Facial Rash ( 1 Mo Old Baby Girl )

Hello M.,

I have a 7 week old baby girl and she developed the same thing. I became very worried when the rash started to spread and one morning her eye was swollen. I took her into the doctors and they told me it was dermatitis and to use 1% Hydrocortisome Cream on it. It cleared up in a couple of days. I put a thin coat on her face in the morning and at night. Hope this helps.

Good luck
S. Soriano

M.,

We're a family of sensitive skin. When my daughter was a baby, I would put sweaters on her when I was cold - and she got heat rashes (they looked like pimples). About the time that she teethed, she had exzema which was made worse by the saliva. We moisterized her skin every night - and made a point not to "overwash." Now that she's 16, she has gorgeous skin. We went to the pediatrian - who was helpful - and I recommend that you try that - the treatments are SO much better now than they were then.

If it is baby acne, it probably will get worse before it gets better. My second son had it pretty bad. His pediatrician explained it to me by saying that, as a baby, his face is always being rubbed against clothes, blankets, etc. And, since his skin is so sensitive at that age, the detergent, perfume, bath products, etc. that are on the clothes his face touches are irritating to his skin.

What worked best to clear it up in him, rather than put any more chemicals onto his skin to clear up the acne, was to wash his face with plain water every time I changed his diaper. He didn't like it very much, but it didn't last long, and it helped clear up the problem- which is more of a problem for the mom than it is for the baby! Even if you do nothing, it will go away in time.

M.,
I had the same thing happen with my son. We found that the Arbonne diaper rash creme completly cleared it up. Yes on his face. You can get it at https://secure.myarbonne.com/arbonne/catherinebell.nsf/p1...

I love the products because they are pure, safe and benficial.

I hope that this helps you as much as it has helped our family!!

It could be baby acne. One of my daughters had it, and it looked terrible, but nothing you can do but wait it out. I also switched to using Arbonne's all natural baby products. The same daughter had eczema and the baby wash and lotion cleared it up completely. The wash is extremely gentle, unlike others with chemicals and perfumes. You can check out www.everydaycounts.myarbonne.com or email me for more information. Congratulations on your bundle of joy! You are in for many moments of wonder and amazement!

-K.

congrats on your little girl. i agree with the other mums...ask the dr. my son had the same problem when he was around that age...and it was a combo of allergies and eczema..the aquaphor is really good as is aveeno. good luck and welcome to the mummy club...leeanne j

Hi M.

When my son was just three months old I introduced him to soy formula, he started to break out around his eyes. It was mainly just around his eye brows. I was also brestfeeding still at that time too. The doctor said that it was just allergies because of the area we lived in. Well it continued until he was off of formula but I thought it was just enviromental allergies like grass, trees and from pollen ( like the doctor said). Then we found out he was allergic to soy milk and that was the formula he was on. My advice to mothers that have babies who break out, is to get a childhood food allergy test done. Alot of pediatrician don't like to do this but some do. Food allergies are becoming more and more popular now days, especially in children. It is a little expensive but was worth it for me.Most insurances do cover this test. I have five children and two of my children have been more sickly over the years than my other three and it was due to food allergies. One of my oldest daughters who is now 16 just found out that she is allergic to wheat, corn, and peanuts. My son who is now 7 found out that he is allergic to wheat, corn, soy, peanuts, walnuts, clams, and scallops. Since my children have had these foods taken out of there system they feel so much better, not sick all the time, and most of all no redness around their eyes and in their cheeks. Much healthier !!! Just some advice....L.

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy! If you're that concerned, you should bring her in to see the doctor. It could be baby acne which will get worse then it gets better. Also, you might want to look at what you are eating since you're breast feeding. I suggest no peanut butter or peanuts. If you or your husband has allergies to something, chances are your child will have them too. Goodluck! Hope this helps.

Hello M.,

I would bring her in to the doctor and get their advise. I'm a mommy of two and if it was getting worse I would bring them in.

T.

Hi M.,
Congratulations on your new baby! It's a good idea to see the pediatrician just in case she has an allergy or reaction. My son had a similar rash when he was about six months old. Our doctor nor we had no idea what could be causing it. One afternoon while out shopping, a woman we didn't know came up to us and said we should stop kissing our precious baby so much (we all asked how could we possibly stop that??!) and to apply small amounts of cornstarch to his cheeks. We took her advice (cornstarch seemed harmless and natural). The rash cleared up almost instantly.
M.

