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Baby Acne: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. D. — By Kimberly Holland on July 27, 2018

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Eczema

Eczema usually shows up as red bumps on the face. It may also appear on knees and elbows as your baby gets older. Eczema can become infected and appear yellow and crusty. It may worsen as your baby starts to crawl around and scrape up their knees and elbows. It is usually easy for your doctor to distinguish between baby acne and eczema.

The most common type of eczema is known as atopic dermatitis.

Seborrheic eczema is the condition most often misidentified as baby acne. It’s also known as seborrheic dermatitis and crib, or cradle, cap.

Eczema can be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) products such as Aquaphor and Vanicream. A mild medication may also be prescribed.

You may also be asked to remove food allergens from your home and give your baby daily probiotics.

Erythema toxicum

Erythema toxicum is another common skin condition that may appear as a rash, tiny bumps, or red blotches. It can be seen on your baby’s face, chest, or limbs in the first few days after they’re born.

It’s harmless, and it usually disappears in less than a week after birth.

Milia

Milia are tiny white bumps that may develop on your baby’s face. They occur when dead skin cells are caught in tiny pockets of skin and may appear within a few weeks of birth.

Milia are unrelated to baby acne and don’t require treatment.

What does baby acne look like?

How is baby acne treated?

Baby acne usually disappears without treatment.

Some babies have acne that lingers for months instead of weeks. To treat this stubborn form of baby acne, your baby’s pediatrician may prescribe a medicated cream or ointment that helps clear up the acne.

Don’t use OTC acne treatments, face washes, or lotions. Your baby’s skin is very sensitive at this young age. You might make the acne worse or cause additional skin irritation by using something that’s too strong.

Can home treatments help baby acne?

While you wait for your baby’s acne to clear, there are things you can do to help keep the skin as healthy as possible.

1. Keep your baby’s face clean

Wash your baby’s face daily with warm water. Bath time is a great time to do this. You don’t even need to use anything but water, but if you want to, look for a mild soap or soap-free cleanser. Don’t hesitate to ask the pediatrician for recommendations.

Fragrance-free products are least likely to irritate your baby’s skin.

2. Avoid harsh products

Products with retinoids, which are related to vitamin A, or erythromycin, are commonly used for adult acne. However, they aren’t usually recommended for babies.

Don’t use any scented soaps, bubble bath, or other types of soaps that contain excessive chemicals.

3. Skip the lotions

Lotions and creams may aggravate your baby’s skin and make the acne worse.

4. Don’t scrub

Scrubbing the skin with a towel can further aggravate the skin. Instead, gently sweep a washcloth over the face in circular motions.

Once the cleanser is washed off, use a towel to pat your baby’s face dry.

5. Don’t squeeze

Avoid pinching or squeezing the acne. This will irritate your baby’s skin and may worsen the problem.

6. Be patient

Baby acne is typically harmless. It is not itchy or painful for your baby. It should quickly resolve on its own.

When should you see a doctor about baby acne?

There’s no treatment for baby acne, but you should still consult the pediatrician if you’re worried about it. A well-baby visit or general checkup is a great time to ask questions about baby acne, and discuss any other concerns you may have about your baby’s health.

See a doctor right away if your baby’s acne results in blackheads, pus-filled bumps, or inflammation. Pain or discomfort should also prompt a visit to the doctor.

If your baby’s acne doesn’t clear up after several months of home treatment, the doctor may recommend using a 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide lotion.

In rare cases, they may also prescribe an antibiotic, such as erythromycin or isotretinoin, so that your baby doesn’t have permanent scars. For babies, this is usually only necessary for severe acne caused by an underlying medical condition.

Baby acne itself does not recur, but it would be good to note that if your child gets acne again before puberty, they should see their doctor as this could be a sign of an underlying problem.

Underlying conditions

Certain rare conditions may be causing the acne not to respond to home treatment. These conditions include tumors, the adrenal disorder congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), and other conditions related to the endocrine system.

If you have a baby girl who starts to show signs of hyperandrogenism, ask the doctor to check for underlying issues. Symptoms may include an overgrowth of facial hair or unusually oily skin.

Last medically reviewed on July 27, 2018

Parenthood
Baby

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Baby birthmarks and rashes. (2015).
healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/bathing-skin-care/Pages/Your-Newborns-Skin-Birthmarks-and-Rashes. aspx
Borchard K. (n.d.). Retinoids.
dermcoll.edu.au/atoz/retinoids
Erythema toxicum. (2016).
kidshealth.org/en/parents/erythema-toxicum.html
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Baby acne: Definition.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/baby-acne/symptoms-causes/syc-20369880
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2016). Infant and toddler health.
mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/basics/infant-and-toddler-health/hlv-20049400
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Milia: Definition.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/milia/symptoms-causes/syc-20375073
O’Connor NR, et al. (2008). Newborn skin: Part I. common rashes.
aafp.org/afp/2008/0101/p47.html#afp20080101p47-b10
Understanding your infant or toddler’s eczema. (n.d.).
nationaleczema.org/eczema/children/
Wong L. (2015). Neonatal and infantile acne.
dermcoll. edu.au/atoz/neonatal-infantile-acne/

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Jul 27, 2018

Written By

Kimberly Holland

Edited By

Frank Crooks

Medically Reviewed By

Karen Richardson Gill, MD

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Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — By Kimberly Holland on July 27, 2018

Rash in a child on the body, legs, back

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Rashes on the child's body

Many parents have noticed suspicious rashes on the body of their children. This symptom indicates the presence of any disease of the body or simply its painful condition. In any case, a rash on a child's body can be very dangerous. Therefore, if you notice a rash on the skin, you should immediately make an appointment with the child's pediatrician.

