Infant Acne
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1. What is infant acne: Infant acne, or neonatal acne, is an outbreak of pimples on the baby's face. About 20% of babies are affected: it mainly affects babies aged from a few days to 4 months.
Infant acne is a benign skin disorder. Unlike adolescent acne, pimples often disappear very quickly without leaving scars. The exact causes of infant acne are still debated, but the most common theory involves pregnancy hormones - they cause overproduction of sebum in babies.
Infant acne could also be related to treatments taken during pregnancy, or the use of creams which are too greasy on the baby's face. Your baby's acne does not predispose them especially to suffer as a teenager.
2. Symptoms of infant acne: Infant acne pimples are usually located on the forehead, chin and cheeks. In some cases, baby can also have it on the nose, behind the ears, on the scalp, even on the chest and shoulders. Often, several 'types' of pimples are present: white spots, pustules (pimples with a little pus) and red pimples. Usually, the spots do not cause itching.
3. Treatment of infant acne: Infant acne is most often cured by itself - the pimples disappear within one to three weeks on average. To promote healing, it is advisable not to burst the pimples.
Once a day, gently clean baby's face with a soft, clean cloth moistened with a little water or saline. Then, dry carefully and gently, without rubbing. At the same time, avoid using creams that are too greasy.
Consult a pediatrician if the pimples are still present after the baby's sixth month, if they become infected, or if the baby has other symptoms (eg, itching, irritability, rough skin).
Depending on the case, they may prescribe a local treatment, or look for another cause to the rash such as a hormonal imbalance (though this is rare), a fungal infection (infection of the skin due to a microscopic fungus), or to eczema. If necessary, they will also prescribe a suitable treatment.
