Baby Acne on Infants and Newborns

You may think that acne is only for teens and adults undergoing hormonal changes. But think again. Even the little ones, newly-born, are also susceptible to developing this skin condition called acne. In fact, you’ll find it extremely common in babies, about 40% of them. Even babies go through hormonal adjustments while getting used to the world outside of the mommy’s womb. In this article, we will be talking about what exactly does baby acne look like and what really causes a baby to develop acne?

You may find it surprising but baby acne can even look like the flare ups that teenagers and adults experience. They could range from yellow to white headed blisters to even red and raised blemishes. And just like adults, baby acne can appear anywhere on face, thighs, arms and legs.

Similar to adults, no one particular cause can be pin pointed in babies as to why they develop it. There could be one reason and there could be a combination of multiple reasons for why it happens.

1Hormonal changes

So the number one reason why your little one may have developed acne at such a tiny age is hormonal shifts. And if the baby is younger than 3 months, it is NOT the hormones of the baby but that of the mother that are responsible for it. It is a known fact that during the last stages of pregnancy, the mother’s hormones get into the baby’s system that leads to a stimulation of the oil glands. This, eventually, leads to the baby developing acne.

ALSO READ – Is It Normal For A Newborn To Have Excess Body Hair?

2Dirt and infections

This one is a no brainer! Since the pores in a baby’s skin are not really properly developed, they become easy targets of dirt getting in. Not only that, people tend to get overly close to the new born, kissing and making physical contact with the baby. This obviously also leads to baby’s skin being affected. New born babies have extremely sensitive skins and tend to attract dirt and infections more than older babies.

3Skin sensitivity

Because the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) of the babies is still in the development stage, even the minutest things like sudden change in temperature, too much rubbing of the skin or even contact with a hard or abrasive surface can lead to breakouts in baby’s skin. However, since every child is different, these risk factors may be more common in certain babies while others may have absolutely no effect of it.

4Allergic reactions

Babies can get allergies from either food or medication. And for babies to develop rash from allergies is quite common. However, understand that rash is completely different from acne. Where baby acne is neither life-threatening nor causes any discomfort to the baby, you might want to get it checked by your pediatrician about whether it is a rash or acne.

ALSO READ – Summer Safety Tips For Newborns

Whether it is a rash or baby acne, we highly recommend you to get it checked by your doctor first.

How long does it take for baby acne to go away?

If your baby is younger than 3 months, neonatal acne, as it is called, will disappear on its own sooner than you think. However, a baby older than 3 months develops infantile acne which takes longer to heal. This, however, could require treatment to avoid your baby getting any scars from it.

Do You Have Any Question? Speak To Our Expert

Did your child face this problem too? Please share your experiences with our readers in this regard.