Baby Acne - Rancho Cucamonga,CA

One of my boys had baby acne and I didn't find anything to clear it up quickly, but I did learn that when he was able to wear sunscreen to stay away from any of the gel based sunscreens. The gel based, like Bullfrog Jr, made him break out all over again. I found that the cream based sunscreens did not irritate his skin like the gels. I also was very careful with his soap for his sheets, blankets and clothes and only used Dreft or a baby laundry soap. Just to give you hope, he grew out of it quickly and has perfect skin now and he is 12.

Hi M.. My now 14 month old baby girl also had some baby acne in the beginning and my now 2.5 year old girl had rashes when she was a baby. For both of them, I used Calendula lotion (from Whole Foods). It was recommended by my Pediatrician and it works wonders, not only on rashes and acne but also on small cuts and bruises.

Unfortunately, there's not too much you can do about the acne. My kids had it as well and I was told that it would eventually go away on its own, and it did. I wouldn't stress over it, although you do feel bad that they have it already.

this is normal and may take anywhere from a day to 3 weeks as it is a normal symptom. Your baby was a part of you and now you are seperated - I beleive it has to do with hormones, but I had the same problem with my 2 daughters and their doctors and my obgyn all said the same thing. It went away within a month.

Congratulations! We delt with the same issue when our daughter was born last June. Unfortunately the heat made it worse, especially when I put her in a moby wrap or similar.
I read the boards and got discouraged. Didn't think there was anything safe to use. Then at our 6 week apt, MD prescribed Ketoconazole Cream 2% 2x a day. Cleared it right up. I'm so glad we didn't wait months for it to clear up on its own. She is 9 mo old now and has gorgeous skin. Good Luck!

I can say don't let any pop - they will leave a scar. One of my son's had it badly also - and a few were inadvertently popped & are scars now. The doc at the time told me there was nothing we could do to expedite things. I know that it is hormonal, so astringents [which could be harmful to your baby] etc...wouldn't help. Basically, no, it has to run its course. Good luck & God Bless You!

My daughter also had it. My lactation consultant told me to cut out all dairy and see if it improved. I did (Boo! I love cheese, ice cream, etc) and it cleared up very quickly.

My first born had a moderately severe case of acne. Most doctors told me to do nothing as they expected the outbreak to disappear within a few months. (It took nine months.) One recommended putting benzoil peroxide on the afflicted areas twice a day.

Hello M.,

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All three of my little ones ( now from age 4 and half years old to two weeks and two days old) all had infant acne. It has to do wiyh the amount of hormones that they got from you. The good news is that it will go away in time. The bads news is we were told that you just have to wait it out. All of my little ones also had what is called witches milk. Were their breasts fill full of fluid. We were told the same thing with that you just have to watch it and it will go away.

Dear M.,

Firstly, congratulations on your new baby! I have 11 month old G/G twins (first time mom). Anyway, one of them had baby acne 2 weeks after birth. I thought it was allergies to the formula but my pediatrician said it was acne due to my hormones from birth and from my breast milk. It was too early for eczema. It clears up by itself in a few weeks. Make sure your baby does not scratch it (put baby mits on his/her hands--can buy them anywhere like CVS) and keep her/his face clean with a cotton ball and plain tap water every day. Scratching can break the already inflamed skin and cause a skin infection. No moisturizers on the face or soap. Infants at this stage do not have the ability to make facial oil on their own so don't scrub either or wash her face with baby soap which will dry out her skin and make the acne worse. This is temporary and will clear up on its own. You can wipe her face 2x a day with the wet cotton ball soaked in water and pat dry.
My girls both have beautiful skin and it cleared up in 3 weeks. I know that seems like forever when your baby is experiencing this, but it goes by very fast.
Take care,
E.

Hi M.,
I'm actually going through the same thing right now with my 5-1/2-week-old baby boy. I also put in a request regarding this issue and got a lot of great responses. My Dr. told me to wash his face with a mild baby soap but for the most part it would go away on it's own. He explained to me, along with a lot of the other moms on this site, that it was my hormones that were seeping out of his skin from being in the womb. I actually changed bottles from Dr. Brown's to Medela because Dr. Brown's, along with the majority of baby bottles, contain BPA. BPA is a chemical that mimics the hormone estrogen, so this was also causing my baby boy's acne problem. Since I have traded bottles, his skin has been clearing up slowly but surely. I'm not sure if you're even supplementing with a bottle at this time, but this worked for me. BPA contained in these bottles has many other side effects, so switching was the best choice in any case.

I'll second (or third or fourth) the suggestion to try breastmilk. I didn't know about it when I had my 2 kids - but I looked it up when my boss was looking for a solution for her daughter and it worked great! I'll also second avoiding any over the counter creams, lotions, treatments. It's not painful for them - but as a mom you want it to go away - so try the breastmilk and a little time.

