Eczema is a common skin rash that often shows up on a baby's face, but it can appear on other body parts as well. The face of a little baby is very delicate, and it is exposed to the wind and weather. For these reasons, treatment of the face can be a little different than treatment of rash on other body parts.

One reason that eczema appears on a baby's face is that the baby dribbles milk. The moisture causes the rash to appear. Either too much moisture or too much drying wind and air can cause a flare-up of baby eczema. These are both common conditions for the face. Sometimes dribbled milk or crumbs get caught in plump wrinkles around the neck and under the chin, so if your baby has eczema, you might want to take special pains to make sure those areas are cleansed and treated with baby cream. Another good idea is to have moisturizer or petroleum jelly nearby the place where you feed your baby to use as a barrier before feeding them.

Babies who have eczema on their face need special treatment when you put them down to bed for the night. Get a pair of cotton mittens and use them on the baby's hands so that she cannot scratch her rash during the night. Be sure to also keep her nails cut short. Be careful when clipping nails, though. It is easy to hurt one of those wiggly little fingers when cutting nails. Apply a gentle moisturizing baby cream to the rash before bed and at least three other times during the day.

You may need to use hydro-cortisone cream occasionally, but should not use a stronger ointment than one percent on a baby's face. Look for 0.5 percent cortisone to be even safer. Cortisone helps stop itching and helps heal the rash, but can cause thinning of the skin if used too often, so save it for serious outbreaks.

For the body, cleanliness and keeping comfortably cool are both very important. Bathing should be done in a lukewarm bath, but should be brief. Slather on the moisturizer after patting the skin dry. Use cortisone if necessary or if recommended by your doctor. Pay attention to the type of clothing you put on your baby as well as how warm his room is. A humidifier can make a big difference. Avoid very warm clothes, such as those blanket sleepers made of acrylic blanket material. Babies can get overheated in them, making eczema worse. Cotton and other breathable soft fabrics are best.