A Family Approach to Dry Skin – When the Weather Outside is Frightful!
By: Cloe Allen, MS3 and Rebecca Unger, MD
A common pediatric year-round concern, though especially during the winter season, is how to care for dry skin in children of all ages. Dry air and cold weather, plus indoor heating that is the staple of Chicago winters, removes the moisture from children's skin. This change may be more noticeable in your child’s skin than your adult skin as children have thinner skin that loses hydration faster. Even without severe dry skin, or eczema, caring for children's skin in the winter provides important protection. Dry skin can often look like red, flaky, tight patches of skin that can be itchy and uncomfortable.
The more you moisturize your child’s skin, the easier it is to break a scratch – itch cycle. Therefore, by moisturizing several times each day, you can help reduce irritation, inflammation, and discomfort.
Below are some tips outlined by age group, though many tips for younger ages can be applied by older children too.
Practical Daily Skin Care Tips for Winter
Newborns and Infants (0-1 year)
Bathe at least 2–3 times per week, for maximum 5-10 minutes, using lukewarm water and mild, fragrance-free cleansers. Daily baths are helpful to rehydrate the skin.
After the bath, seal in the hydration with a fragrance free and lanolin free cream or ointment applied to damp skin. Using both a cream that provides moisture layered with an occludent that acts as a barrier to water loss, like a petroleum jelly product, can hydrate the skin better than just using one product.
This moisturizing routine should be repeated multiple times a day.
Toddlers and young children (1 year - 9 years)
Increase bath frequency to daily or every other day to introduce water back onto skin.
Follow-up the bath routine with a moisturizing routine as described above.
Apply moisturizer after handwashing to prevent excessive dryness.
Use additional creams before outdoor play or cold exposure.
Adolescents and teens (10-18+)
In addition to all the tips recommended for younger age groups, special considerations must be taken as hormonal changes can create a combination of dry and oily or acne prone skin.
Unless prescribed by a health care professional avoid harsh exfoliating facial cleansers for daily washing. Instead add a gentle facial cleanser to the routine.
Use non-comedogenic moisturizers on the face to balance hydration without worsening acne.
If using prescribed acne topical medication, ask your health care provider about the correct steps to layer medications and moisturizers for optimal efficacy of products.
Remember there is no bad weather just bad gear! So get out there and build a snowman or make a snow angel. And then come inside and enjoy a family hot chocolate.
References
HealthyChildren.org – Avoiding Dry Winter Skin in Babies and Remember that the more you moisturize your child’s skin, the easier it is to break a scratch – itch cycle. Therefore, by moisturizing several times each Toddlers. American Academy of Pediatrics.
American Academy of Dermatology – Winter Eczema Skin Care.
Fluhr JW et al. Mechanistic Insights Into Basic Emollients for Xerosis Cutis, International Journal of Dermatology (2025).
Augustin M et al. Optimization of Basic Emollient Therapy for the Management of Xerosis Cutis, International Journal of Dermatology (2025).