Oh sweetie.....
You have a brand new baby. 4 weeks.........
She is going to get rashes that you won't believe on one end of her body or the other.
I don't mean to make light, but my first baby is 22 and I feel like the old hag of rashes.
Your baby will go through this phase and she will grow out of it. She just came out and has to get used to being in her environment! You haven't done anything wrong.
My babies got rashes too from nursing around their cheeks, nose and under the chin. They sweat when they nurse and the milk on their skin will give them a rash. I have heard of people saying to put breast milk on a rash, but that's usually what caused it for my kids. Just very gently rinse your baby's face off with plain water, especially after you nurse.
She's so brand new and she will get through this. I promise.

Contact her pediatrician if she is running an abnormal fever or screaming uncontollably for long periods of time....but facial rashes come with the territory. It can be scary, I know....but she'll be perfect in no time, I'm sure. Both of my children got skin stuff and I was so concerned, but they have the most perfect complexions you've ever seen.

Good luck and hang in there!

Her rash will go from her head to her hiney in no time. LOL

She's okay. Don't worry. Just rinse her with regular water

M.,
Your baby probably does have baby acne. It's ususally bright pink and can have some little white heads. Do not pick at them and do not use any lotion or soap on her face. Just wash her face with warm water and a washcloth and pat dry. It will for sure pass in a few weeks up to a few months. This is normal on most babies esp. girls because of the hormones from you while you were pregnant. My last two babies, 1 girl and 1 boy both got baby acne really bad. This is caused because often times the babies pores are under developed. This can cause acne. Pediatrician will not give anything for this. This usually starts around 3-4 weeks so just keep it clean and dry.
trish

Hi M.,

It could be baby acne, a rash, or even eczema. I would have the pediatrician check it when you can get in to the office. My 11 month old son has been battling eczema from his first few months and it can be controlled with the doctor's help.
Good Luck!

It could be the products you are using. A little known secret is if babies aren't getting dirty, they don't need to be perfumed. Just wash your baby in plain warm water with a washcloth. Also, everytime you change her diaper use a warm washcloth (or warm paper towel) to wipe her face. We've never used baby wipes on our sons (one is 5 years and the other is 15 months). They are both clean. We didn't use products on our babies until they were almost a year old because they just don't smell bad! Plus, they didn't really get dirty until they started actually rolling around in mud and dirt. The bonus, it's cleaner for the environment and cheaper on your wallet! Try these suggestions for a few days, if it doesn't start to get better then I'd take her to the pediatrician.

I manage a medical spa in Redding, CA, and produce a line of natural, essential oil personal and pet care products from my organic farm in Cottonwood. I make a product I call "Rash Relief", which might be helpful for you. It's excellent at calming rashes, hives, acne, eczema, psoriasis and many other skin conditions.

I have extremely sensitive skin (which is what drove me to working with botanicals in my pre-teen years) and found that I even react to baby formula products. Skin on the face is much more sensitive than other areas of the body, so it often presents indicators of allergic reactions even when you don't see it elsewhere. Pure glycerin soap might be a good first step -- if you get it in liquid form (which I make in my product line) you can also use it as a shampoo.

Arm & Hammer makes a very good detergent that has proven non-inflammatory for my husband and myself. You might try double-rinsing to ensure that no detergent remains in the fabric and cease using dryer sheets if you use them currently. (I have read that static cling is actually a response to over-drying of fabric, so damp drying and hanging is an excellent alternative. I've been doing this for about 5-weeks myself and have had excellent luck, even with synthetic fabrics.)

Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions about my products.

Best of luck,

V. T

Hi M.. My son had something that sounds similar to what your daughter has, it ended up being exzema. The pediatrician said that in babies it will start on the face a lot of times, because they can rub their face on their sheets. My ped recommended small doses of hydrocortisone cream, just on the affected areas to get it to calm down. I would check with your pediatrician, especailly before using any medications. If it is exzema, it usually goes away by about age 2. My son is 18 months, and has never gotten it really bad, but it tends to flare up in dry weather. Congratulations on your new daughter! Good luck!
- N.

HI-
my daughter is now 11 weeks old and she got a rash on her face too. it started when she was about 6 weeks. i found out that her skin and the loition i was using on my arms was making her break out. also keep a cotten cloths between you and your little one. hope this helps.

It could be any of those things, maybe even the formula you're giving her as well. However if it is spreading I would definitely recommend calling or seeing your pediatrician. And keep an eye on her breathing, if it is an allergy it can affect her breathing as well.

