Things You Should Know About Newborn Acne

Newborn acne can be an incredibly distressing thing for parents to deal with. Dealing with acne during the teen years or even later in life is bad enough. Seeing acne on a newborn baby can be a heart-wrenching experience for many parents and can cause many young couples to worry about the future health of their baby.

While newborn acne is certainly an unfortunate thing to see on a young baby, it is a perfectly natural thing and affects many newborns. The important thing for young parents to know is how this acne occurs and what can be done about it. Especially in the case of newborns, it is important that whatever measures you do choose to take, do not harm the baby in any way.

Contrary to what many people think, newborn acne is not a hereditary phenomenon. It occurs when maternal hormones cross into the baby via the placenta. After the baby is delivered, these hormones often stimulate the sebaceous glands in the baby's skin, thus causing the acne to form. This acne may be present when the baby is born or could set in when the child is three weeks old.

 

Studies have shown that this kind of acne often affects males more than females. The acne either appears as round, red solid bumps known as papules or pustules, which are tiny bumps that contain a small amount of pus. This acne is usually found around the mouth and cheeks though some have been known to appear on the back as well. While the acne may look unpleasant, it causes no distress whatsoever to the child and will clear up on its own within 4 months.

When it comes to newborn acne, the best way to tackle it is not to do anything at all. Newborns often develop many growths or rashes which clear up on their own without any distress to the child. These are a natural part of growing up and it is best not to try and interfere with treating these, since they don't adversely affect the child in any way. However some parents may want to take pictures of their child or are simply very anxious about the acne. There are a few measures you can keep in mind, to try and speed up the rate at which the acne clears.

 

First of all, drool or spit up could aggravate the acne so make sure your child's face is as clean and dry as you can. It's important to remember that your own clothing might be irritating to your baby's skin. Make sure that you wash your clothes with non-detergent based soaps, preferably natural ones. Heat is another factor that can aggravate acne so try not to bundle up your baby too much. When cleaning your baby's face, use a gentle soap and avoid scrubbing, as this can also aggravate and irritate your child's skin. Use natural and gentle soaps to clean your child's clothes and blankets as well.

 

An important thing to keep in mind is that lotions and creams will greatly aggravate your child's acne and should be avoided altogether. If you feel you must use some kind of special lotion on your child, ask your doctor about vinegar solutions or natural products like Aveeno washes. Remember that this kind of acne doesn't cause your baby any discomfort and will clear up completely on its own. Newborn acne is a natural phenomenon and the best way to treat it is to let it run its course.