The main reasons for baby face rash are, extreme sensitivity of the skin and a less developed immune system. Of the several cases, rash in winter and summer is a frequently reported condition. It may be manifested immediately after birth or within a few weeks after birth. Whatever the case, rashes on the cheeks of your little angel can be quite an unpleasing situation. There are certain tips that you can follow to restore your baby’s soft skin and hasten the rash recovery time.

Probable Causes

Majority of the new moms are concerned as to what triggers development of rashes in babies. The root causes are exposure to foreign agents (may be clothing, food), hormonal changes, excess sweating, and elevated temperature. Skin conditions that result in rashes on the baby’s face are urticaria of the newborn (toxic erythema), baby acne (3 weeks old baby), eczema (1 month old baby), heat rash, hives, and rubella. Milia is another case that causes small white or yellowish bumps on the baby’s cheeks, nose, and chin.

In rare cases, cold sore and yeast may affect babies, resulting in rashes on the face. Based on the causes, a newborn face rash can be flat, or raised from the surrounding skin areas. According to pediatricians, introducing baby formula in an early period can trigger the outbreak of rashes and/or eczema on the baby’s face, neck, and any other part of the body. These rashes can be itchy and disturbing. And the worst is that babies cannot express their discomfort condition. Thus, it is very important for every parent to understand the signs and treatment options of rashes, so as to make the baby comfortable and sleep properly.

Treatment and Remedy

Needless to mention, a newborn baby’s skin is very sensitive and should be nurtured carefully. If rashes are erupted within the first few weeks after birth, treatment is usually not necessary. In fact, don’t touch it frequently or apply treatment creams. Just see to it that the baby feeds properly and gets lots of sleep. At the same time, adopt basic skin care tips and wait for improvement signs. Most likely, the skin rashes will disappear in the next 2 – 3 days.

There are also chances that the baby rash is caused due to infection. In such a case, selecting the correct treatment method is easier said than done. On the safer side, seek a doctor’s advice about mild and safe medicine for addressing baby’s face rash. He/she will examine the skin symptoms and try to find out the causes. It is possible that the dermatologist prescribes application of plant-based oils and creams (such as lavender oil) for dealing with newborn face rashes.

In addition to the therapeutic ointment for curing rashes on a baby’s face, what is more important is to take a note of the effective home remedies, especially in terms of baby skin care, clothes, and feeding. In case you suspect that supplementing baby food is causing the rash, then immediately stop feeding such baby formula. Instead, you can exclusively breastfeed the baby, until the symptoms of rashes disappear completely. Or else, change the baby food after taking advice from the doctor.

The diet of the lactating mother may also be a cause for developing baby rash. For example, consuming excess amounts of nuts may lead to allergic symptoms in the breastfeeding baby. Considering this, ensure that you follow the doctor’s suggestions regarding your diet plan. Also, rubbing the baby’s face against tough and hard clothes may trigger skin reddening and onset of rashes. In order to avoid such cases, wearing soft and clean clothes is advisable for both the baby and the mother.

Last but not the least, use a perfume free, mild detergent for washing baby clothes, bedding, blanket, and others which come in direct skin contact with the newborn. This simple approach will surely help in avoiding baby skin irritation to some extent. While stepping out in the sun, make sure you cover your baby’s skin as far as possible. With stringent care from the caregiver’s side, baby skin rashes will resolve within a few days to a week’s time.

In most cases, rashes in a baby’s face subside when they turn 3 months old. If the skin eruption (either on face or other body portions) persists for a longer period and is associated with fever, less feeding, and irritation, then it is high time you visit a doctor. Get the condition checked by a qualified pediatrician and avoid any associated complications.

Babies are born with smooth, clear skin, but around the second to fourth week, some develop facial rashes. The rash can have tiny red, yellow, or white dots or red blotches. At work are the hormones in your baby’s body, which cause an overproduction of skin oil. The oil glands and pores then become clogged, creating that pimply look.

