Baby Acne: What Is Baby Acne

It is accepted that Acne is part of growing up for teenagers and and even young adults. The body changes and as we get older the surge of hormones all contribute to the likelihood of acne breaking out. However, as many new parents are discovering it is possible for a new born baby to show signs of acne and although many parents would either discount it or ignore the problem until diagnosed by a doctor it is actually quite common.

Signs to look out for :

It usually takes the form of small white pimples or whitehead's on the baby's face, forehead chin or cheeks and tends to be aggravated by the baby's dribbling, or when they bring up formula and milk. It is essential to be aware that detergent used for washing your baby's clothes can also be a cause of baby acne, however If the skin which is infected looks red and scaly it is possible that it could be another condition commonly known as baby eczema.

Root Causes

Studies have shown that Baby acne can possibly be attributed to hormones just like teenagers and young adults, however the hormone is passed from the mother whilst the child is in the womb. There are also tests being carried out to determine whether or not the medications which are administered to the baby could cause acne, however despite the ongoing studies it is still not fully understood.

Acne Baby Treatment

Baby acne is usually short lived and invariably lasts less than a month, however if you feel that it is not clearing up or if it is lasted more than twelve weeks it is advisable to speak with your doctor or clinic. It is also recommended that you don't try to apply medication yourself as the cream and medicines which are primarily aimed at older sufferers could actually make the condition worse. The baby's skin is extremely sensitive and will almost certainly react badly to the creams and oils and could cause the baby acute discomfort.

It is recommended that the acne baby rash isn't overly washed as it can easily make the condition worse. The best way is to try and wash the baby's face once a day with a very mild baby soap and warm water. Try to stop yourself fro scrubbing the effected area and pat it dry with a soft cotton towel. Baby acne is not caused by grease or dirt as in teenagers so you need to be patient with baby acne and the problem will gradually disappear. The fact is that babies don't have the same hang ups as adults and if it is cared for it will go away as quickly as it appeared.