Get Rid of Baby Acne

Baby acne is a common condition that affects many babies within several weeks to several months of age. Most pediatricians agree that the best treatment for baby acne is nothing at all, since the condition is natural and will clear up quickly enough as long as the baby's face is gently washed. Under severe conditions, though, your baby's doctor may recommend a stronger treatment. Here's what you need to know about getting rid of baby acne.

Steps

Home Treatment

  1. Wash your baby's skin with water and mild baby soap. Wash your baby's face with warm water on a daily basis. For severe baby acne, a mild soap may also be used.
    • Use soap formulated for babies whenever possible. Soaps meant for adolescents or adults may be too harsh for your baby's skin.
    • If you cannot use soap meant for babies, use a mild moisturizing facial soap or a soap with a high percentage of emollients.[1] These soaps are usually mild enough for most babies, but you should stop use immediately if your baby's skin turns red or if the acne gets worse.
    • Do not wash your baby's face more than once a day. Over-washing the skin can irritate it, causing oil-producing glands to work even more and ultimately creating more acne.
  2. Avoid scrubbing the skin. When you wash your baby's face, do so by patting it or wiping it down gently.
    • Since baby acne is caused by over-active oil glands rather than dirt, scrubbing the skin will only irritate it and cause the glands to produce more oil.
    • Use a soft sponge or terry washcloth to wipe your baby's skin.
  3. Gently pat the skin dry.[2] Use a soft terry bath towel to gently pat the skin completely dry.
    • Do not wipe or scrub your baby's face dry, since doing so can further irritate the skin and produce more oil.
  4. Do not use oily lotions. Avoid applying lotion to the face, especially over acne-covered patches, since lotion can aggravate the problem.
    • Even though the patch of acne may seem dry, the fact that it is caused by over-active oil glands means that adding further oil will only make the acne worse.
    • If you are concerned with how dry your baby's face seems because of the acne, use a moisturizing baby soap as you cleanse the skin to minimize further drying out and pat the skin dry as soon as possible.
    • If your baby's skin seems especially dried out, you could also try a non-oily cream instead of an oily lotion.[3] Only apply the cream to a small patch of skin and monitor it closely to make sure that the skin does not get worse. If the cream seems to help, you can apply it to the rest of the affected area.
  5. Do not squeeze the bumps. Do not, under any circumstance, attempt to “pop” your baby's zits, since doing so is never helpful and is almost always harmful.
    • Squeezing the acne irritates the skin. As the skin gets irritated, the oil-producing glands react by producing more oil. More oil can cause even worse acne.
  6. Be patient. A breakout of baby acne usually disappears within a few weeks to several months without special treatment.
    • Even though this skin condition can look awful, it rarely causes your baby pain or discomfort. If it does, however, you can go to your doctor for more advanced, professional treatment.
    • Baby acne usually makes its first appearance at the 2 to 4 week mark, and it can last until your baby is 5 to 6 months old. The breakouts are usually at their worst between 6 and 12 weeks of age.
    • Note that baby acne is usually most severe when your baby is hot and fussy.
    • Baby acne generally lasts longer with breast-fed babies, since the same residual, oil-triggering hormones that the baby was exposed to in the uterus can come through the mother's milk, too. As a result, it often begins clearing up as your baby is weened off of breast-milk. It may even clear up sooner if your baby's oil glands have matured enough to handle the hormones before then.

Medical Treatment

  1. Do not use over-the-counter medications designed for adolescents. Creams and ointments formulated for adolescent or adult use are far too harsh for a baby's sensitive skin.
    • Using over-the-counter acne medication can irritate the skin, making the acne worse. It can also cause your baby's face to become excessively dry. Worst-case scenario, your baby's skin could become so dry that it begins to cause him or her pain.
  2. Only use over-the-counter remedies with your doctor's permission. In most cases, over-the-counter creams will only irritate your baby's skin and should be avoided. In special cases, though, your doctor may recommend a mild 1 percent hydrocortisone cream or ionic colloidal silver solution.
    • Hydrocortisone cream treats the dry, itchy, and sometimes painful skin that results from severe cases of baby acne. By soothing the skin, the cream reduces the production of oil, ultimately leading the a clearer complexion. Note that hydrocortisone cream can hurt your baby if it gets into the eyes or mouth, though.
    • Ionic colloidal silver solution is generally considered safer than hydrocortisone cream. It kills the bacteria that thrive in facial oil and soothes itchy skin.[4]
    • Only apply a small amount of either product to your baby's skin and use the product for a maximum amount of twice a day for two days.[5]
  3. Ask for a prescription cream. If the baby acne on your child's face appears to cause pain or discomfort, or if it lasts past a couple of months, your doctor may prescribe a gentle prescription acne cream to help clear the baby's skin.
    • The cream is almost always a retinoid cream. Retinoids are a type of chemical compound that regulate the growth of skin tissue.
    • Common retinoid creams used to treat baby acne include adapalene, tazarotene, and tretinoin.
    • Apply the medicated cream as directed. Typically, the cream is applied topically by smoothing it over the affected area once a day, roughly 20 to 30 minutes after you wash your baby.[6]
  4. Inquire about dietary changes and other possible causes.[7] Some conditions may masquerade as baby acne when, in actuality, they are something else entirely.
    • If your baby is older than four to six months, the bumps on your baby's skin are less likely to be acne.
    • Eczema is the next most common skin condition your baby may face.
    • These bumps could also be the result of a mild allergic reaction to a new food introduced into your baby's diet. If you recently began your baby on a new food or drink, stop giving it to your baby and report the results to your baby's doctor.

Things You'll Need

  • Soft washcloth and towel
  • Gentle baby soap
  • Warm water
  • Hydrocortisone cream or ionic colloidal silver solution
  • Prescription retinoid cream

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.parenting.com/article/ask-dr-sears-baby-breakouts
  2. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/baby-acne/DS01060/DSECTION=lifestyle-and-home-remedies
  3. ↑ http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-acne_72.bc
  4. ↑ http://www.primecarepeds.com/Internal.aspx?Key=BabyAcne
  5. ↑ http://www.babymd.net/acnebaby.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/retinoid-gel-and-cream-treatments
  7. ↑ http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/babies/acne.html

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Get_Rid_of_Baby_Acne&oldid=304749"