When and How it Appears
Baby acne can be present at birth but typically appears at three to four weeks of age. Fleshy or red pimples occur predominantly on the cheeks, but are also quite common on the forehead, eyelids, chin, neck, and upper chest may also become involved. Comedones are sometimes present. It will be most well-known when the baby is hot or fussy, or when the skin is irritated. Occasionally during the first year a baby develops inflamed pimples and blackheads on his or her face, which look very similar to a mild form of teenage acne. It is an uncommon condition and tends to occur in babies from families with a strong history of acne, although this is not always the case.

Diagnosis and Causes
Acne-like breakouts in babies can be difficult to diagnose accurately because there are different, usually temporary and harmless conditions of the skin that often look very similar but have different underlying causes. The cause is relatively unknown. There are many sebaceous glands on the face, back and chest. With acne these glands become plugged. This causes white heads, black heads and inflammation.

• Eighty-five percent of babies have some acne.
• It is not dangerous and almost always goes away eventually.
• Several temporary hormonal imbalances can occur in the neonatal period that may play a role in the newborn period; however, blackheads, which are the typical lesion seen in cases of adolescent acne, are not seen in babies. There can also be involvement of yeast called pityrosporum, the conditions that normally cause this condition. This type of rash is not harmful to the child and can be treated with a topical antifungal.
• Controversy exists regarding the true nature of baby acne, some arguing that it is not truly acne but a rash with different underlying causes, but because the condition most commonly resolves on its own, the discussion is mostly academic. When treatment is offered, it is usually in the form of combination of antifungal creams along with a variety of creams typically used in the treatment of acne. Sometimes oral medications are used if warranted.
• It presents as blackheads and inflammatory lesions, similar to the way adolescent acne would look. It can occur at anywhere from two months to two years of age or more. Baby boys are more commonly affected than girls. The face is typically involved. The underlying cause is thought to the hormonal.

Treatment
Once diagnosed, the acne is usually treated with appropriate oral or topical antibiotics in conjunction with topical benzoyl peroxide and low concentration of tretinoin. Early treatment is important in even mild cases, as there is a significant risk of scarring.

If the acne is not broken yet, wash baby’s face with a warm or hot water and baby soap two times a day. Make soap bubbles with warm water as much as possible in a basin. Use both hands to wash baby face with these soap bubbles for one minute. Use hot water from a shower to rinse the baby face for twenty seconds. Meanwhile use palm gently to pat the face. Then use warm water to rinse for another twenty seconds. Do this method three times a day.

A commonly observed problem among newborn babies is baby acne or acne neonatorum. It is marked by red spots on the skin. The red spots may appear on the face, chin, neck, hands, and back of the body. Baby acne is a perfectly normal condition that occurs due to the passage of maternal hormones into the baby’s body. The presence of maternal hormones in the baby’s body triggers the sebaceous glands of the baby, causing red pimples and skin rashes on the forehead. Some babies even suffer from blackheads.

Remedies for Baby Acne

Some doctors are of the opinion that baby acne may be caused due to an allergy or unhygienic living conditions in the initial months of birth. Before going in for any remedies, make sure that you follow proper hygiene standards while taking care of the infant.

» Do not try to wash or touch the skin of the baby with an untidy cloth.

» If your baby is showing signs of baby acne during winter, then it is possible that you might have wrapped him or her in too many clothes. If that is the case, then let the child be comfortable instead of wrapping it with too many clothes.

» Since the baby is still in its infancy, avoid the use of lotions and other hard medications.
One of the best remedies is mixing honey and lime juice together, and applying the paste on the baby’s body. Take 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp lime juice. After mixing them, slowly apply it on the baby’s body with a cotton swab. After half an hour, wash the body with lukewarm water.

» Applying breast milk on the affected part of the baby’s body is another effective remedy. With the help of a cotton swab, gently apply the breast milk on the baby’s affected part.

» The mother should also exercise control on her diet. Eating too much oily food can affect the quality of milk, and this can indirectly cause baby acne. Mothers should have fresh fruits and juices, so that the nutrients are passed on to the baby.

» Other remedies include washing the clothes of the baby regularly and maintaining proper and regular hygiene.