Unfortunately there is not much you can do about it other than wiping his face down gently with a warm wash cloth. Like others mentioned it mainly has to do with his body regulated hormones. So it will take some time, but it will go away.

I know it is terrible to see your perfect, beautiful little baby with all that acne, but try to be patient, it will go away. It has happened to every baby I know. I don't know any confirmed tricks to make it clear up sooner, but I think the best thing is just keep him clean, use only water on his face, use mild soap when he bathes and be sure you are using a mild detergent for his clothes. I think I used to use a wet wash cloth occasionally on my babies faces, but I think that might have been more to make me feel better than to actually help the acne. It does go away!

My child is 9 but I remember well...the acne is from the hormones from your body...it is normal and you should let it go away on its own. Please don't try to put anything on his face to get rid of it. I'm sure he's still beautiful!

My son had it, It will clear up. Try Cetaphil wash a few times a day just with a wash cloth and NO lotion on their face. That's what my doctor told me to do with my son.
I hope this helps.
B. E.

My first born Jialen had rashes all over her face on her first 2 months, From my discovery later that before she turned 1 years old I found out she was allergic to peanuts. Make sure do not eat around her or bring anything that can cause an allergic reaction. but for now jush wash her face with a cotton soaked in luke warm water, and make sure after people kisses her face make sure you wash it off her, peoples mouth has germs and other stuff that can cause her skin to react to.

watch out for men with moutache.

Make sure everywashes their hand prior to holding her.
use antibacterial.

I know how frustrating this can be. You want to have the perfect beautiful boy to snap all the pictures for the lasting memories. Unfortunately, there is very little you can do. My son had the most horrifying white heads that were so red and angry I thought they must have been causing him pain. The only thing that seemed to help (not much, but at least a little) was to wash his face with mild soap twice daily. Honestly, time was the only thing that really helped. By two months he had pretty clear skin. However, he's now 5 months and still has bouts with acne. I wish I had a magic solution for you, but just know in time it will be better.

No, leave it alone, you'll make it worse and it will come back later.

M.,

VASALINE!!!! It works for so many things. It works for diaper rashes and dry skin too. Just apply a thin layer to the affected area and that should work with in a couple of days. This worked with my son. He had it really bad around his eyes and on his cheeks. It cleared up in about three days. Good luck and I hope this works for your little guy!!

S.

I mixed some corn starch with water and just blotted my baby's face for a few days and it seemed to work just great. Its an Mexican remedy. If that doesn't work- it will clear up soon, its just a phase.
Good luck and congrats on your new baby.

Don't worry M., my baby boy had the same problem. It will just take time for the hormones your baby got from you during birth to clear his system. The only thing you can do is keep his skin clean with a gentle baby cleanser and dry. There are no quick fixes and try not to pick them (sometimes hard.) I think it took about 4 weeks for my baby's face to finally clear up. Good luck and all the best to you and your new addition.

Just keep his face clean. Wipe with a wet washcloth, which is only water..no soaps, or lotions. Clean nad dry will help it out. And whatever you do dont pick at it, my neighbor picked at her sons acne and it became very infected due to her unclean nails. So good luck and it will disappear soon enough.

Just leave it. My son was born with this too. It'll go away on it's on. Yes, it's a bit unattractive, especially when you want people to see your baby as perfect. Don't worry, he's perfect the way he is and it'll go away with time. Don't pick! Their skin scars easily.

I'm sure many moms have already told you this, but it's natural and will go away on it's own in a few weeks (like the dry peeling skin did). Don't try to scrub or squeeze the pimples - it will only aggravate the skin and make it uncomfortable for the baby. Right now it shouldn't bother him. Doesn't look great right now - but it will get better.

J. - mom of 2 girls, 2.5 yrs & 6mo.

M.,
I totally understand the need to keep your perfect baby perfect! I used Mary Kay acne treatment gel. It only has 5% benzoyl peroxide and therefor is not as harsh to your babies skin. Be sure to keep him clean with just mild soap and water. I used to apply it while my daughter was sleeping. I gave my friend this advice and her daughter turned red and inflamed from this gel. I had no such thing happen. So take it or leave it but it really helped me. My sister (mother of 6) used real lemon juice on her babies. After a bath she would just use a finger and rub the lemon and then the area of infection. This can sting a bit, so only on areas not open. Both worked for us. Good luck. I am sure you will receive TONS ... just let it run its course and your baby will be fine and it is normal and bla bla bla! Your the mom! You want the best for your baby. Do what your heart tells you...at home...behind closed doors. No one has to know he has a flaw!

