What causes baby acne?



Acne vulgaris, occurs because of over activity of the sebaceous glands which produces a lot of excess oil. When this excessive oil production combines with acne producing bacteria and hair follicles, it forms an apt environment for acne breakout. However, the main cause of baby acne is the hormones that get passed from the mother during the birth. These hormones excite the sebaceous glands in the baby and thus result in acne.

The baby acne gets more pronounced when the child is annoyed or fussy. The acne breakout may even happen when some milk is split or you use a rough cloth on the baby. Do not wash the baby clothes with the harsh detergents as this can again pronounce the acne breakout.

Some facts about baby acne

Generally, it occurs in an infant when he is around 4 weeks old and persists till the age of 4 months. It can appear on the chin, forehead, cheeks and, sometimes even, on the back of the child. The condition is more common in male infants than the female ones.

Do not confuse baby acne with other skin disorders!

You also have to be careful to not confuse acne in small kids with any other allergy or skin disorders. Some babies have bumps on their face from the time of birth but they get disappeared after a few weeks- this type of skin disorder is called milia.

Also, some babies have rashes called eczema. So, the main thing is that you have to properly recognize whether it is really acne or some allergy and then only go for any type of medication. But, even if it is a minor allergy you should try to get rid of it at the earliest.

Treating baby acne

Regarding the treatment options available, the best is patience as in many cases baby acne disappears on its own without any medication. Apart from it, you should strictly do the following if your baby has acne:

1.Avoid washing the baby's face and body with any harsh soaps.

2.Always use a mild soap or shampoo.

3.Also, do not wash the clothes of your baby with any harsh detergent and avoid using such clothes for the baby as they can cause rashes to the baby's body.

4.You should also see that your child does not get irritated or fussed as it might aggravate his condition.

5.And last but never the least, meet the dermatologist and strictly follow his advice to treat the acne. You can not afford to experiment with any of the OTC products for your baby's skin.