Why Baby Acne Is Nothing To Worry About

For nine months you eagerly waited for your baby to arrive. And when your baby is born he (or she!) is just what you imagined them to be. Sort of! One of the first sobering things parents notice about their newborns is all that baby acne on their cheeks. And infant acne is NOT something they expected.

What Causes Infant Acne?

Baby acne, also known as infant acne, is common among newborns. Most often it appears as small whiteheads on your baby's cheeks, forehead, or chin.

Newborn acne can start anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months of age, and generally remains until your baby reaches 4 to 6 months old.

Who's to blame? Mothers may subconsciously feel it's dear old Mom who is to blame for their baby's acne. Actually, it is the mother's adult hormones in the baby that causes baby acne. When the mother was carrying the baby, the baby was exposed to the mother's hormones. The baby carried these hormones and it is these hormones that cause baby acne. Given that this is a natural state of affairs, Moms should not feel guilty or responsible. They've done a lot simply by carrying their baby!

And as your baby grows older, it loses Mom's hormones - and the baby acne goes away.

Tips For Dealing With Infant Acne

Acne in newborns looks worse than it is. But there are some things you can do that can make it better or worse. Here are some things you should not do:

• Don't pick the baby acne - like picking adult acne, it makes it worse.
• Do not put any lotion or oil on it. Baby skin can be very sensitive, and most acne treatments are quite harsh on the skin.

Some things you can do to reduce acne in babies:

• Use a less-harsh detergent for washing the baby's clothes.
• Wash the baby with mild soap and water.

About a third of all babies get baby acne, and it is not really something to be concerned about. You should be concerned, however, it if doesn't go away after 6 months of age. If that is the case, then contact your doctor or pediatrician.