How to Protect Your Baby's Skin Microbiome

After your baby is born, their skin microbiome begins to develop. This microbiome is a complex and diverse ecosystem of microorganisms found on the skin. These include bacteria, fungi, viruses, and even tiny skin mites. By the time your baby turns one year old, their skin microbiome will have reached its adult state. That first year is a crucial development period. An unbalanced or damaged skin microbiome can result in health complications in their first year and later in life. These complications aren’t limited to skin conditions either — the microbiome teaches the body which cells to fight and which are safe, which helps build your baby’s immune system.

Some factors that influence your child’s microbiome are out of your control, including age, sex, and environment. However, you can control what goes on your baby’s skin. Everything the skin comes in contact with, including detergents, soaps, lotions, wipes, and diaper care products influence the skin microbiome. Products that cause an imbalance of the microbiome can actually cause diaper rash, even if they claim to do the opposite. Luckily, we’ve gathered the best guidance for health-conscious parents who want to take the best care of their child’s skin.

Avoid strong antibacterial products

You may be attracted to baby and diaper care products that boast antibacterial properties. However, these products kill the good bacteria along with the bad, disrupting the balance of the skin microbiome. Even antibiotic medications, which help cure bacterial infections, can lead to unwanted fungal infections. Babies also need to maintain the integrity of their skin microbiome in order to develop healthy immune responses and avoid developing skin conditions and allergies. For example, this is why doctors recommend delaying your little one’s first bath after they are born. It’s also why doctors advise against daily bathing of babies. The presence of bacteria teaches the body what to fight off and what to keep. Without these ingrained responses, the skin loses its ability to function properly.

Use products that are certified microbiome-friendly

These days, more and more products are labeled with claims like “all-natural” and “microbiome-friendly”. While skin microbiome-friendly products are becoming increasingly popular, there is little regulation and testing that can actually prove the accuracy of those statements. Whether unintentional or intentional, the majority of baby care products on the market have antibacterial properties. These interfere with a healthy skin microbiome by killing off essential microorganisms and good bacteria. Without proof, customers have no way of knowing whether the products they purchase are safe for their babies’ skin microbiota.

Luckily, MyMicrobiome has developed the first microbiome certification test for cosmetic products, including baby care products. This test assesses the influence of a product on the skin’s microbiota and concludes whether it is safe or not for the microbiome. Once a product passes the MyMicrobiome test, it’s permitted to carry the seal of “Microbiome-friendly”.

What criteria determine a product’s microbiome test results?

According to the MyMicrobiome website, the test assesses 4 key areas:

1. Is the product free from contamination, e.g. germs or fungi not supposed to be in the product?
2. Are bacteria specific to the area of the body the product will be in use at able to grow unharmed?
3. Is the variety of the microbiome preserved in the presence of the product?
4. Is the skin balance disturbed by the product because of the suppression of protecting bacteria and the fostering of harmful bacteria?

Across tests, products receive a score of 1-3. If the average score of a product is 2 or less, then it receives the “Microbiome-friendly” distinction.

NOLEO Diaper Care is certified microbiome-friendly for infant skin

NOLEO 3-in-1 Diaper Rash Cream received an overall test score of 1.6 and was awarded with the “Microbiome-friendly” seal of quality. We’ve set the standard for microbiome safety, as other diaper care products have yet to achieve this distinction. And when you’re dealing with sensitive infant skin, you want the gentlest and safest products that you can find.

We use 5 organic ingredients that are gentle on baby’s skin and safe for their skin microbiome, unlike other baby products that use fragrances, alcohols, preservatives, and grapefruit seed extract, just to name a few. That’s the NOLEO® difference.

Shop NOLEO 3-in-1 Diaper Care and protect your baby’s skin microbiome at www.noleocare.com/pages/shop-noleotoday.

Sources:

https://www.mymicrobiome.info/mymicrobiome-standard-testing-products-microbiome-friendly.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535073/