Worried whether the presence of baby acne on your baby’s face could give your baby a roughly textured face and create much discomfort for your kids? Yeah, I think I understand how you feel. If you’ve ever experienced the joy of motherhood then you should appreciate what it feels like to have one of these little bundles of joy running around the house. But to see neonatal acne or any other disease or ailment for that matter attack a baby is something a mother will not take lying down.
Now, hitch a ride with me as we try to know what causes Baby acne with all its symptoms and treatments.
1. What Is Baby Acne?
Baby acne could also be referred to as pimples, infantile acne or neonatal acne. It is a common occurrence amongst newborns. It involves the presence of bumps, blackheads or whiteheads or comedones on a baby’s face. Newborn acne is a skin condition where the big pores around the baby’s face, chin, neck, chest or back becomes blocked and appears red and inflamed on the surface of the skin. The oil gland secretes sebum from the sebaceous gland and becomes plugged due to excessive secretion of keratin can result in red bumps, inflammation which is baby acne.
However, when a baby suffers from neonatal or baby acne for as much as three to six months then it should be infantile acne. Usually, infantile acne comes out more red and inflamed.
2. What Causes Newborn Baby Acne?
No less than 85% of the US population at one time or the other have suffered from acne, babies, and adults inclusive. Though, further research indicates that males suffer from acne more than females but it is more common amongst those aged 15 and 25 years. Adolescent acne occurs during teenage when kids enter their puberty.
There is no clear evidence as to why babies have acne but here some of the likely causes of neonatal acne:
A. Hormonal Imbalance
The delivery of the baby from the mother’s womb does not immediately end the influence of the maternal hormones and the imbalance during pregnancy. And so, because the baby has sensitive skin the hormonal imbalance of the mother during pregnancy and the presence of androgen hormones after delivery tend to promote slow oil-production from the sebaceous gland resulting in neonatal acne in the baby’s face.
B. Medication
Newborns have sensitive skin and organs, therefore, the consumption of medications could cause an allergic skin reaction to the medication. Certain medications could affect the hormones and the baby’s skin causing acne lesions such as androgen, corticosteroids, cyclosporine, isoniazid, lithium, phenytoin, bromides, barbiturates, etc.
C. Cosmetic Products
The application of oil-based products on a sensitive baby’s skin could lead to clogging once excessive.
D. Environmental Factors
Humid temperature or the shortage of air in an environment can further the production or spread of lesions on the face, neck, check and back that looks like heat rash.
RELATED: Acne In Teens: Help Your Daughter Tackle Teenage Acne With Best Tips
3. Signs & Symptoms Of Baby Acne
Baby acne or rash share similar feature but baby acne produces such symptoms as tiny white bumps or red bumps on the baby’s face and other parts of the baby’s skin. These bumps usually occur around the baby’s cheeks, forehead and nose and could develop from the second to fourth week of the birth of the baby.
Neonatal acne does not usually cause pains or much discomfort to the baby except for their presence on the skin.
Baby milia also develop and share similar symptoms with baby acne with tiny white bumps on the nose, chin, and cheeks. That’s why at a certain point you might want to find out from a medical expert whether or not it is a rash, baby acne or baby milia your newborn skin suffers from.
4. How Long Does Baby Acne Last?
Depending on the severity and the measures taking but normally baby acne usually clears up within a few weeks to four months period. But it’s rare to see newborn acne on babies above six months of age.
5. How Do You Get Rid Of Baby Acne?
Now you know what causes baby acne but for baby acne treatment you would come across different remedy including home remedies for baby acne. The truth is neonatal acne usually clears out on its own from the newborn skin without help. But you could try some of these helps to improve the baby’s skin condition faster:
A. Warm Water Wash
To treat baby acne, the baby acne proper hygiene simply involves the use of clean warm water and a mild soap. Wash the baby’s face once or twice a day and then pat the face gently with a towel to dry.
B. Treating Infantile Acne
Acne treatments for infantile acne remain the same, all babies or neonatal acne should fade away within a maximum of six months. But if you must take an action after this knowledge on what causes baby acne then see your pediatrician for mild antibiotics. Or you could follow the suggestions above to adequate results.
C. Baby Acne Breast Milk Treatment Method
Some mothers recommend the use of breast milk to dab the baby’s face or affected areas to eliminate neonatal acne but there are no indications or scientific evidence to prove that it actually works.
6. How To Take Care Of Baby Acne?
A. To deal with baby acne on the neck, face, cheek, chest, nose or back avoid picking, squeezing or scrubbing the acne with hand or any object or facial scrub.
B. Avoid the use of soap or cream in the affected area or as acne treatments.
C. Do not attempt adult products for the baby’s face or baby’s skin.
D. Stay away from over-the-counter prescriptions except you ask the pediatrician.
Now that you know what causes baby acne the thing is, to get rid of baby acne if you could wait it out the acne would heal out on its own even without medications or applying any baby acne treatment. Scared the tiny white bumps or red bumps would have left a permanent scare on your baby’s face? Well, worry no more as a newborn baby’s cells have a stronger ability to rejuvenate than even those of an adult. So, no scars! But you could speed up healing using the recommended measures above.
“Hope you find the post helpful and we are excited to hear what you think of it!”