What causes baby acne?

Does your baby have white or red bumps or pimples, sometimes surrounded by reddish skin? It could be acne.

What is newborn or baby acne?

Similar to what you see in the teenage years – minus the blackheads – baby acne often shows up on the cheeks, eyelids, and nose, and sometimes on the forehead, chin, scalp, neck, back, or chest.

If your baby has acne, they're not alone: About 20% of babies get baby acne, also called neonatal acne. Baby acne can be present at birth but more often shows up after two weeks or so, then clears on its own within a few weeks.

Acne that appears after 6 weeks is called infantile acne. It's much less common than baby acne, but it can develop anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months and usually clears on its own in six months to a year.

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What causes baby acne?

There's no clear answer to what causes baby acne. Experts think it might be an inflammatory reaction to a common type of yeast on the skin, or it might be caused by the hormones that babies receive from their mother at the end of pregnancy. But researchers continue to study other factors and have yet to agree on one cause.

If you take certain medications while breastfeeding, or if your baby takes certain medications, they might trigger baby acne. And in some cases, baby acne can be a reaction to a skincare product, particularly an oily one that blocks pores.

How can I treat my baby's acne?

Baby acne usually clears up within a few weeks, but it can linger for months. It doesn't harm your baby and rarely leaves a scar. Here are some things you can do to help treat and prevent acne in your baby.

Baby acne do's:

• Have patience. Your baby's acne doesn't bother them, so try not to let it bother you, either.
• Wash your baby's face with mild soap and warm water (or just warm water) once a day. Gently pat it dry.
• Gently wipe off spit-up and saliva from your baby's face. Both the spit-up and the wiping can irritate sensitive skin.
• Dab some breast milk on the pimples. Some moms say they've had success treating baby acne with breast milk. There's no research to back this up, but because breast milk has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it might be worth a try.
• Use unscented bathing products and lotions. Scents may aggravate your baby's acne.
• Wash your baby's laundry with gentle, unscented detergent. Your baby's delicate skin can easily become irritated by chemicals.
• Dress your baby in soft fabrics that won't irritate their delicate skin.

Baby acne don'ts:

• Don't scrub your baby's skin. Baby acne isn't caused by dirt. In fact, too much washing can further irritate your baby's skin, so don't overdo it.
• Don't use over-the-counter acne medicines. Usually no medication is necessary, but if it is, your baby's healthcare provider will suggest an antifungal cream that's safe for your little one.
• Don't put oily lotions on your baby's skin. These can make the acne worse. Some parents say certain non-oily creams have helped their baby's acne. If you try one, monitor how it affects your baby's skin and stop using it if it makes things worse.
• Don't pinch or squeeze the acne, which can cause infection or irritation.

When should I call the doctor?

Baby acne usually isn't anything to worry about. But if your baby's acne doesn't go away within several months, or if you're at all concerned about it, mention it at your baby's next checkup.

Your healthcare provider will want to make sure there's no underlying condition causing the acne (this is rare), and they might recommend a mild topical medication to help clear it up if it's severe or long lasting.

If your baby's acne becomes pus-filled or inflamed, or if they develop blackheads, talk to your healthcare provider right away. These may signal an infection.

If your baby develops what looks like acne (or any rash) after taking a medication or being sick (with a virus, for example), let your healthcare provider know.

If your baby develops acne after 6 weeks of age, check with your provider to rule out a skin infection, eczema, or some other skin problem.

Other baby skin issues

Does your baby have skin problems, but you're not sure what it might be? Their blemishes aren't necessarily acne. Check out our visual guide to children's rashes and skin conditions to see what else it could be, such as:

• Heat rash. In hot or humid weather, sweat can clog your baby's pores and cause tiny red blisters on the chest and shoulders, and in creases like the armpits, elbows, neck, and groin.
• Milia. These harmless, tiny white bumps are the result of dead skin cells trapped under the surface of the skin. They're present at birth in about half of babies and disappear within a few weeks.
• Eczema. These red, rashy patches usually appear on the face, but eczema can spread to other parts of the body. If the area becomes infected, it might look crusty and yellow or blister and ooze. Eczema is more common in babies with a family history of allergies or eczema.
• Erythema toxicum. Known as newborn rash, it usually shows up on the second day after birth, though it can be present at birth or appear within the first couple of weeks. The splotchy red rash (sometimes with firm white or yellow bumps) shows up on the face, chest, or limbs.
• Cradle cap. Those crusty yellowish patches on a baby's scalp are medically referred to as seborrheic dermatitis. Cradle cap usually appears between 3 weeks and 12 months after birth. Cradle cap might also show up in a baby's creases (armpits, neck, behind the ears, forehead, eyebrows, or diaper area).