It is normal for an infant to have baby acne. It is a condition that may be present at the time of birth or during the first three or four months of the baby’s life. Baby acnes are often referred to as Neonatal Acne. They can manifest as whiteheads and red patches that can be seen on the chin, forehead, and cheeks or sometimes, even the back. It persists for more than a few weeks. One good thing about baby acne is that it is harmless unlike the acne that you get in your adolescent years. Plus, it is easy enough to understand how to cure baby acne.
To many parents’ dismay, their beautiful newborn’s face breaks out with red bumps at around 3 to 4 weeks of age. This is called baby acne. It tends to occur at about the same age as the baby’s peak gas production and fussiness. How attractive! (This all coincides with parents’ maximum sleep deprivation.) Parents are often quite concerned both about how these bumps look and about their significance.
Baby acne is most often caused by your hormones, and may appear anytime from birth to when the baby is a few weeks old. The condition usually clears up on its own by the time the infant it about six months old. But if you want to try to speed up the process, here are a few baby acne tips and other things you should know. Here’s how to get rid of acne:
Baby Acne: What is it?
The acne will more than likely appear around when your baby is three to four weeks old and last anywhere from a few weeks to off and on for six months. Monkey is three weeks, so they were spot-on there. As far as the cause, from what I can tell, no one is truly sure of the exact cause of baby acne. Some say it’s the hormones, some say it’s increased oil production in the face, some say it’s from the skin reacting to being out in the open, and some say it’s from being kissed too much all over the face by their grandparent wearing too much lipstick.
So it sounds like baby acne is very similar if not the same acne some of us experienced during or around the high school age. Of course, they always appeared at the worst times: before a big date, the day of your yearbook photos, prom, etc. And poor Monkey has bad timing too.
Causes For Baby Acne:
Talking about the causes of acne, it is very difficult to single out a specific reason for the occurrence of acne in babies. According to the experts, the hormones received by the baby from his/her mother at the end of the pregnancy period causes acne to occur. However, this might not be the only reason for the problem.
Researchers also believe that certain medications that are taken by the mother or the baby can also trigger the emergence of acne. Viral illnesses and allergic reactions are also factors that can lead to acne. Others believe that baby acne can be aggravated by milk formula or the spit-up coming in contact with the skin. Irritants including, rough fabrics or fabrics laundered in strong detergent, can also lead to acne in babies.
What are The Symptoms of Baby Acne?
Fleshy or red pimples occur predominately on the cheeks, but are also quite common on the forehead and chin. Whiteheads are sometimes present.
The acne will be most prominent when the baby is hot or fussy (increased blood flow to the skin), or when the skin is irritated. If the skin comes into contact with cloth laundered in harsh detergents, or becomes wet from spit-up saliva or milk, the condition may appear worse for several days.
How can Baby Acne be Prevented?
Baby acne is a normal stage that is difficult to prevent. Try to take many pictures before the baby acne begins. You can expect that the rash will soon be a memory. The oil glands will disappear, and you won’t see the acne again until you turn around once, and your baby is a teenager.
Baby Acne Treatment:
- Look for baby acne on cheeks, forehead and chin. Some babies also get it on their back as well.
- Understand that nothing you do is likely to cause baby acne, but there are things that can make the existing condition worse.
- Realize that baby acne is often aggravated by drooling or spit up that irritates the sensitive skin of the face. Therefore, try to keep the area around the mouth as clean and dry as possible.
- Recognize that holding your baby against your clothing can also increase the problem. Wearing soft fabrics washed in all natural detergents may help.
- Take care not to overheat your baby, as this can be another factor that causes the acne to flare up.
- Try cleaning your baby’s face once a day with water or mild baby soap.