Baby Acne

Introduction to baby acne:

To many parents’ dismay, their beautiful newborn’s face breaks out with red bumps at around 3 to 4 weeks of age. This is called baby acne. It tends to occur at about the same age as the baby’s peak gas production and fussiness. How attractive! (This all coincides with parents’ maximum sleep deprivation.) Parents are often quite concerned both about how these bumps look and about their significance.

What is baby acne?

The bumps of baby acne are quickly fleeting evidence of the connection between a mother’s body and her baby’s. During the final moments of pregnancy, her hormones cross the placenta into her child. Among other things (such as maturing the lungs), this stimulates the oil glands on the skin, eventually giving rise to the baby acne.

Who gets baby acne?

Baby acne is a common newborn condition. It can be present at birth, but typically appears at 3 to 4 weeks of age.

What are the symptoms of baby acne?

Fleshy or red pimples occur predominately on the cheeks, but are also quite common on the forehead and chin. Whiteheads are sometimes present.

The acne will be most prominent when the baby is hot or fussy (increased blood flow to the skin), or when the skin is irritated. If the skin comes into contact with cloth laundered in harsh detergents, or becomes wet from spit-up saliva or milk, the condition may appear worse for several days.