Written by Editorial Team
Do you have a newborn at your place? If yes, it is time to take proper care of everything otherwise the baby will get prone to different issues. One of the quite common problems is known as Baby Acne. Yes, you read it right. Acne is not only the problem of teens but babies as well. Just like in the case of teens, here also hormones are the culprit.
Another unbelievable fact is that around 70% of newborns are found to have this issue, even though the severity varies with babies. However, the happy news is that this is a completely harmless issue and more often resolves without any treatment. When it comes to any sort of issue, it is said that prevention is better than finding cures. So, in this guide, we shall talk about Baby Acne in detail that will cover its types, causes, treatments, and prevention measures. So, let’s get started!
In This Article
Baby acne is a common skin condition of babies in which there is a formation of white-headed papules around the forehead, cheeks, neck, and other parts of the torso. It is also named Erythema toxicumneonatorum. Infantile acne is general body rashes that do not cause any harm to the body functioning of the infant. In fact, infants are fund least bothered about acne.
Infantile acne is basically of two types which are explained below:
It is a kind of mild acne condition that occurs in newborn babies and causes pink lesions without any serious bumps. This acne does not affect the normal functioning of the body and does not make the skin dry and itchy.
It is a kind of serious acne condition that occurs in infants of 3 to 4 months making the skin dry and itchy. This acne is found on the cheeks and scalp of the baby along with the formation of inflammatory papules causing discomfort to the infant.
With the proper assistance of the doctor and medical prescriptions, neonatal acne lasts within a month and does not cause any scars behind. Whereas, infantile acne is more adamant and persists until the baby turns one. Infantile acne could last for months with zero signs of fading or resolving. Infantile acne tends to leave permanent scars if it goes beyond three years. In such cases, medical intervention is required to solve the issue.
Now let’s have a look at some of the common signs and symptoms of infantile acne:
Just like the 8th grader, the major cause of infantile acne is elevated female hormones. Here the culprit is not the baby’s hormones, but the hormones of the mother that get into the bloodstream of the baby during the pregnancy and through breastfeeding.
These hormones stimulate the oil glands in the baby’s skin, making them prone to acne. In case the hormones get into the baby’s bloodstream during the last stage of pregnancy, the baby may have baby acne when they are born itself. Some of the other factors that trigger infantile acne are:
There are some situations that might demand the consultancy of the doctors and baby care specialists if the condition has become severe:
Baby acne can be easily diagnosed using any of the following methods:
There are no such medications for baby acne, although the doctor can suggest you some creams and liquid medicines which might relieve the itchiness on the baby’s skin and reduce the scars on his cheeks.
Dabbing breast milk by means of cotton in the acne is an excellent home remedy to treat infantile acne. A regular bath in lukewarm water also helps. These are considered as the two most effective remedies for infantile acne. Oatmeal bath is also found effective when it comes to treating baby acne.
But you can’t neglect the chances of aggravating the issue if you treat sensitive skin with topical remedies. Breast milk acts as an antibiotic and reduces the amount of redness on the infant’s skin and daily bathing can make the baby tidy and neat removing the scars on his face and scalp.
Here are some of the healthy tips that can prevent the problem of baby acne:
The conditions given below might look as similar to infantile acne:
Conclusion
Infantile acne may seem to be a curable issue, however, it can prove to be quite itchy and babies will not be able to stay fit during that time. It is, thus, important to follow all the crucial steps in a systematic manner, to get the best solution in no time. Not only this, but during the treatment, it is necessary to maintain cleanliness throughout so that the baby’s health and hygiene remain good and no other disease can come near it.
With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.Read more.
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