Do you have a baby? If yes, maybe you will found that your baby get acne in his/her face. Baby get acne (also known as neonatal acne) on a newborn’s skin. It can occur anywhere on the face but mostly on the nose, cheeks and forehead. It is common and temporary so don’t panic if your baby get acne. It can last for weeks or even months on baby’s skin.It tends to occur at about the same age as the baby’s peak gas production and fussiness. Parents are often quite concerned both about how these bumps look and about their significance.
The acne are often caused by exposure in the womb to maternal hormones. There’s common acne in your baby such as :-
1. Pink pimples – caused by exposure in the womb to maternal hormones.
2. Erythema toxicum – it looks like red blotches with ill-defined borders that are slightly raised. May have a small white or yellow dot in the center.
3. Dry, peeling skin – can be seen in almost all normal babies but mostly to babies born a little late. The underlying skin is perfectly normal, moist and soft.
4. Little white bumps on the nose and face – caused by blocked oil glands. When a baby’s oil glands enlarge and open up in a few days or weeks, the white bumps disappear.
5. Salmon patches – simple nests of blood vessels that fade on their own after a few weeks or months. Occasionally, stork bites never go away.
6. Jaundice – yellow coloration on your baby’s skin and eyes. It is caused by an excess of bilirubin.
7. Mongolian spots – common in any part of the body of dark skinned babies. They are flat, gray-blue in color and can be small or large. They are caused by some pigment that didn’t make it to the top layer when baby’s skin was being formed.
8. Cradle cap– often shows up at 1-2 months of age. Greasy, yellowish crusts appear on the scalp and may include a red, irritating rash on the face, on the neck, behind the ears and even in the armpits.
9. Eczema – red, itchy patches on the skin. It is often seen on the baby’s chest, legs, arms, elbows, face and behind the knees. It’s caused by dry, sensitive skin and sometimes allergies.
Prickly heat – looks like small red bumps, mostly on areas of your baby’s body like the neck, diaper area and armpits.
10. A fungal infection – can show up in different ways on your baby. A fungal infection loves moist, dark areas.
The acne will be most prominent when the baby is hot or fussy (increased blood flow to the skin) or when his/her skin is irritated. Gently cleanse his/her face once a day with water and perhaps a mild baby soap. Oils and lotions do not help and may aggravate the condition.
WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
As I’ve mention above, baby acne is only temporary but you need to consult your baby’s doctor if the acne not clears up after four months. Your doctor may prescribe a mild medicine to help. The oil glands will disappear until he/she become a teenager.
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