What Is The Difference Between Baby Eczema And Acne
Symptoms of baby eczema and acne can look similar but there are differences between the two conditions. Baby acne causes pimples to form on your babys skin, specifically coming from the oil glands in their hair follicles. Eczema causes dry and itchy patches of skin that form a rash. Eczema can also cause bumps on your babys skin. These bumps arent filled with fluid. Some acne pimples are fluid-filled. Baby acne can resolve on its own, but baby eczema needs treatment to rehydrate your babys skin.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Baby eczema usually affects your childs face and it can be concerning to see a rash suddenly form on your babys cheeks. Avoiding irritants and triggers and keeping your babys skin moisturized and hydrated helps improve their skins healing time and prevent future flare-ups. While your baby isnt able to vocalize that theyre itchy, you can stay a step ahead of their condition by scheduling times throughout the day to put moisturizer on their skin to keep them from scratching their eczema rash. You might also consider putting mittens on your babys hands so they cant scratch at their skin, which can make their symptoms worse.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/05/2022.
References
When Should You See A Doctor
If anything about your baby’s complexion seems out of the ordinary, or if you’re concerned that the condition isn’t getting better after three to four months, consult your baby’s doctor. The doctor may recommend a medicated cream or some other treatment. But be sure not to use any over-the-counter creams or medications without consulting your doctor first, as these can damage your baby’s delicate skin.In addition, contact the doctor if you ever notice any of the following with your baby:
Is Baby Acne Normal
First off, yes! Dont worry. Baby acne is quite common among infants.
Newborns still have many maternal hormones circulating in their system in the first few weeks following birth. These hormones can cause pimples to develop on the face . Its not uncommon to see baby acne on the chest, neck or back, too.
Before you blame yourself, Mom, its worth mentioning that baby acne isnt only caused by maternal hormones. Because the pores in your newborns skin arent completely developed, your baby may be susceptible to developing acne caused by some other external irritant.
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Vomiting And Spitting Up
Spitting up after eating is quite common in infants and is a process of normal growing up. If the spitting up is not forceful or painful there is nothing to worry. However, if it is vomiting, it might be an indication for formula intolerance. It might also point to other health concerns.
Read More: Top 7 Causes for Child Vomiting
Tips For Treating Baby Acne
Baby acne can last anywhere from a few days to a few months. To treat stubborn baby acne, your babys pediatrician may prescribe a medicated cream or ointment that helps clear up the condition.
Dont use over-the-counter acne treatments, face washes, or lotions unless you are sure that they are specifically formulated with your little ones delicate skin in mind using natural, plant-based, and gentle ingredients that are safe.
Your babys skin is very sensitive at this young age. Using just any OTC ointment might make the acne worse or cause additional skin irritation because some of its ingredients may actually be too strong for your babys soft skin.
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What Does Erythema Toxicum Neonatorum Look Like
The rash of ETN generally looks like red blotches, mainly affecting the face and body . It does occur on the arms and legs too .
Little, raised spots called papules are common. Sometimes there will be little pus-filled spots or fluid-filled small blisters . There may be many spots or very few. The different spots vary in size. The spots blanch with light pressure. This means that they become pale and fade when pressed. The rash can be temporary and sometimes individual spots can disappear within hours while new ones will appear somewhere else.
The baby appears well and the rash does not seem to cause any bother.
Note: if there is any doubt as to the cause of a skin rash in any baby or child, it is essential that you seek medical advice and a firm diagnosis. This is especially important if your baby seems unwell in any way. For example, if your baby has a temperature , is not feeding, is lacking in energy or is inconsolable and not the same as normal. Other rashes can occur in babies and may be the sign of serious illness.
Whats The Difference Between Baby Acne Milk Spots And Milk Rash
When your tiny infant presents with any kind of blemish, it can be worrying. This guide should help you to identify whether your baby is presenting with milk spots, an allergy rash, or baby acne.
One is thought to be hormonal, one a response to the environment outside of the womb, and one an allergy reaction. But which is which, and how serious are they? This post will help you identify and distinguish between these three infant skin complaints.
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Natural Remedies For Baby Acne
If youre eager to test out natural home remedies to treat babys skin, its smart to first check in with your pediatrician, who can assess your childs skin and make sure those treatments wont cause any additional harm. Most natural remedies arent well studied in children, so its hard to predict what side effects may occur, ONeill says. Particularly with something you may be putting on your babys skin, you might run the risk of causing further irritation or inflammation. Some natural remedies for baby acne that you may want to discuss with babys doctor include:
Coconut oil. Coconut oil is a tried-and-true baby acne treatment around the world and one Baker recommends to his own pediatric patients. This ultra-hydrating oil can help moisturize babys skinjust add a few drops to a cotton ball and swab over babys face.
