Baby Acne – Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Updated: Nov 13, 2022
Introduction
Baby acne is a common skin condition that affects newborns and infants. It’s also called neonatal acne and infantile acne, but don't worry: it’s not dangerous to your baby. Baby acne usually shows up on the cheeks, forehead and chin in whiteheads or small red bumps that look like pimples. It can also affect other parts of your baby's body such as their upper back or chest area.
Baby acne is pretty common. Usually, it clears up on its own without treatment by about age 6 months.
Baby acne is pretty common. Usually, it clears up on its own by about age 6 months. If your baby's acne doesn't go away, it can be treated with prescription medicines. But don't worry — most cases of baby acne will go away without treatment by their first birthday.
If you have questions or concerns about your baby's skin condition, talk to your pediatrician right away.
Baby acne is a common condition that affects most babies at some point during their first year. It's usually not serious and goes away on its own. However, if your baby's acne doesn't improve after several months or if it gets worse, talk to your doctor about treatment options.
Acne is most common among babies 3 to 4 weeks old. But some newborns get acne, too.
Acne is most common among babies 3 to 4 weeks old. But some newborns get acne, too. The zits usually appear on the face, neck and upper chest. They're red and may be filled with pus.
Acne usually clears up on its own within several months or longer — although it may last as long as 8 years in some children! You can treat baby acne at home by:
rinsing gently with warm water
applying a salicylic acid product that's labeled for use on infants (available over-the-counter)
using an OTC benzoyl peroxide gel or cream (available over-the-counter) applying a mild moisturizer, like petroleum jelly (Vaseline), to keep skin hydrated.
Baby acne looks a lot like teenage acne, but it’s different. Here’s how you can tell the difference:
You may have noticed some blackheads on your baby’s face that look like they could be acne. But how do you know if those bumps are baby acne or teenage acne? Here are the differences between the two types of skin conditions:
Baby Acne: Baby acne is usually caused by hormonal changes in babies and young children, which can lead to an overproduction of oil in their pores and clogging. In most cases, it appears as small whiteheads or pimples on the face (especially around the nose) and can appear anywhere on your baby’s body as well.
Teenage Acne: Teenagers tend to experience more severe breakouts than babies do because their bodies are going through many changes at once—their hormones are fluctuating, their bodies are growing rapidly and developing new cells faster than ever before, etc. This causes them to produce more oil than usual—and when there’s too much oil inside your pores instead of just being washed away by regular cleansing habits like washing your face regularly or using moisturizer after showers/baths (which help keep skin smooth), blackheads become trapped underneath layers of dead skin cells instead!
The spots look like pimples or whiteheads, sometimes surrounded by reddish skin. You might also see pustules, which are pus-filled white bumps. These often appear on the cheeks, nose, or forehead.
Baby acne is a common skin condition that affects infants and toddlers. It's most common in babies 3 to 4 weeks old, but it can also affect older infants and toddlers. The spots look like pimples or whiteheads, sometimes surrounded by reddish skin. You might also see pustules, which are pus-filled white bumps. These often appear on the cheeks, nose, or forehead.[1]
The exact cause of baby acne isn't known, but doctors suspect that it occurs when your baby breaks out due to changes in his hormone levels during puberty.[2] A few other possible causes include:
Hormone changes caused by breastfeeding (breast milk contains hormones) [3]
Stressful situations such as moving homes or hospitals [4]
Dry skin due to weather conditions [5]
The good news is that baby acne usually goes away in a few months. In the meantime, there are some things you can do to help your little one be more comfortable: [6] Wash your baby's face gently with warm water and mild soap. Pat dry. Be sure not to scrub too hard or use a washcloth, which could irritate his sensitive skin.
It often shows up on the cheeks and sometimes on the forehead, chin, and even upper back.
Acne is not an indication of poor hygiene. It can appear anywhere on your body, including the face, neck and upper back. Acne isn’t contagious to other children or adults. It isn’t caused by dirt either. If you have acne, it means that something inside your body is causing the skin cells to clog up and stick together instead of getting shed as normal dead skin does every day. This blockage causes inflammation and infection in your pores (the openings in your skin where oil glands are). The most common places for acne to show itself are on the face (especially between eyebrows), cheeks; chin; upper lip; forehead; neck; chest\shoulders\back\arms\legs\buttocks\.
It usually disappears in a few weeks or months, but it can linger for months or longer.
If you have acne, you're not alone. It is estimated that at least 50 million Americans are affected by some form of acne, which is a chronic skin condition that causes pimples, blackheads and whiteheads on the face, chest and back. Acne usually starts during puberty but can occur at any time during life.
Acne usually lasts for a few weeks or months, but it can linger for months or longer. If you notice that your baby's acne doesn't clear up after several weeks' time — or if it gets worse — talk to his doctor about possible treatment options.
You can usually treat baby acne at home with a gentle soap and water wash. Don’t use any lotions or creams on your baby unless your doctor says to do so. If the problem gets worse over time or doesn’t clear up after several weeks of home treatment, call your doctor.
Baby acne is usually harmless and clears up on its own as your baby gets older. Home treatments are usually effective in getting rid of it, and you should try these first before seeing a doctor. However, if the problem doesn't clear up after several weeks of home treatment or if you're concerned about your baby's acne, call your doctor.
Don’t use any lotions or creams on your baby unless your doctor says to do so.
Baby acne isn't dangerous to your baby and will clear up with time
Baby acne is one of those things that can be a little alarming to parents, but it's actually pretty common. A baby's skin has lots of oil glands, which are stimulated by hormones in the body (not just testosterone). If a baby gets a lot of hormones at once, there can be an overproduction of oil and clogged pores that lead to pimples.
While some babies may get acne for no apparent reason and others may have it because they've been eating too much dairy or fried foods, most cases are hormonally induced—so if you're worried about your child developing spots at such an early age, you can rest assured knowing that this is normal and it will go away on its own in time. But don't despair! There are plenty of ways to help treat infant acne symptoms until then: You'll want to avoid using any lotions or creams unless your doctor tells you otherwise (they could make the situation worse) and use only gentle soap and water washes instead.
Conclusion
If you're concerned about baby acne, know that it's not dangerous to your baby. And most cases of baby acne clear up on their own within a few months. If your baby has an ongoing problem or if the symptoms get worse over time, call your doctor for help.
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