Baby Acne – A Comprehensive Overview

As a parent, your primary concern is the well-being of your child. So any sign of distress, discomfort or disease you spot in your little one can send you into panic mode, and even make you think you are being bad parent!

But…

This can’t be further from the truth, please do not allow these kinds of thoughts to start swarming in your head! You are a good parent, and the appearance of baby acne is just something that’s out of your control.

image:en.wikipedia.org

Not even health professionals know exactly what causes baby acne, and why does it appear at such an early age.

So, just relax, take a deep breath and go through the entire article before you jump to any premature conclusions.

 

What Baby Acne Looks Like?

Baby acne is defined as small red bumps all over the face of the baby (most common on the nose, cheeks,and chin) and, in some rare cases, on their back. These tiny bumps are usually surrounded by redness, indicating irritated, sensitive skin.

The acne itself may become more apparent and pronounced due to the following:

·         If babies start to cry or rub their faces

·         If the spit or saliva lingers on the face longer than it should

·         If the face comes in contact with the rough fabric

What Causes It And How Long Will It Last?

As we already mentioned, researchers aren’t exactly sure as to what’s causing baby acne, though they believe it has something to do with hormonal changes.

We believe that the baby’s oil gland become overly stimulated from mom’s hormones and cause acne.

Some other factors which may contribute to the appearance of acne on your baby’s face are medication – if the mom was taking any medication close to the end of the pregnancy or while breastfeeding, it might have causes face acne.

The acne can be present at childbirth, though it usually shows up after a couple of weeks. And the good news is it will only last for a few weeks – most baby acne clears up in two weeks or so (sometimes less), and if three weeks go by and nothing happens, you should consider getting a professional’s opinion.

Baby Acne VS Milia

Being that they are reasonably similar, milia and baby acne often get mixed up.

We already said that baby acne presents itself as tiny RED bumps, enclosed by REDDISH skin.

As for milia, its main characteristics are tiny WHITE bumps, without redness in the surrounding skin.

The white color comes from keratin which becomes trapped beneath the surface of the skin. It is most common in newborns and usually does not require treatment as it will go away on its own after a few weeks.

Treating Baby Acne

Baby acne will generally go away after two-three weeks without any treatment or special care on your part. And if the acne lingers on, you might want to have a word with your pediatrician to discuss some possible treatments, such as medical cream or an ointment.

Whatever you do, DO NOT use any over-the-counter creams, lotions or face washes; your baby’s skin is so sensitive, these over-the-counter creams may come as too strong and make matters even worse!

Do’s And Don’ts

Thought baby acne, in most cases, do not require treatment, that doesn’t mean you should just sit around and do nothing. There are some good practices you can adopt and ones you should avoid to help your baby get through acne as soon as possible.

Do’s:

·         Keep your baby’s face clean–use warm water and a mild, gentle soap and, afterward, pat the skin dry. There are a lot of various baby products to choose from, but if you are in doubt ask your pediatrician.

·         Be patient –do not get frustrated or mad at yourself if you see the acne taking longer than usual. It takes time for them to clear up,so allow that time to pass.

Don’ts:

·         Scrub the skin – notice I said to pat the skin dry; there is a perfectly good reason I said it because scrubbing the delicate facial skin may aggravate and irritate iteven further. Irritated skin will be more prone to acne and worsen those that are already present.

·         DO NOT squeeze – you might be tempted to try and squeeze those little pimples you see on your baby’s face, but this is a big no-no! This will only irritate the skin more and might even leave some long-term consequences (such as skin lesions and scarring).  So, whatever you do, do not pop!

·         Over-the-counter lotions – you should try and avoid these creams and lotions, even if they are advertised as “baby friendly.” But, if you are unable to reach your pediatrician, you can try some of these but follow strict guidelines. Make sure the product you choose only features natural ingredients (does not contain any harmful chemicals). And if you do come across a product like this, apply it on a small area first and monitor how it affects the skin. If it makes the condition worse, stop using it immediately!