Hi M.,
A friend of mine had that same thing happen to her baby. I'm going to tell you the same thing my aunt told me a long time ago when my daughter was that age and I started to notice bumps on her face; and what I told my friend to do. It sounds a little weird, but it works. (Also my friend didn't do it until another one of our friends told her to do the same thing!) Okay so you are breastfeeding, EXCELLENT, it's the best thing for your daughter! Here is what you can do either smear some of your breast milk on your hands or directly on your baby's face and put it on like a thin mask. Since I figured it best to keep sanitary, I just squirted a little on her face, then rubbed it in with my finger. Let it dry up. I don't remember how many times I did it during the day; maybe each time while I was feeding her and I was gazing at her precious image. Yes, it sounds weird, but what can it hurt to just try it out. My daughter's bumps went away quick since I caught it early. I think my friend said she started noticing a difference after three or four days. She tried so many things for her baby's face and even went to the doctor, it got really bad. Finally, she tried applying the breast milk and it went away. Good Luck.

My little man developed a rash too when he was about a month old. It was mostly on his cheeks and continuously got worse. I too thought it might be baby acne. I took him to the doctor and she said it was eczema. There really isn't anything to treat it, but she recommended we use Aquaphor soap and lotion. You can also put some A&D ointment on it. It took some time but cleared up. From what I hear it is pretty typical.

Hi M. - my son at that age developed facial rash too and I took him to see the pediatrician. It turned out that he had eczema and needed prescription cream to make it go away. I would suggest to take her to the doctor anyhow to be properly diagnosed.

Hi M.,

My name is J. and my baby boy is almost two months (my 1st too & I just turned 32). When he was 1 month he developed a facial rash that was more than just 'baby acne.' His rash also spread, first from his face and then down his chest. It eventually covered his entire body within four days. On the fifth day I called the pediatrician and went for an appointment. She determined it was probably sensitive and dry skin. She made sure I was using cleaning/bathing products that were dye, fragrance free, and hypoallergenic. She also told us to start using Cetaphil lotion (you can buy it at the store). To help immediately with the dry patches on his face I spread Lanolin cream (the stuff you can use on chapped nipples)on his cheeks and it worked beautifully. I'm breast feeding and I wondered if he wasn't having an allergic reaction to something I was eating, so I also cut out dairy from my diet. Within days he looked about 80% better and by the end of the first week he looked 100% rash free. It hasn't been back.

This is just my experience. There are many things a rash can signify. Since you were concerned enough to write in, I would encourage you to call your pediatrician. More than likely they'll ask you a bunch of questions and try to determine if it's viral, eczema, allergy, or sensitive skin. Don't ever hesitate to call the doctor a little one's condition can turn severe very rapidly. Best wishes...I hoped this helped.

Hi M.! My 2nd baby had experienced baby rashes also when she was few weeks old. Her doctor said that it was due to her hormones and it will eventually subside, which it really did! But you should still let the doctor see your baby just to make sure that it's not allergic reaction to anything. Goodluck!

D.

Hello,
Same thing happened to my son when he was that age. It started at the eyebrows, then went to his cheeks and chin. Haven't read the other replies but it could be eczema, especially with this crazy weather we're having. Try Aquaphor, that should clear it up and the Aveeno Eczema care products (in the regular topical ointments section, not the baby section) works well too. Good Luck!

You should take her to the ped as soon as possible as the rash can be caused by a lot of different things! I wouldn't hesitate and just take her in. :P Good Luck!

I wouldn't worry about baby acne at this point... at 4 weeks your baby is still adjusting to living in the air instead of water. Skin is an organ, and she is learning how to use it for the first time. Normal baby acne usually clears up around 3 months. You can try the laundry thing; I would recommend running her things through a second full cycle with no soap to see if there are suds, then putting a cup of white vinegar in the rinse. Many fabric softeners cause allergic reactions. Also think about if you used a new soap or lotion that she is rubbing on her face as she nuzzles against your skin. Of course, if it seems like there is something really wrong you should bring her to the doctor.

Hi M.,

I had the same issue with my daughter when she was close to 2 months old. I thought that it was the detergent or the wash cloth that I was using and my pediatrician told me that it could be and but it also could be hormonal. Basically when pregnant, the mother's hormones stimulate the baby's oil glands which causes baby acne. My pediatrician suggested that I try using Cetaphil to wash my baby's face once a day and it eventually went away. I didn't see any immediate change but like I said it eventually went away. Hope that helps and Good luck!

