Newborn baby acne

Newborn Baby Acne

Newborn baby acne also referred to as neonatal acne is common and usually seen on the checks. On occasion baby acne can also appear on the chin, forehead and sometimes the back.

 

Neonatal acne can be present at birth but usually shows up about two weeks after birth.

 

Not all spots are acne, the ones babies are often born with and disappear after a few weeks is something totally different. They are called milia and is very common and usually appears on the chin, cheeks and nose. They are completely harmless and need no treatment.

 

If there are spots that look a bit different like scaly or irritated this is more likely to be cradle cap or eczema.

What Causes Newborn Baby Acne

 

The cause of neonatal acne is not completely known. Some say it may be due to the normal increase of hormone levels passed on by the mother during birth.

Others suggest it’s the medication a breastfeeding mother takes (if any). Research is continually being done on this matter, at the moment there is no one agreeable reason or cause within the baby acne research community.

 

Caring for Baby Acne

More often than not time is the best cure, it varies between each baby how long they may have acne. Here is some useful information based on the do’s and don’ts when it comes to caring for neonatal acne:

Baby Acne Do’s

Baby Acne Don’ts

  • Gently Wash your baby’s face or effected area once a day with warm water
  • Time is usually the best cure, so be patient
  • Change crib bedding regularly
  • If you are increasingly concerned about the newborn baby acne your little one has then a trip to the Doctor’s office can be helpful
  • Putting creams and oils on baby’s skin can make the pimples worse but are sometimes recommended
  • Using over the counter acne treatments are not advised as they are much too strong for an infant
  • Scrubbing or over cleaning your baby’s skin will likely irritate their skin even more

Baby acne is also known as Acne Neonatorum, Ance Infantum or Neonatal Cephalic Pustulosis but these are more the medical terms for this.

Treating baby acne is just one of the many things you might have to deal with when raising twins, and we have also created some helpful tips and advice on caring for your newborn twins.

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