Baby Acne Treatment

Seeing our baby suffering from acne might be distressing for parents. However, the fact is that baby acne certainly isn't a serious matter. To be honest, parents should not go for any acne creams. A few precautions, and baby acne will clear away within a few days.

Baby Acne

Baby acne, also referred as acne neonatorum is nothing but formation of pimples. Although the pimples can appear anywhere, they are usually seen on the forehead and the cheeks. The side effect of hormonal imbalance, common during pregnancy is seen to affect the baby in the form of acne. The sebaceous glands on the baby's skin respond to hormone imbalance by producing more sebum (oil), eventually leading to acne.

Pimples are clearly visible on the baby's face within a month after delivery. Baby acne that sometimes manifests as red bumps and whiteheads may disappear and come back. This recurring characteristic of baby acne generally continues for the first 3 - 4 months.

Treatment

Wash the Baby's Face
Doctors often tell to wash the face at least 2 - 3 times a day. One can use soaps specially designed for baby's sensitive skin. Keep in mind that treatment does not mean overuse of baby care products. Too much usage will only worsen acne. Rinsing the face with lukewarm water and mild baby soap with soft hands everyday can be helpful to get rid of acne at the earliest. Once, the face is washed, gently dry the face with a soft cloth.

Breast Milk
Instead of depending on baby care products for acne removal, mothers go for breast milk. So, whether baby shows acne on the cheeks or the back area, just rub some breast milk onto the affected area. Breast milk has excellent anti -bacterial properties, which helps to get rid of baby acne. This form of infant acne treatment works and is the most preferred option to clear baby acne.

No Squeezing Please
Parents who really care about their newborn babies should keep in mind that squeezing is not the solution to eliminate baby acne. This method can be quite painful to the baby and is likely to damage the baby's sensitive skin. A secondary bacterial infection may also develop, leading to formation of pus. This might take months to restore natural appearance of the skin.

Factors that Worsen Baby Acne

Rinsing the skin with soap containing harsh chemicals, or the affected skin touching clothes with harsh detergents, can aggravate baby acne. The skin coming in contact with baby's saliva or the milk that he has vomited, are some of the factors that are known to worsen acne.

Generally baby acne treatment, does not involve, use of acne skin care products containing benzoyl peroxide. However, if the acne is severe, one has to first consult a doctor before using them. Remember, baby acne is a minor issue and as such, will never last for months. As baby acne is a harmless condition, it isn't troublesome and does not matter even if, few pimples remain on the skin as they will go away in a few days.