Changing your diet. Nursing? It may be worth discussing your current breastfeeding diet with your pediatrician, who may recommend cutting back on certain foods, like dairy or citrus. While these arent the direct causes of baby acne, eliminating them may help improve babys overall skin condition, especially if theyre also dealing with eczema.
What Can I Expect If My Baby Has Baby Eczema
Eczema causes your babys skin to be dry and itchy. Your baby might try to scratch their skin to relieve the itchiness. While it may be difficult to prevent your baby from scratching their skin, scratching can make your baby more likely to get an infection. An infection occurs when bacteria or a virus enters your childs body. This can make your childs symptoms worse. Visit your childs provider if their symptoms get worse or if they have an infection.
To prevent side effects like an infection on your babys skin, keep your babys skin moisturized with creams, ointments or lotions designed for a babys skin. Rehydrating your babys skin can reduce their symptoms and prevent itchiness.
Is there a cure for baby eczema?
No, there isnt a cure for baby eczema. Treatment is available to help your babys skin heal and make their symptoms go away. Some cases of baby eczema go away by the time your child grows into an adult, but they may experience skin sensitivity or minimal symptoms of eczema throughout their life.
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When To See A Doctor For Your Babys Acne
If youre unsure if your baby has neonatal acne or another skin condition such as infantile acne or eczema, a routine checkup is a great time to ask questions about acne and get an official diagnosis.
Neonatal acne will typically go away on its own. If it does persist or your baby scratches affected areas, consult your pediatrician. If your pediatrician diagnoses infantile acne, they may refer you to a pediatric dermatologist for treatment.
How To Use Breast Milk For Baby Acne
One benefit of using your breast milk to treat baby acne is that its natural, free and, well, widely available.
As a bonus, breast milk is also gentle on a babys sensitive skin. Simply dab a little breast milk on their skin after feedings to reduce inflammation and gradually treat the acne.
You can use a clean finger to apply the breast milk, or dip a cotton ball in breast milk and then gently rub the cotton over your babys acne.
Since breast milk is gentle, you can use this natural remedy several times throughout the day until the acne clears.
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When Should You See Your Babys Healthcare Provider
So, when is baby acne a concern? If anything about your baby’s complexion seems out of the ordinary, or if the condition isn’t getting better after three to four months, consult your baby’s healthcare provider.Also, contact your baby’s provider if you ever notice any of the following:
-
Your baby isn’t feeding well.
What Causes Erythema Toxicum Neonatorum
The exact cause is unknown. It is not due to an infection, even though pus-filled spots are often present.
Various ideas have been suggested, including the possibility that it is a normal effect of a baby’s immune system. It is not an allergic problem. It is also not related to whether the baby is breast-fed or bottle-fed.
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When To See A Doctor
Neonatal acne occurs when the baby is in the first 6 weeks of life. It is usually nothing to worry about and will go away on its own.
If a baby develops acne when they are older than 6 weeks, or infantile acne, a doctor should rule out other skin conditions.
Anyone concerned about their babys skin, or who suspects a condition such as chickenpox or eczema, should speak to a doctor.
What Causes Baby Acne Simple Ways To Help It Clear Up
Do babies really get acne?
Arent they supposed to have smooth, clear, flawless skin?
If you thought theres 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.
Dont worry thoughit 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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Dont Rub Your Babys Skin With Rough Fabric
Rough fabrics can make your babys acne worse by further irritating the already-sensitive skin. Thats why its so important to keep rough fabrics away from your newborn. Dress your baby in super-soft clothing, and keep wool and other coarse fibers away from their skin.
Similarly, dont bathe your baby with a washcloth. The roughness of the cloth can rip open the bumps and lead to infection. Instead, wash your little one with your hands, but be sure to remove any jewelry that may poke or prick.
Treatment For Baby Acne
Even though baby acne can look similar to adult acne, you must treat it differently. Keep in mind that infant skin is sensitive, and mishandling it could result in scarring.
Additionally, never try to pop any pimples or squeeze any blackheads. Yes, I know it may be tempting, but by doing so, you can increase the chance of infection and end up scarring the skin.
For all of you pimple-popping mommas, here are a few ways to treat your babys acne.
