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A 24-year-old member asked:

My daughter has a dry skin in her legs it looks like a dry skin of a snake.is this normal for a 2 year old and how will i treat her skin/leg.?

2 doctor answers4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Marcus Degraw
Pediatrics 24 years experience
Yes, esp in winter.: Yes, especially true in the winter when air is cold and very dry. Moisture is key, but lotions evaporate quickly and need to be reapplied several times per day. Bathing daily at this age, can make this worse actually by stripping the moisture out. 2 year olds only need to bath every 2-3 days unless very dirty, etc. Then apply greasy moisture (vasoline or aquaphor) right after and daily.
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Dr. Cindy Juster
Pediatrics 38 years experience
See below.: No this isn't normal. It sounds like she has a form of eczema. There's a lot you can do to help her skin -- check out my tips on healthtap that are about eczema. If these suggestions don't clear up her skin completely, talk to her doctor about adding some prescription ointment, but keep following my skin care tips along with it. If you don't do the basics, the prescription won't help much.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Cindy Juster
Pediatrics 38 years experience
Provided original answer
By your description, that's what it is. Eczema is very common in kids, and it can look exactly like that. If it doesn't clear up completely with following good eczema skin care, please have her doctor see her. I hope things improve soon.
Jan 12, 2012
Last updated Mar 18, 2014

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