With the birth of a baby, many parents are faced with a number of problems that are associated with the very delicate and sensitive skin of the newborn. Diaper rash, prickly heat, irritation - this is not a complete list of troubles that can bother a baby.
Yes, and a nursing mother may encounter problems with the skin of her breasts, and especially her nipples. Cracked nipples in young, inexperienced mothers are far from uncommon!
In all these situations, both mother and baby need help. It is necessary to help the skin recover as quickly as possible, and ideally, also to prevent the occurrence of new problems.
This is where a wonderful skin care product for newborns and nursing mothers - Bepanten - comes to the rescue.
Bepanthen for newborns is a medicinal ointment, cream, lotion based on dexapanthenol.
Dexapanthenol is provitamin B5; when it enters the skin cells, it is activated and converted into pantothenic acid, which has a regenerating, moisturizing and some antibacterial effect on the skin.
All three forms are perfect for both newborn babies and people with skin problems (dry skin, damage to the epidermis, sunburn, etc.) and can be used both on dry skin and on open wounds, including getting wet.
What is the difference between Bepanten ointment, cream and lotion? And these forms differ in composition (various additional components that provide the necessary texture of the product), consistency and purpose.
Indications
Cracked nipples are a common occurrence, especially among new mothers who are new to breastfeeding. Damage occurs after initial attempts, while still in the maternity hospital. Bepanten is recommended for use in the following cases:
- Incorrect attachment of the baby, as a result of which the baby grasps the breast incorrectly with his mouth
- Insufficient breast hygiene
- Pathogenic viruses getting into cracks
- Lack of skills in using a breast pump
- Careless and sudden removal of the nipple from the child’s mouth.
Recommendations for use
The drug is made in Germany and is actively sold in domestic pharmacies. Requires careful storage in a dark place; a comfortable temperature is no more than 22 °C.
To become more familiar with this unique tool, you need to study the table presenting extended instructions for using Bepanten:
| COMPONENTS | The composition of Bepanten is based on dexpanthenol. There are auxiliary components that enhance the effect of dexpanthenol:
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| PHARMACHOLOGIC EFFECT | A product for external use, the main area of focus is improving traffic and regeneration of the skin. Allows you to speed up the healing process , normalizes the overall metabolism of skin cells. |
| CONTRAINDICATIONS | Well tolerated, the only contraindications include individual sensitivity to the components included in the base. |
| SIDE EFFECTS | Side effects are rare and may manifest as allergies. Most often, this deficiency occurs due to excessive use, that is, exceeding the optimal daily dosage indicated in the instructions. |
| RELEASE FORMS, AVERAGE COST | Available in the form of ointment and cream. The cost depends on the volume of the medicine in the tube. Approximate prices:
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| METHOD OF APPLICATION, PERMITTED DOSAGE | Apply a thin layer to the skin in the problem area, which is smoothly rubbed with massage movements. Repeat the procedure twice a day, morning and evening. |
| SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS | Technology of using a medicinal product for babies and women during lactation:
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Many consumers are dissatisfied with the excessively inflated price (the analogue of Bepanten ointment is cheaper). But this cost is justified by the high quality of the drug.
Compound
Mothers often ask specialists whether they need to wash off the cream before feeding. This is important, because not every woman knows how dangerous the situation is if the baby has eaten some part of the ointment.
To understand this issue, you can find out the properties of the components that make up Bepanten, since it is recommended to purchase it in advance and take it with you to the maternity hospital:
Cream:
- Dexpanthenol is the main active ingredient.
- Synthesized pantothenic acid, which is a mixture of 12 vitamins.
- Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether. At a concentration of less than 1% it is absolutely safe and is used as an antimicrobial element and preservative.
- Phosphate cetyl potassium is an antioxidant.
- Natural wax - lanolin to soften the skin.
- Isopropyl myristate is a substance that smoothes the epidermis and can serve as a dermatological agent.
- Glycolic propylene is a dispersant to maintain the consistency of the cream.
- Ethal and stearyl are fatty alcohols as solvents.
- Purified water.
Ointment:
- Dexpanthenol is the main active ingredient.
- Variable protegin mixture for preparing a paste composition.
- Beeswax and paraffin as softeners.
- Almond oil with nourishing and protective properties.
- Fatty alcohol compounds.
All components are absolutely safe and cannot harm the mother when used from the first days in the maternity hospital. In addition, there is no need to worry if the child eats a small part. When it gets into the mouth, Bepanten is practically not noticeable, since it has no taste, so you can leave it before breastfeeding or wash it off - it depends only on the desire of the mother.