I found my children to be alergic to the soap in their sheets. Wash things near her face in a full cup of a water softener. Borax, White King, Calgon. Water softeners do not produce suds. The suds you see is from old soap in the sheets.

After, wash in half the amount of soap and half of the water softener. If you want, you can also send them through an extra rinse afterward.

This also works with teens and adults with bad complections who have tried everything to clear it up and it doesn't work. The soap breaks them out.

Have you started eating something different, or not been eating as healthy? Be sure to eat vitamin A rich foods and foods with zinc. They help fight infections.

For the future, I read that grapes help fight fevers.

Hi M.,
my son is almost 7 months old and he had the same thing around his eyebrows, then later got baby acne on his cheeks. The eyebrow thing my doc. told me that it was common and it had something to do with the oil glands not being fully developed. The baby acne is on and off but eventually went away. He also had the dry rashy thing on his hairline wich was the oil gland thing. Sorry I dont remember the technical term the doc called it. But with newborns wierd rash things and a little discolor is very common. Good luck and congrats on the new baby girl...
C.

From my experience most of the time the red rashes and bumps on a new babies face are on the places that don't get washed well with a cloth. Your baby is tougher than you think, use a soft cloth but wash throughly around the nose and the eyebrows and behind the ears and under their eyes and rinse it well with clean water on a cloth. Oily skin from contact with your skin while breast feeding could be making this worst during the warm weather. Wash her face after breast feeding and see if that helps. I think you will be surprised.

If it were me I would have a doctor check it out, because she is so young. It could be a soap or laundry detergent issue also.

Check with the peditrician. Babies generally do not need lotion so stop using any if you are currently. Babies get "craddle cap" or seborrhea all over their heads. The fact that it started at her eyebrows makes me think it could be craddle cap. But check with your ped. They can tell really quickly what type of skin issue it may be. I've seen some kids get this pretty severely. My daughter had it mainly on her scalp but continues at 14 mths to get the occasional circle on her arms or leg (not eczema). Unfortunately, the best treatment seems to be time. If it isn't bothering her you don't have to worry much. My daughters agne on her face looked horrible to me but she was never bothered. It last maybe 3 weeks? At 14 mths now I can't remeber how long for sure but it drove me crazy at the time.

Spray some breast milk on her face where the rash is and let it air dry. My doctor told me to do this, and it really seemed to help any kind of sore or iritation on my kids' faces.
Good luck, and congratulations!
M.

Hi M.,
I am not sure what the temperature is where you live, but my 9 month old developed a rash when she was just a few months old. I took her to the doctor and found out it was heat rash. Their pores are so little and they can't sweat like we do, so they get a rash. They say the perfect temperature is around 68 degrees, so if your baby is too warm the rash might be heat rash.
If you used a new baby product or soap etc. right around the time she got the rash, you might try not using it for a few days and see if it gets better or goes away.
If it continues to get worse I would suggest getting in to see the doctor. Best of luck!
S.

i've seen this years ago when my son was an infant. Sometimes it can be something serious, like an allergic reaction and sometimes it is something minor. If it is something minor, a simple remedy may be the answer. i have had success with all types of rashes using organic apple cider vinegar; Bragg's is my favorite brand and is carried by Whole Foods and other organic grocery stores. Take a cotten ball and dampen it with water. Squeeze out the excess water and dampen again in apple cider vinegar. Swab liberally around the babie's face. Keep it away from eyes- it won't harm but it can sting a little. Do this 2 or 3 times a day until rash clears. Apple cider vinegar is an external and internal ph balancer. i also use it on my own skin, especially face, in place of astringents or toners. If the apple cider vinegar doesn't get results within 2 to 3 days, then try a pediatrician. good luck.

You asked "how long should I wait...?" I say, when you're dealing with a 1 month-old, no matter what the issue, if you're concerned about it, get to the dr! It could be anything from dry skin to an allergic reaction which could be serious. Better to be safe than sorry.

First, I would go see your pediatrition they can help. My one month old son developed a rash on his face. It wasn't red but yellow and flaky. We ended up taking him to the ER and it was determined to be just baby acne. They gave us Cetaphil to wash his face with and told us to apply 1% Hydrocortisone onitment to his face unitl it cleared. It cleared with in two days.

Hey M., it could be the lotions or perfumes that you use that may be too strong for the babys skin. Hope it helps!!!