A lot of beauty companies today use the image of a baby who has a perfectly smooth skin to entice consumers to use their product to get the same effect. Women, and also men, are vying to achieve baby-like skin for obvious reasons - Vanity. It is true that babies are born with beautiful skin, which is why parents cuddle them so much!

For years people believe that babies are born with flawless skin – or so they thought. You’d be surprise that certain baby disorders cause a not so perfect skin for babies. Such baby disorder is the Newborn Acne.

What is Newborn Acne and What Causes It?

Newborn acne, also referred to as acne neonatorum, it is an illness which affects about twenty percent of newborn babies. Wounds show at about two weeks postpartum, but usually fade away after three months. These wounds contain tiny, red, papules that primarily affect the nose and cheeks of babies.

Babies normally get neonatal acne due to the stimulation of the babies’ sebaceous glands by remaining maternal hormones after birth. This hormone crosses the placenta and enters the baby’s system, which after birth causes the oil glands of the skin to produce pimple like bumps. Newborn acne normally diminishes within weeks, but sometimes they can pester babies for months.

Recent study shows that newborn acne is caused by yeast called saprotrophic (Malassezia Species). These yeast causes skin infection that leads to the manifestation of acne-like pustules, as well as baby “cradle cap”.

Typical Newborn Acne Patterns in Babies:

1. Usually it sets in at about three weeks old. However, in some cases it may manifest right after birth.
2. Baby boys are more prone to newborn acne than baby girls.
3. The most common types of newborn acne in babies are the pustules and papules. Pustules (whiteheads) are tiny bumps on the skin with pus collection inside. Papules are tiny solid red rounded bumps rising on the skin, which is very similar to that of a red pimple.

What are the Treatments for Newborn Acne?

Almost all babies get newborn acne around their faces, including their cheeks, and oftentimes on their scalps. Most newborn acnes will disappear spontaneously by itself in about a month or so, therefore most babies will not require treatment to cure their newborn acne at all.

It will greatly help if mothers can gently clean their baby’s face once every day with a mild baby soap and lukewarm water. It is also important to know that using lotions or oils on a baby’s skin will not help, and will just further irritate the skin. Remember, newborn acne naturally disappears through time without any help, just a normal cleansing regimen will do.

Sometimes if babies get severe newborn acne, a doctor may prescribe a treatment with topical antifungals or creams such as retinoids, or, benzoyl peroxide. Do not under any circumstances apply any creams without a doctor’s recommendation, because sometimes the best intentions are not met with the best results.

What are the Preventions for Newborn Acne?

Tags: acne, baby care, baby pimples, newborn acne, pimples