Baby Skin Problem

Updated on December 27, 2009
L.S. asks from West Palm Beach, FL
19 answers

I took my 6week old to the doctors and was told she has baby acne, she also had a rash at the back of her neck, I was told to buy Hydrocortisone 1% and use, if her face got bad I could use a little on her cheeks which I did, now I think her cheeks and face looks worse than ever, her neck did clear up. I have stopped using everything now, her face feels really dry, scaly and I have satrted putting vaseline which is now peeling the dry areas. I worried if it may be something other than just acne, should I just wait it out.

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So What Happened?

First of all "thank you to all" for the posts and remarks they were extremely helpful. After reading the posts and doing some additional research on the internet I stopped using everything and just waited, after 2days of not doing anything it started drying out and peeling and that time I started using Aquaphor which helped to smooth out her skin again. Thank God

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M.H.

answers from Melbourne on

I have used castor oil and aloe vera for years. It works better than anything else and is very ecinomical. Castor oil is vitamin e that has not been processed.

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M.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

You may want to try Bio Oil.
http://www.bio-oil.com/

It's very gentle and smells so good on my baby. It cleared up my baby's cradle cap right away. You can get $1.00 coupon from the website. I can usually find it at CVS.
Good luck!

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P.O.

answers from Jacksonville on

I know someone else who has that problem. You shouldn't have to put anything on the baby skin at that age. It's the immature oil glands that is causing the acne. It will go away in time. If you breastfeed, be sure you are not eating something to irritate the skin. Milk can do that sometimes. If her face is dry, I would use cocoa butter to heal the skin, but I think hydrocortisone is strong for a baby that age. Go with your guts, but leave it alone. The peeling is happening now for my son who had an allergic reaction to something I ate while breastfeeding, and I simply keep the skin moist because it's so dry and just let the skin heal itself.

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R.A.

answers from Boca Raton on

vaseline is not healthy for the skin as it doesn't allow the skin to breathe. I suggest expressing some of your milk and applying it to your baby's skin. Do not use cows milk for this, only your milk

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B.C.

answers from Ocala on

i would go to a dermatologist if you are on special assitance like medicaid or tencare or whatever ask your pediatircian to refer you to a dermatologist A.S.A.P. good luck.

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S.T.

answers from Tampa on

Baby acne is normal - almost all babies get it at some point. The hydrocortisone is just for the itch so it won't make her miserable. You still need to moisturize several times a day. One of our pediatricians over the years suggested washing the baby's face with Dove soap, and we've had success with that. Just be careful around her eyes. For a moisturizer, I like Eucerin. It's very thick and sort of sticky, but it works. Just wash her face with the Dove once a day and moisturize at least 4 times a day. It will clear up before you know it. If it doesn't improve after a week or so, you might look into what detergent you are using on your family's clothes. Sometimes they rub their little faces in our clothes and develop a sensitivity.

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M.H.

answers from Fort Walton Beach on

Hi L.,

Cortisone cream is dangerous and should only be used in life threatening situations. It breaks down bone mass and will cause multiple problems down the road. Vaseline is not good as it clogs pores and is a diesel derivative. Baby acne is a reaction to something she is eating or a lack of nutrition. If she's breast fed make sure you're on an absorbable prenatal. If she's formula fed she might need to change formula. Formulas not only have vitamins in them but also chemical processing. Goat milk is better for her than processed formula if you can't breast feed.

There is a lotion I know that will help if there is any discomfort. Let me know if you want to go that route.

God bless,

M.

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E.C.

answers from Miami on

Change the milk, it is an allergic reaction, if she is breast feeding, stop eating dairy food, if she eat caw milk formula try nutramigen, pregestimil or any hidrolized milk or try soy although soy can be alergenic also if she is receiving solid food, change what you are giving and start with your pediatrician a plan of introducing one tipe of food alone for at least four-five days to see if there is a reaction...also visit www.naet.com.

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S.C.

answers from Tampa on

The first thing I suggest is to stop the veseline and start using cetaphil lotion for the dryness! Vaseline doesn't moisturize and the cetaphil is completely allergin free. I had to use it on both of my children within the first few weeks for skin problems as directed by the dermatologist.

