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Acne is the most commonly occurring type of skin problems and people belonging to all age groups suffer from it. Even newborn babies and infants can also suffer from acne problems as their skin is extremely sensitive which makes it prone to baby acne. Baby acne occurs in almost 20% new born babies and it can be cured naturally within a few weeks. Most of the time baby acne does not pose any future risk of skin problems but if the problem persists and the acne does not go away then you must consult your pediatrician.
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Types of baby acne
There are two types of baby acne:
Neonatal Acne
This type of acne appears in babies who are up to three months old. This acne type is common among babies of this age as their skins are very sensitive and around 20% new born babies suffer from it. The causes of this acne type include the stimulation of baby oil glands due to hormonal changes in the bodies of their mothers. This acne can also be caused due to a specific yeast type which results in colonizing on the skin of your babies causing acne. This acne type does not mean that your kid has any serious skin issues and can be cured naturally.
Infantile Acne
This type of acne exists in babies who are three months and older than that. In this baby acne type large red colored and raised blemishes appear on the skin. The infantile acne type occurs in almost one fifth of babies and its considered more severe acne type if it sticks around our baby’s skin for a long time. This acne type must be treated by consulting a doctor in order to avoid scars in some cases. In addition to that a healthy hygiene must also be maintained.
How does baby acne look?
The symptoms of baby acne are such that small white or red bumps start appearing on various body parts of your baby or it can sometimes be concentrated on the torso or face of your baby. If these small bumps appear on the forehead of the baby, near its mouth or cheeks then is it called milia and this type of baby acne disappears after a few weeks.
This baby acne type has low severity and does not leave any scars.In some babies a cluster type or a crop of these small raised bumps appear on the skin which is occasionally filled up with puss if your baby is three months of age or old. This acne type is also not severs and normally it disappears without any kind of treatment. But if your baby has this type of acne then you must consult a pediatric dermatologist as this acne type can sometimes predict some future skin problems for your babies.
Sometimes it also happens that you are unable to figure out whether your baby is suffering from normal baby acne or some other serious skin issues such as rashes as the symptoms overlap for these two skin problems. Acne is also included in rashes generally so both these acne types which include neonatal and infantile acne can be categorized as rashes. Baby acne s also sometimes confused with eczema because of the similar outlook and a few common symptoms.
If your baby is suffering from a skin infection or eczema then your baby’s skin will appear red and inflamed and it will also look very dry and cracked around the skin areas which are affected due to the acne. Babies can experience great discomfort and they can also suffer from fever, fussiness, excessive spitting and other health issues in case he is suffering from some serious health issues like eczema etc.
If you notice that your baby’s acne is not going away after a few days then you must consult your doctor immediately so that the acne cause can be tracked and treatment can be recommended if it’s needed in order to minimize the side effects of acne and help your baby stay healthy and happy.
Causes of baby acne
The two major and most commonly occurring causes of baby acne are listed below:
Hormones
Baby acne can be caused due to the hormonal imbalances of their mothers. During the last weeks of pregnancy the mother’s hormones can enter the body of their babies via placental tube as a result of which sebaceous glands of the baby are stimulated which can become a cause of acne breakouts. In babies of three months and older skin glands overgrowth can also cause acne problems
Yeast infection
Malassezia is a commonly occurring type of yeast which can colonize on the skin of babies and result in causing inflammation which can cause acne breakouts in babies.
How to cure baby acne naturally
The skin of your baby is sensitive and must be handled gently with great care. The natural home remedies for your baby’s acne are listed below and are quite effective in getting rid of acne issues.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is rich in ultra-hydrating properties which makes it one of the best oils for acne treatment. Applying coconut oil on your baby’s acne affected skin areas can hydrate it as well as keep it moisturized contributing in getting rid of acne. You can apply coconut oil directly by massaging it on your baby’s body and you can also apply it by adding four to five oil drops on a cotton ball and swab it over your baby’s acne affected areas.
Breast Milk
Breast milk contains lauric acid which is abundant in anti-inflammatory and antibacterial components. So in order to get rid of your baby’s acne you can wipe a few drops of breast milk on your baby’s skin and leave it to dry for best results.
Change in mother’s diet
Sometimes the diet choices of the mother can also have negative impact on your baby's skin and become the cause of acne. So in order to avoid this you must discuss your dies with your pediatrician and avoid foods which can be harmful for baby’s skin.
