What Causes Baby Acne? Simple Ways to Help It Clear Up

Do babies really get acne?

Aren’t they supposed to have smooth, clear, flawless skin?

If you thought there’s no such thing as baby acne, think again…

Many parents experience in the first few weeks after their baby is born.

It can even pop up right when your little one is about to do their newborn photo shoot.

Don’t worry though…it will go away! In this post we will answer all your questions!

What causes baby acne?
How to get rid of baby acne.
When does baby acne go away?
When should you go see a doctor?

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What Causes Baby Acne?

I’m sure you can totally relate with me here when I say that babies don’t really have super clear skin.

Odd as it may sound, newborns get those zits – and these have nothing to do with their hormones at all.

I mean, come on, they’re just babies! What hormones are we talking about here, right?

If your little one seems to have pimples mushrooming left and right and perhaps maybe even worse than a typical eighth-grader’s skin, don’t panic. It’s not bound to last for long.

And it will not AT ALL impact his skin when he reaches the end of middle school.

(Unless he’s the kind who binges on junk food, stays up too late, loads up on sugar, and all that bad stuff for the skin…)

Your baby doesn’t exactly look super picture perfect right now with less-than-perfect skin, and it’s such a shame.

After losing the semi cone-shaped head, puffy eyes easing a bit, and those adorable glassy eyes looking rounder instead of squinty, there goes those zits.

And they’re everywhere – chin, cheeks, eyelids, forehead, neck… Even on his back.

It may seem like a little preview of a pimply puberty right in front of your very eyes, but luckily, it’s not going to last for long.

You can let go of that sigh of relief because it should be gone in a few weeks.

But I’m sure you’re dying to know what is the culprit behind baby acne that’s terrorizing your little angel’s skin.

Here’s what science explains:

As what is common with any type of acne, you can pretty much blame hormones for causing baby acne.

But wait up – it’s not your baby’s hormones but yours!

You see, when your child was still in your tummy, your hormones have been circulating in your baby’s bloodstream.

Your maternal hormones then stimulate the oil-producing glands of your baby, which are still working pretty sluggishly at the moment.

And surprise, surprise – pimples just pop up like daisies on your little one’s face and body.

Another thing:

With underdeveloped pores in your newborn’s skin, your darling angel becomes a quick target for blemishes blossoming freely, as well as the infiltration caused by dirt from his surroundings.

It doesn’t help, either, that babies have extra sensitive skin, which causes such reaction.

Not all newborns get baby acne, though. About 40 percent get it, and this whole skin situation starts 2 to 3 weeks from birth.

How to Get Rid of Baby Acne on Face

When you have pimples what do you do?

Squeeze them, pick them, pop them, apply some OTC cream on them?

Yeah, I’m sure you did all of these to YOUR pimples but don’t EVER do any of these your little one’s baby acne.

Truth is, there’s really not much to do to get rid of these zits.

And if you attempt to do any of the above mentioned common things people do when dealing with their acne, you’ll just end up doing more harm than good.

So hands-off those zits, moms and dads!

At this point, all you can do is to be patient and restrain yourself from touching your baby’s acne.

Most especially if you have dirty fingers that can only irritate his skin even more.

There are a few baby acne remedies that you can try.

Not exactly baby acne treatment options but more of ways to ensure these imperfections to go away quickly over a few days or weeks:

Never scrub or pick the pimples. (I think we got that all nailed down previously but just reminding you once more…)
Using a soft cloth soaked in warm water, gently cleanse the affected area a couple of times a day. Be sure to pat dry the skin gently.
Avoid using soap, baby powder, lotion, or cream on baby acne. Even if those products are designed for babies.
Some moms recommend dabbing a little amount of breast milk to the affected area just to speed up the drying out and healing process. No harm in trying, right? After all, it’s natural!
If you are still bothered by this baby acne, consult your pediatrician to inquire about the best medication for it. Don’t take the liberty of buying random OTC anti-pimple cream and using it on your baby’s skin, please!

When Does Baby Acne Go Away?

Now, this is the question that’s in every parent’s mind whose newborn is under attack by baby acne on face.

How long should you wait patiently before junior’s skin clears up?

In most cases, the zits just go away on their own in a few weeks. But in some newborns, this can go up to months.

Sounds pretty alarming for new parents but that’s just how it is with some babies infested with acne…

If it’s still that bad, getting worse, or not clearing up at all in three months, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor for the right treatment.

You may just get a prescription such as a very mild cream or topical medication that can help with stubborn or severe baby acne.

And here’s the takeaway – persistent and lingering baby acne MAY actually give you some hints that your child is expected to deal with zits when he reaches puberty…

When Should You Go See a Doctor?

Next question is this: Is it really baby acne or something else?

Yep, there is such a thing as a “something else”…

Some parents confuse acne with some other newborn skin issues including milia and heat rash, although these two are not similar at all.

Millia are small white bumps like whiteheads and heat rash is more of clusters of moist and small red bumps that are super itchy.

Then, there are other baby skin issues such as cradle cap that commonly attach the head and eyebrows, diaper rash on your little one’s bum, and infant eczema that are more of like flaky red patches on the scalp and cheeks.

If you’re concerned about your newborn’s skin and there are bigger bumps, some discharge, maybe a little bit of swelling, then you can always take a little trip to the pediatrician to ease your mind and get some professional advice.

Sources:

What to Expect: https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/baby-care/baby-skin-care/infant-acne.aspx

Baby Center: https://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-acne_72.bc