I would just monitor the rest. If it comes back then take a note of all the things that she has come into contact with over the last day or so.

Good luck!

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D.S.

answers from Port St. Lucie on

Our son is 11 now & for those 11 years I have been using Cetaphil Cream in the tub (Walmart has a generic)& also now their gentle facial scrub. We use it everywhere. Three different dermatologists have told me this same product over the years & there are no drugs involved. It works! Try it - good luck.

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C.S.

answers from Lakeland on

I would not want to put something as strong as hydrocortisone on a tiny baby. Buy some Eucerin cream and try that. My daughter has had problems with scaly skin behind her ears and the Eucerin took care of it in a couple of days. Your daughter might have some eczema, and the Eucerin will help as well. If it's just baby acne, it will go away on its own without intervention.

If you are breastfeeding, please continue to do so and I would urge you to breastfeed to at least a year. If your daugther has a propensity to allergies or autoimmune problems like eczema etc., breastfeeding her is the very best thing you can do for her!

Good luck.

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T.O.

answers from Jacksonville on

My baby is now 4months and the skin started to clear up. As a baby she had acne real bad, completely different then the first and it worried me. I started using a bit less of the all free and clear then usual adn extra rinse. After baths i would put on Aveno lotion especially the cheeks. That worked pretty well and the rest cleared up with time. Now she has a few break out spots and am using a mixture of hydrocortzone adn aqua lotion (alot like vasiline, twice a day and the spots on her elbow are disappearing.

It helped that alot of other moms said they had the same problem and it does clear up.

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S.S.

answers from Miami on

All babies at 5/6 weeks get that infant acne. It is the mothers hormones coming out through the baby's skin. Leave it alone and don't put anything on it. Your dr should know this and not prescribe anything. Now if it doesn't go away in a few weeks then I would start looking at what food groups she is allergic to but for now it's NORMAL!!!

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S.A.

answers from Tampa on

Try using the California Baby or Aveeno Baby line. They're sold at Target. Try not bathing her too much. When my daughter was that age, I only bathed her once a week, if that. Babies don't get dirty, except for their bottom. Good luck. I wouldn't use the hydrocortisone cream anymore though.

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L.S.

answers from Grand Forks on

My son has dermatitus and i use hyprocortisone cream on his patches. He is 19 mon now and has no problems except a little excema. A thick cream like aquaphor might help. Something that wont rub off or soak in too fast. I have never had any problems with the hydrocortisone cream and i think it works wonders on the dermatitus patches.

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S.G.

answers from Tampa on

hi L.,
baby acne and other skin conditions are perfectly normal in infants and they will all clear up on their own. of course there are sometimes things that fall out of that but for the most part, it is normal and common. it's better to avoid putting something as strong as hydrocortisone on baby's sensitive skin. i have used aquaphor for any and all skin issues (for both my kids and for myself even). it really hydrates dry skin and helps clear up little rashes and things. try some aquaphor to help lubricate the peeling areas and stay away from the strong stuff if you can.

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T.C.

answers from Jacksonville on

My son had a similar problem and the problem seemed to get worse but cleared up very quick after his little face dried out and flaked. The Aveeno baby line is fabulous. I suggest the soothing relief moisture cream. It worked wonders on my little boys skin. Good luck!

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P.E.

answers from Jacksonville on

Dear L.,
I understand your concern and I may have a solution for you.
I have a friend who had an infant (she's now 5 years old) who had skin problems (eczema) that so severe she would scratch her skin raw and bleed.
If you wish to know what she did, contact me ###-###-#### and I will connect you to her story.
About me, I am using a nutrition program for 10 years now which has given my whole family quality life. Am a grandmother of 4 and loving it.
P.

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B.K.

answers from Tallahassee on

Baby acne goes away on its own. Petroleum jelly is a petroleum product. If you must moisturize your infant's skin, use extra virgin olive oil or pure jojoba oil. It sounds like the hydrocortizone irritated your child's face. Do nothing or apply a natural oil. As for the neck, that may have been from spit up of milk or formula trickling back there and making a yeasty rash, which as I recall you could get rid of by keeping the area clean, aired out, and if you apply anything, let it be jojoba (found at health food stores) or extra virgin olive oil.

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