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Baby Acne Versus Infantile Acne
Baby acne differs from infantile acne. Infantile acne is much less common and can present with open comedones or blackheads, while baby acne does not. Cysts or nodules are also sometimes seen with infantile acne and the condition can result in scarring without treatment. Infantile acne can persist until the baby is two years old.
What Is Baby Acne
Baby acne, also known as neonatal acne or neonatal cephalic pustulosis, is a common skin condition that occurs in more than one in five healthy newborns. It typically arises around two weeks of age with little bumps and pustules on the infants forehead, cheeks, eyelids, and chin.
This condition should be distinguished from infantile acne, which is less common and presents at 2-12 months of age.
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Milk Spots: What Are Milk Spots And How Do You Treat And Prevent Them
Milk spots, also know as milia, are nothing to worry about. In fact, around half of all newborns will develop them.
Milk spots are one of the most common skin conditions seen in newborns.
Although theyre essentially harmless, milk spots can be concerning for new parents as they appear in the first few weeks of a babys life. A combination of their colour and texture, or just the presence of them alone, often recalls warnings about baby rashes and the associated childhood illnesses in their minds.
To understand a little more about these spots, where they come from, how to get rid of them and what you need to know about babys skincare, we spoke to pharmacist Anshu Bhimbat from Lloyds Pharmacy.
What Is Baby Acne Treatment And Causes
Theres nothing in the world as endearing as your babys delicate, sweet-smelling skin, and youll likely never tire of staring at them which is why its important to learn about the common challenge of baby acne early on. When you discover these red bumps developing on babys skin, dont panic and dont pick. Babys skin is likely just adjusting to life on the outside.
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Transient Neonatal Pustular Melanosis
Transient neonatal pustular melanosis is a common skin condition in newborns. It appears as small pus-filled spots. It is harmless and will go away by itself.
This skin condition is more common in newborns with black skin. The spots usually disappear within , but they may leave dark marks on the skin for several months.
The spots usually appear on the following body parts:
- small of the back
Dress Your Baby Carefully
Babies have super delicate skin thats intolerant and easily irritated. This is normal and nothing to be concerned about. Just be sure to dress your baby in soft, loose-fitting clothing so that you dont cause their baby acne to flare up.
Its also best to use baby-friendly, hypoallergenic laundry detergents to wash your babys clothes, sheets, and blankets. This will protect your little ones skin from any irritating chemicals that ordinary detergents may contain.
For bedtime, try Mustelas Stelatopia Skin Soothing Pajamas to relieve skin discomfort. These pajamas will also reduce your little ones desire to pick at their acne. Youll be relieved knowing that your little one is clothed in material thats hypoallergenic, free of parabens and phenoxyethanol, and made with 100 percent natural ingredients.
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A Dermatologist Can Tell You When To Treat Your Babys Acne
Seeing acne on your babys skin can be worrisome. A dermatologist can tell you whether you need to treat it. When acne requires treatment, you can rely on a dermatologists expertise to treat your baby safely.
ImagesImage of newborn acne used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.
Image of baby being bathed, Getty Images
ReferencesEichenfield LF, Krakowski AC, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric acne. Pediatrics. 2013 131 Suppl 3:S163-86.
Serna-Tamayo C, Janniger CK, et al. Neonatal and infantile acne vulgaris: An update. Cutis 2014 94:13-15.
Zaenglein AL and Thiboutot DM. Acne vulgaris. In: Bolognia JL, et al. Dermatology. . Mosby Elsevier, Spain, 2008:500.
How Is Baby Acne Treated
Baby acne usually disappears without treatment.
Some babies have acne that lingers for months instead of weeks. To treat this stubborn form of baby acne, your babys pediatrician may prescribe a medicated cream or ointment that helps clear up the acne.
Dont use OTC acne treatments, face washes, or lotions. Your babys skin is very sensitive at this young age. You might make the acne worse or cause additional skin irritation by using something thats too strong.
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How Long Does Newborn Baby Acne Last
Newborn baby acne usually only lasts a few days, and in the vast majority of cases is completely gone within two weeks. Sometimes spots can appear only to disappear a few hours later and sometimes they will stick around for three to four months. Recurrences can happen but are generally very mild.
It sounds awful, I know, but when my baby first developed the acne all I could think once I knew it was nothing to worry about was, Oh no, shes not perfect anymore. What will people say? Of course, nobody said anything. Well, nothing unkind anyway. If I brought it up , they just shared stories of their own childs ailments, from newborn baby eczema to newborn baby cradle cap, and how theyd also been a mix of concerned and embarrassed which actually really helped and made me feel less like a Disney villain.
Sarah, mum to Molly, 1