Newborns look wrinkled: natural or not?

The newborn baby looks so calm, fragile, but adorable. After the birth of a baby, parents would love to look at and pay attention to the figure of their little son or daughter. So, have you ever wondered why newborn skin looks wrinkled or folds? Isn't it common for the elderly to get wrinkled skin?

Every baby is born with different conditions. Some babies are born with smooth, wrinkle-free skin. Meanwhile, there are also babies born with wrinkled skin. What does it mean if a baby is born with wrinkled skin? Check out the full answer below.

What should a newborn baby look like?

Usually, newborns have pink, red, purplish, or even blue skin on certain body parts such as the feet and hands. The skin layer is still very thin so you can clearly see the veins and blood vessels of your baby. No need to worry, this is normal. Within a few weeks, your baby's skin will be strong and thick enough to protect it.

Why does newborn skin appear wrinkled?

Some babies are born with skin that is wrinkled, like wrinkles in adults. This is because even though the structure of the skin is perfect, the newborn's skin is still protected with a layer called vernix caseosa. This layer serves to protect the baby's skin in the womb. In newborn skin, this layer makes the skin appear wrinkled. However, within a few days this protective layer will peel off on its own. Usually this layer will also be washed away when the baby is bathed for the first time.

Babies born under normal weight are more likely to have wrinkled skin. Thus, babies born prematurely have more of this problem than babies born at term. However, this is normal so you don't need to worry. As long as your baby looks healthy, creases or wrinkles in his skin do not indicate a particular abnormality or defect. If your baby is able to eat and drink breast milk smoothly, he will gain weight. After gaining weight, over time the skin will become smoother and more supple.

Caring for newborn skin

Because newborns have sensitive and fragile skin, you may feel nervous about caring for them. Especially if the newborn's skin looks wrinkled. All you need to do is make sure the skin is always clean and sufficiently moisturized. When bathing your baby, make sure you don't miss washing every fold of the skin so that no dirt or germs build up. In addition, babies usually feel wrinkled skin dry. Then, you can apply baby oil thin it on the skin after showering to keep it moist.

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