What is Bepanten and what is its composition
Surely, you have heard a lot of different information about this drug, because Bepanten is considered the No. 1 remedy in the fight against skin irritations, various dermatitis, redness, damage, burns and other skin ulcers.
One of its main advantages is that it contains absolutely no fragrances, dyes or flavors, and therefore is completely safe for the health of newborns and nursing mothers. What is included in this miraculous remedy?
- Dexpanthenol (vitamin B5), which effectively restores damaged skin and mucous membranes, promotes active cell division and improves metabolism.
- Excipients that moisturize the skin and complement the healing effect of dexpanthenol: almond oil, lanolin, paraffin, protegin X, etc.
- Antiseptic substances (chlorhexidine) that disinfect affected areas of the skin.
Medicinal properties
When applied to the skin, Bepanten, when absorbed, releases acid, which is the main factor in the restoration processes. The substance belongs to coenzymes that stimulate regeneration and accelerate metabolic reactions. In the process of treating cracked nipples, a breastfeeding mother is provided with the following effects:
- Rapid healing of open wounds
- Skin softening
- Nipple healing
- Elimination of pain syndrome
- Tissue repair
- Prevention of cracking and dryness from the first days in the hospital
- Prevention of breast stretch marks
- Preventing thrush in a child.
Both forms are suitable for mothers - ointment and cream, so you can take any of them. The difference is only in fat content, the first option copes well with the healing of cracked nipples, the second – with dry skin.
Bepanten is instantly absorbed and combines with protein albumin and globumin in the plasma. The resulting acidic pantothene does not participate in the body's metabolic processes and is excreted unchanged.
Bepanten in the form of cream or ointment – which is better to choose for a newborn?
Both of these above forms are suitable for caring for the delicate skin of a newborn and treating any kind of damage to it. As a rule, the doctor prescribes the necessary dosage form for a newborn on a case-by-case basis.
We will just try to show you the differences between ointment and cream :
Directions for use for nursing mothers
Bepanten should be applied to the mammary glands after each lactation process for deep cracks in the nipples, and twice a day as a preventative measure.
There is no need to wash off the drug before applying to the baby. The drug is absorbed almost completely, but if some part gets into the newborn’s mouth, there is no need to worry, since the drug is harmless. Usually the baby takes the breast with the applied composition without problems.
If the cracks are deep and bleed, it is recommended to apply Bepanten in a thin layer before feeding and not rinse off. This will help make the lactation process more comfortable. Treatment is carried out for 7-10 days, but as a preventive measure the course can be extended.
Many mothers prefer to treat their nipples with soap, but excessive hygiene can be bad for the skin. Cosmetics dry out the epidermis too much, which leads to pain and worsening of the cracks. Therefore, it is not recommended to wash off the protective layer of Bepanten from the chest.
The drug is also useful for eliminating diaper rash and rashes in the baby. Before changing the diaper, wash and dry the skin and apply a thin layer of cream. Improvement occurs after the first use.
In addition, the ointment copes well with other injuries: burns, scratches, abrasions, insect bites. It can be used from the first minutes of being in the maternity hospital and before that, during pregnancy.
If cracks in the juices do not bother you, the product is used as a preventive measure against stretch marks, which is important for all mothers without exception. You can smear regardless of feeding, but it is better to apply in the morning and evening before bed; there is no need to rinse off. For greater effect, it is recommended to treat the breasts starting from the first days in the maternity hospital.
Bepanthen is ideal after episiotomy. The sutures are treated two to three times a day, which helps to get rid of pain and speed up the regeneration and healing processes.
Many mothers develop hemorrhoidal fissures. The cream promotes rapid tissue tightening and restoration, which is why it is recommended to take it with you to the maternity hospital.
What is the secret of popularity
A newly born baby is in a state of stress: he has just gone through a difficult birth process and now must adapt to completely new conditions. The only barrier protecting a small organism from an aggressive external environment is the skin. It reliably protects adults from the penetration of harmful bacteria and viruses, temperature changes and fluid loss. And the newborn’s skin is still:
- Very thin, only 1 mm thick, since the building cells are small in size.
- Always dry, due to imperfect functioning of the sweat and sebaceous glands.
- Exposure to adverse external factors, including active sunlight.
- Easily injured and infected due to the very loose upper layer of the epidermis.
Therefore, problems in the form of rashes, redness or peeling in the first days of life cannot be avoided. Bepanten ointment or cream will become that lifesaver that will help quickly, effectively and safely relieve painful symptoms of dermatological manifestations. The action of the drug is based on the property of children's skin, rich in capillaries, to actively absorb various substances. The magical composition of the product, which we have already discussed in the article “Bepanten” and its analogues, quickly penetrating deeply, has:
- regenerating;
- anti-inflammatory;
- pain reliever;
- softening:
- moisturizing effect.
