of energy. Their medical team may recommend extra feedings throughout the day.

This rare condition puts infants at risk of infection, and they will continue to be monitored in the NICU until they are stable.

At-Home Carefor Newborn Skin Peeling

Peeling skin is a normal process for newborns and usually resolves on its own within a few weeks.At-home care to avoid dry skinmay be helpful. You can also try using a hypoallergenic moisturizer.

Does breastmilk help newborn’s dry skin?

Summary

Most newborns will experience peeling, flaky skin after birth. The peeling usually clears up on its own without the need for lotion or any other intervention.

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Stanford Medical.Newborn Nursery: Skin.Kids Health.Looking at Your Newborn: What’s Normal.John Hopkins Medicine.Newborn Skin 101.National Eczema Association.Eczema in Children.Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types.Ichthyosis Care.Witkowska-Zimny M, Kamińska-El-Hassan E, Wróbel E.Milk Therapy: Unexpected Uses for Human Breast Milk.Nutrients. 2019;11(5):944. Published 2019 Apr 26. doi:10.3390/nu11050944

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Stanford Medical.Newborn Nursery: Skin.Kids Health.Looking at Your Newborn: What’s Normal.John Hopkins Medicine.Newborn Skin 101.National Eczema Association.Eczema in Children.Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types.Ichthyosis Care.Witkowska-Zimny M, Kamińska-El-Hassan E, Wróbel E.Milk Therapy: Unexpected Uses for Human Breast Milk.Nutrients. 2019;11(5):944. Published 2019 Apr 26. doi:10.3390/nu11050944

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Stanford Medical.Newborn Nursery: Skin.Kids Health.Looking at Your Newborn: What’s Normal.John Hopkins Medicine.Newborn Skin 101.National Eczema Association.Eczema in Children.Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types.Ichthyosis Care.Witkowska-Zimny M, Kamińska-El-Hassan E, Wróbel E.Milk Therapy: Unexpected Uses for Human Breast Milk.Nutrients. 2019;11(5):944. Published 2019 Apr 26. doi:10.3390/nu11050944

Stanford Medical.Newborn Nursery: Skin.

Kids Health.Looking at Your Newborn: What’s Normal.

John Hopkins Medicine.Newborn Skin 101.

National Eczema Association.Eczema in Children.

Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types.Ichthyosis Care.

Witkowska-Zimny M, Kamińska-El-Hassan E, Wróbel E.Milk Therapy: Unexpected Uses for Human Breast Milk.Nutrients. 2019;11(5):944. Published 2019 Apr 26. doi:10.3390/nu11050944

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