Baby Acne Facts

Baby acne usually shows its presence in the third week of the baby’s life. According to statistics maintained, male babies are more prone to baby acne than female babies. In most of the cases, treatment is not required as the acne automatically reduces and fades away. It is a common myth that baby acne needs some serious treatment. The fact is, baby acne must be dealt with patience. With time, the acne disappears on its own. In case it continues even after six months of birth, taking your doctor’s opinion is essential, as such a condition may lead to further complications.

Parents should not needlessly run for creams and ointments that claim to heal baby acne. Always consult your doctor before treating your child with any type of skin cream.

The quintessential infant acne could be an intimidating sight for a first timer parent. The appearance of the acne may be red, bumpy or granular. They may look like a cluster of constellations or may spread across the entire surface area of the baby’s body. With the baby’s skin being so sensitive, a parent may not like to risk the condition further and rely on trial and error methods. Parents are not to be blamed if they hit the panic button too soon. However, what could be done to avert the situation is to employ home remedies to control the condition. Parents may breathe a sigh of relief as baby acne is not a severe condition. It has the potency to vanish all by itself with time. All that home remedies propose to do is to control the condition and make the symptoms less prevalent. Infant acne ceases to continue after your little one has reached 6 months of age. Nevertheless, negligence on your behalf may not be a wise thought for the well-being of your baby. Garner an expert consult when you sense that the acne continues to persist beyond six months of age.

Also known as neonatorum, baby acne is the result of the maternal hormones traveling through the placenta. These hormones stay in the baby’s system and as a culminating effect activate the sebaceous glands. It is due to this very reason that infants have their T zone, that is their forehead, nose and the chin affected by acne.

Safest Remedies to Treat Infantile Acne

#1 – Use lemon and honey to cure baby acne. A teaspoon of honey and lemon juice could be made into a paste and applied on the affected skin area. All you need to do is to leave the paste on the site for 30 minutes and wipe it off with a soft cloth dipped in boiled lukewarm water. Repeat this remedy till the acne has considerably reduced.

#2 – Avoid use of lotion and creams on the baby’s skin as far as possible. This may activate the sebaceous glands and aggravate the condition all the more.

#3 – Use a mild soap to bathe your baby with. Use warm water and ensure that you do not pick or prick the acne on the baby’s face or body. Pricking may worsen the situation as the acne may multiply if they are fiddled with. Avoid giving a hot water bath to your infant. Make sure that the water is warm. Hot water can make the skin dry and scaly. Make sure that after a bath, you do not scrub your little one dry. You need to dab the skin gently to avoid dryness to settle down. Use a soft baby towel to do so.

#4 – Be very gentle with your movements when you conduct this activity. Snip off your baby’s nails with a pair of scissors. When the nails are not chopped off and are not paid attention to, the baby may scratch the surface with the rough edges of the nails further aggravating the problem of acne.

#5 – Mothers must maintain a healthy diet. Include fresh fruit juices and have foods that are not too fatty or deep-fried.

#6 – Apply mothers breast milk on the acne. Pump some milk out, and apply it on the affected area directly with a cotton ball or cotton swab. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and wipe off the traces with a soft cloth dipped in warm water.

#7 – Always wipe of the saliva excretions from around the baby’s mouth. Make sure that they do not stay there for long as the saliva may dry out and form white marks which may lead to the skin surface becoming itchy.

#8 – Blend a teaspoon of vinegar in ¼ cup of water. With a cotton ball, dab the affected skin area. Leave it on for 10 minutes and wipe off the solution cloth dipped in warm water. You may like to use the solution with restraint as an infant’s skin is extremely sensitive and may react to the solution applied in a negative manner.

#9 – Use a mild detergent when you soak and wash your infant’s clothes or bed linen. Any soap residue in the linen or clothes may cause the baby to develop acne or worsen the existing situation of acne.

#10 – When you take your baby out with you, make sure that he is covered well. Exposure to direct sunlight can make the baby sweat and activate the sebaceous glands, thereby causing oil sediments to settle on the skin surface, further leading to acne.

The home remedies mentioned herein, may be applied to have your baby free of acne. However, if the acne does not delineate its intensity towards your infant’s skin, it would be advisable that you visit a healthcare provider without delay.