Please read the labels on the products you are using an avoid cocoamide DEA, TEA, pg, peg, mineral oil. These are all irritating and some are potentially harmful ingredients and are probably what is causing your babies acne. How old is your baby? What kinds of food do you feed him? Maybe have to look at the diet. Use safe products without these chemicals and you can find them through the Generations line of safe products from Neways at www.ineways.com/positivehealthyliving. You can read more about why this is important at www.healthy-communications.com

My now toddler girl had baby acne as well. I found that only washing her face with water lessened any irratation. I also used Sacred Earth massage cream and that seemed to help. It is a very gentle product you can get it at Bodywork Emporium or probably any other massage product store. Just remember it will go away and sometimes require. Good luck

If you're nursing, use a little breast milk - it works wonders... or if he scratches himself...breast milk is a natural healer.

M.,
Both my daughters had baby acne, as do most children. It goes away after about a month or two. Do NOT use any type of acne products or anything without consulting your pediatrcian. We would just softly, softly blot their face with a warm washcloth to clean out any dirt. Baby's skin is so uber sensitive...to talk to your ped. All the best! S.

my first born had terrible baby acne as well - he got it at 1 mos, but it goes away in about 2-4 weeks. it is just his skin getting used to the outside world. incidentally, i have noticed that he has more sensitive skin than my other 3 who didn't have bad baby acne ( they all got it to some degree). he is 10 yrs old now - so something you might want to be aware of later on - he might have sensitive skin - a good thing to help with that later on is EPA-DHA essential fatty acids - check the health food store for it when he is about 2 yrs. =)

M.,

It looks like you have many responses and many say what I was told which is to let it run its course. My baby had the same at 2 weeks. It did go away. My lactation consultant gave me some reasuring words. She said, "It is not bothering her, so don't let it bother you." I had to realize that my baby was not in pain, and was not irritated. So, I hope this helps. Save the worrying for bigger things yet to come. Good luck and congrats:)

M.~
It's normal. The hormones are going every which way and his body is trying to get used to all the new things in life. Keep his face clean and moisturized. It will go away soon.
Hugs,
K.

Hello M. ...

I've been in the "business of babies" for 27 years as a childbirth educator and lactation specialist. Baby acne can be very unsightly and bothersome ... mostly to mom! It is totally normal and usually caused by the hormonal changes you experienced during pregnancy. Please know that it will disappear.

In the meantime ...

Refrain from using any kind of lotions, creams, or oils on your baby's face ... they will just cause the pores to clog and the skin to become more irritated.

Hang in there and Happy Parenting,
M.

It's completely normal. Your hormones are leaving his body and there's no way to "speed" it up. Please don't squeeze them, either. A wash cloth without soap is about all you can do. It's a phase, Mom and it will pass. Good luck!

Baby acne is their hormones....nothing you can do and I would just leave it alone. They will go away all by themselves. I know it doesn't look great...but they look much worse then they are....

My daughter had terrible baby acne. Her doc said it was one of the worst cases he'd seen. Anyway, there really is nothing you can do. You may make it worse if you put a bunch of lotions,etc on it. It will go away in time. I have to admit that my daughter's lasted longer than I thought it would though. In the meantime, if you are planning to get a professional newborn pic taken, get it done in black and white & somewhere where they can digitally 'fix' the picture. :-)

Are you a breastfeeding Mom? If so, breastmilk is a curing agent. My 1st son had baby acne as well. Our ped told us to put breast milk on it. It worked! It dried it up and cleared up quickly. We are against using any type of drugs with our children if not necessary. Most topical aids for baby acne or rashes usually carry some sort of steroid and I just feel that is harsh. Good luck to you!

A.

It is totally normal and will resolve on it's own. Do not put anything on them or pick them. Let me say though, that if it lasts more than a couple of weeks or your baby seems to be fussy, go to a ped. dermatologist and make sure it is not contact dermatitis. Our baby boy had the acne and some heat rash, but it lasted for 6 weeks and he would not sleep and fussed a lot. After we took him in we found out he had contact dermatitis and it was itchy! The poor thing. We had to treat with mild hydrocortisone cream and he immediately slept for 5 hours! So, just watch it and make sure it isn't more than acne. Our pediatrician misdiagnosed it. Many babies are very sensitive and can get dermatitis. If it is just acne, don't worry - most babies get it and soon your baby's skin will be smooth again. :-) If you need a referral to a ped. derm, Dr. Angela Castellano in the valley is GREAT!

Hi M.,
Congrats on your new little one!
My son who will be 3 y.o in August had the same thing. He had the acne until at least 1 y.o. I didn't put anything on it to get rid of it. All the 3 different peditricians told me that it was normal and would go away on its own. Sure enough, it did go away by itself and so far, it hasn't came back since :-)
I don't think you should worry/concern about it. Enjoy your little one!