Rash help

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+7 (812) 30-888-03

+7 (812) 242-53-50 Clinic address: 900 900 50 Petersburg, Vyborgsky district, st. Asafiev, 9, building 2, lit. A (metro station Ozerki, metro station Prosveshcheniya)

Causes of rashes

A rash in children can appear for various reasons. The most “safe” case is when rashes appear due to poor hygiene. In addition, the cause of the rash is allergies, blood diseases, cardiovascular diseases, as well as infections and microbes. In the case of an infection, a rash is not the only symptom: fever, runny nose, sore throat, severe cough, chills, etc. are added to it. Often infections are accompanied by indigestion and vomiting. The rash in such cases does not occur immediately, but appears after a few days.

Rash most often occurs as a symptom of diseases that are commonly referred to as "children's". We are talking about chicken pox, rubella, measles, scarlet fever and some other infections that people get sick, mainly in childhood. Moreover, depending on the disease, the nature of the rash changes, so that doctors can diagnose only one type of rash. The most dangerous rash, which refers to the symptoms of meningitis.

Diseases causing rashes on the skin of children

Let's analyze the types of rash in a child in more detail, depending on the disease.

Chicken pox. Perhaps the most famous disease that is accompanied by a rash. With chickenpox, reddish spots appear on the entire surface of the body, which grow and become bubbles filled with a clear liquid. The growth of the bubbles is accompanied by itching, but over time they dry out and fall off, sometimes leaving characteristic “pockmarks”. Chicken pox often causes fever, and doctors recommend treating blisters of the rash with brilliant green.
Measles. Initially, a rash in the form of large red spots appears on the face, but literally within 2-3 days it spreads “from top to bottom” along the body to the very legs. In addition, the child begins to have a sore throat, runny nose and cough, and the temperature rises. The largest spots merge into large inflamed areas.
Meningococcal infection. The most dangerous infection, as it causes meningitis. It is very important to recognize the disease in time, as it develops very quickly. The rash is expressed in the form of large spots resembling bruises. If you see a doctor as soon as possible, the chances of a cure are very high.

Rubella. The rash is accompanied by fever and inflammation of the lymph nodes. A rash on the body of a child in the form of small red spots appears mainly on the buttocks and in the places where the limbs are bent. After a few days, the rash disappears without leaving any consequences.
Scarlet fever. With scarlet fever, a rash in the form of small pimples appears on the second day all over the body, but their highest concentration is noted in the groin, in the places of the folds of the arms and legs and in the lower abdomen. After a few days, the rash disappears, and the skin in these places begins to peel off strongly. Also during the peak of the disease, swelling, rash and redness of the entire skin are noted.
Enteroviral infection. Redness and rash appear on the third day after infection and last for about two to three days. Their other symptoms, doctors note vomiting, diarrhea, fever and general weakness of the body.
Parasites. In this case, the rash is not caused by infections, but by scabies mites or other parasites that live on the human body. The scabies mite "drills" holes in the skin, leaving entrances and exits in the form of dots. The most “attractive” parts of the body for a tick are places with thin skin: groin, wrists, areas between fingers, etc. Since the tick can be transmitted from one person to another, urgent treatment is necessary after the detection of this pathology.
Cardiovascular diseases. As a rule, these diseases are not typical for children, although they occur in them. Vascular disease can be recognized by small hemorrhages under the skin. Larger areas form bruises.

Other causes of rashes

Sometimes, even with all the rules of hygiene and the absence of diseases, a rash on the body of a child appears with enviable regularity. In this case, it is most likely an allergic reaction of the body to various substances. If this is true, then allergies can be recognized by other symptoms that will inevitably appear along with the rash: a runny nose, cough, tears, and itching. Also, a rash on the body of a child may appear from burns by plants or insect bites. Even a simple mosquito bite often causes a severe rash in children, which is accompanied by itching.

And, of course, very often a rash appears due to poor hygiene. Unlike adults, children's skin is much thinner and more delicate, so even a short-term lack of care for it can lead to a rash. Children, especially the smallest, should be washed and washed regularly. But wearing a lot of clothes on him or leaving him in wet diapers is not worth it - this can lead to diaper rash, irritation, and a rash.

Rash Help

If you find a rash on your child's body, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. You can make an appointment at our Poem Health clinic. In addition, you can call a doctor at home if the child is in a serious condition. Moreover, sometimes a doctor's house call is mandatory, since many diseases with symptoms in the form of a rash are easily transmitted to such children. You need to be especially careful with rubella, as it seriously affects the health of pregnant women. And if you suspect meningitis, you need to call not just a doctor, but an ambulance team.

Do not try to get rid of the rash on your own before seeing a doctor. Firstly, it will make it difficult for a doctor to determine the diagnosis. Secondly, it can lead to even more rashes in the child. It is best to wait for the examination of the doctor and listen to his recommendations for further treatment of the rash. Bacterial rashes are treated with antibiotics, scabies - with special means against ticks, allergies - with appropriate drugs with isolation from the source of allergies, etc. More complex treatment is needed for cardiovascular diseases, but, in the end, a rash on the body of a child is always treated successfully.

Rash Prevention

To avoid a rash on the body, you need to take steps to prevent it. First of all, we are talking about the basic rules of personal hygiene. At the earliest age, parents should take care of this, later they should teach this to their child as early as possible. Compliance with hygiene helps to get rid of not only rashes, sweating and dirt, but also prevents many infectious diseases.

In addition, infections can be prevented by vaccination.