Baby acne treatment
One thing that many parents are not prepared for is acne on their newborn baby. Baby acne is actually quite common and it will usually go away fairly quickly. While it can be a little disconcerting to find acne on your baby, there is really no treatment for it and it should be left alone to go away on its own.
Baby acne can take on a couple of different forms and will usually appear like tiny red bumps on the cheeks, chin, forehead or nose. Acne can also come in the form of white bumps which are called milia.
Baby acne occurs during pregnancy and is the result of all the hormonal changes that occur in the body. It can be a sign of a hormonal problem, but this condition is relatively rare. As mentioned, you will find that baby acne disappears without any treatment, but if you are worried about the condition, or it lasts for longer than three months, you can consult with your doctor.
While waiting for the acne to clear up on its own, you should make sure that your baby’s face is kept clean. Gently wash its face a few times a day with warm water to make sure that it is kept clean. It is important that you do not rub the skin or scrub at the acne and when you have finished you should pat the skin dry. Rubbing or scrubbing the skin can cause irritation or the acne could develop into an infection.
Babies who have acne that will not clear up might be given a medicated cream by the doctor that will help clear it up. Preventing baby acne is really not possible, but keeping the baby’s face clean will likely help clear it up.
Don’t use any topical medications on your baby’s skin without consulting your pediatrician. Some parents have found success with benzoyl peroxide treatments, but because these creams and ointments are not made for baby skin, you should not use them unless you have the okay from your doctor. The doctor, though, may want to prescribe a milder cream for your baby.
A gentle soap should be used to keep your baby’s delicate skin clean while it has acne. The oil glands that were stimulated in the womb will likely disappear by six months of age at the most. Eventually, those oil glands will begin to produce acne again, but that will not be until the wonderful teenage years.
You may notice that the condition appears worse when your baby is fussy. This is generally because of the increased blood flow to the face.
There are a number of things that parents worry about when they bring a new baby into the house. Baby acne is not something that many expect though and it can come as a great surprise, which is why some parents make the mistake of scrubbing their baby’s face and making the condition worse.
Be careful of harsh laundry detergents as this can aggravate your baby’s acne. Saliva can also cause the condition to appear worse as well.
Enjoy this time with your baby and don’t worry too much about the baby acne. It is usually just a temporary condition and will go away with time. Always consult with your doctor if there are any new developments with your baby’s acne and if it doesn’t clear up within a few months.
Baby acne is usually not anything to worry about and your doctor will normally see it during the baby’s checkup. If there is any need for concern, your doctor will let you know. Take the time to discuss anything that worries you about your new baby. It can be a wonderful and sometimes anxious period of your life.
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