A little about me: A first time mom at the age of 41 and loving it!

Both my daughters had this. Just give it time and don't pop or pick at them! They will leave marks! I know it isn't pretty but it really doesn't last that long. Congrats on your new baby!

Hi M.,

I can totally recommend Arbonne' baby line called ABC to you and your son as the products are irritant free, vegan and pure and safe especially for babies.

If you like to receive a free sample just email me back.

P.
____@____.com

Are you using any lotions or soaps on your babies skin. Make sure they only have natural ingredients in them and nothing to clog the pores. Weleda products are excellent but might not be right for your child so be sure to experiment with different sample sizes of different brands. Whole foods has a great selection to choose from and you might want to look at some homeopathic remedies to speed the healing process while you're there.

Hi M.,
I recommend you try giving him probiotics - my company has one that you can give an infant. Here's a link to the product: http://www.shaklee.net/healthyfriends/product/20639 Did you take antibiotics within the couple of years prior to getting pregrant? Let me know if I can help.

J.
www.shaklee.net/healthyfriends
Creating Healthier Lives & Homes for Over 50 Years!

Hi M.,
My first born had baby acne. It was horrible! A friend of mine told me to rub "Head and Shoulder" on the infected area's and then wipe with a wash cloth. Just be careful not to get it into his eyes. It went away!!! Try it, it won't hurt him :)
Good Luck and enjoy that little peanut!

I want to second what someone else said, if it is the little white baby acne bumps, leave it alone. If it an angry red rash that seems to cover his whole skin (not just individual bumps) and it itchs and causes discomfort, it is treatable with mild hydrocortizone cream. I thought my daughter had "baby acne" but after 3 weeks of her whole skin being red and sore I took her in and was given the cream which cleared it up in 2 days.

My sister in law told me to rub breastmilk on my baby's face to clear up baby acne - I thought she was crazy, but I did it and it worked. You don't need a whole lot - I would just squeeze out a few drops after his night feeding, and rub them all over his little face - by morning it was remarkably better. I also did this when he scratched his face - it would often take two days to heal instead of just overnight, but it works really well. Good luck and congratulations on your new baby boy!

Baking soda and water solution works well for a bit with my girl, helped calm the flaming red of her acne. Nothing "cured" it but time. I would soak a wash cloth and pat her cheeks and forehead. The red would go right down.

Use breastmilk on his acne. It will take away any redness. But the acne needs to run its course. most babies have this and is very normal! Do not use any lotions or soap, your babies skin is very sensitive and a lot of these things have chemicals, etc that can just make the acne worse.

I feel for you! My precious baby girl had horrible acne for about 3 weeks and it felt like it lasted forever. Espcially since it is the honeymoon stage where all friends and family want to meet your little pumpkin.

After much research and hearing that you just have to let it run it's course, I came across advise to use Aquaphor. It worked like a charm and cleared it up in just a few days. Now I use it for everything from diaper rash to chaffed skin. I know it seems strange because Aquaphor is so emollient and greasy...but baby acne is typically rough and it really did soothe the redness and made her skin baby soft and beautiful again!

Also, I agree with wiping face clean with just warm water twice a day.

Hi M.! I have 3 children and my youngest had baby acne. There is nothing you can really do to speed up the healing process - just time! It will go away! Just don't wash your baby's face with soap. Wipe it with a wet cloth. Don't put any lotions or medication on it! It will just make the acne worse! Hope this helps you! Baby acne is very common and although it looks awful and painful, it's nothing to worry about! You're baby is very new and the acne will probably last a month or so! Don't worry!

its hormonal.. youjust need to wait it out... i think it takes about 2 weeks... but it could aslso be excema.. check with the pediatrician...

It will clear up my its salf both my kid went throw it, there little bodys just need time to adjust, do not worry I am sure he cute as hell and know one will notice, just relax take care it will stop chris

nope, it just passes. wash his face daily with a warm, just water washcloth. don't use soap, it will dry his face out and make it more irritated. it usually passes within a week or two, but it can come back in some kids. don't pick at or pop the acne, you can cause scarring.

My pediatrician told me to buy the really inexpensive washcloths sold at the drug store. The kind meant for adults as well as kids. He also told me to use Ivory bar soap (not liquid). The roughness of the cloth helps to "knock off" the tops of the bumps. No need to scrub hard, just use the normal amount of pressure. The combination of the rough wash cloth and the Ivory soap work together to open & dry up the bumps. Hope this helps you. It did work for both my babies.
M.

Unfortunately you'll just have to wait it out. Baby acne will come and go for the next few months. Baby's skin is too sensitive for much. But the acne doesn't hurt him. Hang in there.