Due to the absence of side effects, Bepanten can be used daily without fear of harming the baby.
15% of young mothers who have just started breastfeeding know firsthand what cracked nipples are. These are mechanical damage to delicate skin, which may be caused by incorrect latching of the baby, violation of pumping technology, lack of vitamins in the female body, or changes in the water and fat balance of the skin of the breast due to excessive or insufficient hygiene. The consequences of this problem are very serious, including the cessation of breastfeeding, since any touch to the nipple causes unbearable pain.
You need to start treatment immediately, otherwise there is a risk of inflammation, infection and the appearance of erosion or ulcers. Oddly enough, Bepanten will also help cope with this problem. To do this, after feeding you need:
- wash and dry nipples;
- apply the product in a thin layer;
- After some time, the ointment must be washed off, since the paraffin and wax that are part of the drug, when entering the baby’s body, cause digestive upset.
Analogs
There are few drugs whose action will be as effective and harmless as the properties of Bepanten:
D-Panthenol
Stada Arzneimittel, Germany Cost: Cream 5% 25 mg – 250-270 rubles, 50 mg – 300-330 rubles, Ointment 5% 25 mg – 350-370 rubles, 50 mg – 400-430 rubles.
A drug with regenerating, metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects. Helps replenish pantothene deficiency, necessary for tissue restoration and healing. The cream takes part in metabolic processes, synthesizes corticosteroids and porphyrins. In addition, the components have a beneficial effect on peristalsis, which allows for easy use for the treatment of women during lactation.
Intended to eliminate dry skin, heal cracked nipples, and helps with diaper rash and dermatitis in children. Effective for rapid tissue regeneration after surgery.
The drug is creamy in color with a uniform consistency and a faint odor of lanolin, packaged in metal tubes. The three-color cardboard box includes 1 tube with a perforated tip on the lid and instructions.
Advantages:
- Can be used from the first days of being in the maternity hospital
- Quickly heals cracks, abrasions and burns.
Flaws:
- Contraindicated for allergic reactions
- Quite a high cost.
Instructions for use
Although Bepanten is considered a safe product, it would be a good idea to consult a doctor before using it. It is he who will correctly select the form, dosage and duration of therapy.
Read the instructions carefully and strictly adhere to the recommendations in the future, as the success of the treatment depends on this:
- To prevent skin problems, choose a cream and apply it in a thin layer at the time of changing the diaper.
- Use ointment for treatment. First clean the affected areas and then apply the product as prescribed by your doctor. Leave the skin open until the substance is completely absorbed.
- If nipples are cracked or inflamed, treat them after feeding several times a day.
The drug does not cause an overdose and does not conflict with other drugs. The only contraindication is individual intolerance to the active substance, which can cause an allergic reaction.
With such an assistant in your home medicine cabinet, you will feel calm and confident and will overcome the difficulties of the first month of your baby’s life without panic.
Reliable protection for delicate baby skin
Babies' skin is very sensitive. Its delicate structure can be damaged by negative external factors, such as dry air in the room or a dirty diaper with which the baby’s skin regularly comes into contact. All this leads to the appearance of peeling, cracks, and diaper rash.
Children's Bepanten will help protect the baby's skin and keep the child comfortable.
The substance dexpanthenol has a regenerating effect - upon its contact with the skin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is produced. Cellular metabolism is activated, the level of collagen fibers increases, recovery and regeneration of skin cells and mucous membranes are accelerated.
This action, based on vitamin B5, makes Bepanten an indispensable and safe assistant for newborns. Dexpanthenol is a natural, hypoallergenic substance . When used correctly (without exceeding the permitted daily dosage), it is unable to cause irritation and an allergic reaction in the baby. Can be used from the first days of life.
After application to the child’s body, the drug is absorbed into the skin, converted into internal reserves of pantothenic acid. As a result, the baby’s skin is maximally moisturized and protected from external irritants. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect. Thanks to this, the child feels comfortable and does not experience negative feelings.
Most mothers use the drug to treat the baby's buttocks when changing a diaper. This will make the skin soft, protect against irritation and diaper rash, and give the newborn a feeling of calm.
In general, the list of indications for use is as follows:
- prevention, prevention of diaper dermatitis;
- treatment of dermatitis, elimination of diaper rash of the skin;
- acceleration of healing of microtraumas, abrasions, ulcers;
- getting rid of peeling and irritation of the skin;
- treatment of inflammatory processes;
- deep nutrition and hydration of children's skin.
The product is actively used before walks in the fresh air. Treatment of open areas of the body (cheeks, neck, arms) will help protect the child’s delicate skin from the negative effects of wind, frost, and sun.
