What Can You Do For Baby Acne?

Have small red bumps appeared on your newborn’s soft and smooth skin? Do you know what these are? Well, these little pimples are baby acne. Baby acne, also called milk rash and new born acne, is a skin condition where reddish-yellow coloured tiny bumps develop on an infant’s face and body. Baby acne is a common skin problem that first appears within the initial six months of the baby’s life. The cause of this dermal issue is yet to be determined. It is, however, believed that a combination of oils, hormones and bacteria is responsible for triggering this baby acne. The mother’s lingering hormones combined with the baby’s own oils also potentially gives rise to baby acne. To us, it may seem that baby acne is a nuisance for the babies, but actually it is least bothersome for the infants. Baby acne is temporary in nature and is nothing to really worry about. It clears up on its own within a few weeks. It should be remembered that baby acne is impossible to prevent. So, as you wait patiently for your baby’s acne to clear up, you can use simple home remedies to keep the infant’s skin as healthy as possible. Wondering what can you do for baby acne? Read on to know more.

Finding a treatment for baby acne? Look no further since there are no treatments for this skin condition. Baby acne goes away on its own over time. But while waiting for these small bumps to disappear, one can try some of the following tips for baby acne treatment.

• The baby’s face, especially the nose and region around the eyebrows, should be rubbed gently with a soft washcloth without using any soap. This will help to exfoliate any oils present in those areas.
• If one feels the need to use a cleanser, they should only choose a gentle, mild and tear-free version and should be careful to avoid the eyes of the baby.
• One should never try to scrub away the acne since physical scrubbing can actually increase the redness and aggravate the baby acne considerably.
• Presence of any other dermal condition, like eczema or cradle cap, along with baby acne can actually make the acne appear much worse than it actually is. Parents should relax and remember that this acne isn’t really bothersome for the babies and that these red bumps will go away on its own in time.
• Mothers should continue breastfeeding their infant since the benefits of breast feeding are far greater than any hormones, which the baby could get exposed to. The baby acne will get cured on its own in time, regardless of whether the child is breastfed or not.
• Adult acne medications, like benzoyl peroxide, must never be used on the baby’s skin. As the baby’s skin is extremely delicate and sensitive, use of these adult products can irritate their skin significantly, aggravate the redness and worsen the overall condition.

Any contact with rough fabrics or saliva that stayed on for too long on the baby’s face should be prevented. Application of skin lotion, cream and face washes must be avoided. Squeezing and pinching of the baby acne should never be done.

Baby acne is typically a harmless condition and generally disappears without any treatment. However, sometimes baby acne becomes severe and the infant becomes fussy or crying. Medical attention should be sought when baby acne lingers for many months, instead of a few weeks, on the infant’s skin. This stubborn and persistent form of acne should then be treated with medicated creams or ointments prescribed by the paediatrician.

So when your baby gets baby acne, try not to freak out. Just remember that these tiny red bumps are harmless for your baby and that they will go away on their own in about a month’s time. Meanwhile, enjoy and cherish every moment of this newborn phase of your little one.