Is your baby afflicted with the so-called baby acne? Before you rush your child to the nearest hospital, why don't you try to find out first what causes baby acne, including its aggravating factors and ways to manage it? This problem is very common among infants.
But, this does not mean that it will stay on them forever.
Also called as neonatal acne, baby acne is a skin problem that is manifested by small red bumps that look like a rash on the nose, cheeks and occasionally on the chin and forehead.
At times, it could also appear as small whiteheads that are surrounded by flushed skin.
This condition may be present at birth, but most often it appears sometime after delivery.
Until now, there is no particular explanation as to what really causes this acne problem among newborns and infants.
However, researchers are saying that there are several factors that could trigger this condition.
This includes maternal hormones received by the infant during pregnancy, allergies and skin irritation after childbirth.
The appearance of baby acne is commonly being related to the hormones being passed by the mother to the child through the umbilical cord during pregnancy.
When the baby receives the hormones that lead to acne on adults, the skin problem also manifest on their bodies before or after birth.
There are also some babies that are allergic to certain foods or infant formula.
These factors trigger or flare-up their acne problem.
In addition, babies have very sensitive skin.
They can get easily irritated with certain types of detergents that are used to wash their infant's clothes.
Neonatal acne may also be caused by frequent contact with dirty hands or the baby constantly brushing up his face with irritating objects.
In comparison to acne on adults, acne on infants is indefinitely caused by a variety of factors other than clogged pores and stress.
Baby acne is not dangerous, but it can be very comfortable among infants.
Sometimes, it is coupled with colic-like symptoms, which can make the situation worse.
To ease up the irritation, gently wash the face of your baby with mild soap and water at least once a day.
There is no treatment required for this condition.
Avoid putting baby oils or any kind of creams since they can aggravate the condition.
Also, do not use anti-acne treatments or any over-the-counter treatments for adult acne.
Most importantly, do not scrub the face of your child since baby acne is not caused by the build up of dirt on their skin.
Some infants may have on and off episodes of this skin condition up to 6 months.
But, more often, it will just clear up in a matter of weeks.