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Baby Acne: Causes and Remedies

Baby acne has been described as a natural step in the maturation of your baby’s oil glands. It is not always pretty too look at, and there is no surefire cure except for patience, as the condition tends to clear up by six months at the very latest. Let’s have a look at some baby acne treatments you can do at home.

Baby AcnePin

Baby acne on forehead, face, neck, and chest

Most times baby acne presents as tiny whiteheads on baby’s forehead, face, neck, and chest. The medical term for baby acne is actually milia. The skin around them might be a flushed red colour, or normal skin tone. Overheated skin can aggravate the appearance of acne; if your baby gets too warm, his or her acne may appear more pronounced for several hours afterward. Contact with rough fibres, like snuggling up to mom’s sweater, can have a similar effect, as can chemicals in baby products like shampoo and lotion.

Newborn acne remedies

There are a few things that can be done to help newborn acne. Most of the time home remedies can take care of the problem. First, try to keep tabs on how warm your baby gets during the day. He or she may need a couple of costume changes to keep his or her body temperature regulated. Next, establish a routine of cleansing the baby’s face and neck with a clean cloth and warm water. If infant soap seems to help, feel free to use it, but if it is the culprit of the baby’s irritated skin, it’s best to skip it. (Note: don’t forget to wash behind the ears and in the folds of the baby’s neck; milk or formula can sneak in those spots and be missed during bath times!)

If you suspect the soap or lotion used during bath time is the cause of some irritation, either replace it with something with fewer ingredients, or get in the habit of rinsing baby’s skin with fresh, warm water at the end of a bath. Keep a pitcher of warm water handy and, as your baby’s bath drains, use a clean washcloth to rinse their body (quickly, so they don’t get chilly!) As for moisturizer, it is not always necessary, but extra virgin coconut oil makes a great alternative.

Can breastmilk help baby acne?

Finally, the secret weapon for almost every ailment a baby could have is mother’s milk. Breastmilk contains natural antiseptic qualities, among many other qualities, and applying a few drops of breastmilk on a cotton ball to the irritated spots on baby’s face can work wonders and help baby acne.

Never try to use the same techniques that an adult would use to fight acne. Your baby’s skin is infinitely more sensitive and delicate, so chemicals could burn, and picking, squeezing, or extracting could lead to infection, bruising, or other results that are far worse than the acne would be. Understanding the differences between baby acne vs eczema is crucial, as these two conditions can appear similar but require different treatments. Stick to remedies that are simple, gentle, and natural, and above all, if you have any doubts or questions, call your baby’s Pediatrician for professional advice.

Lyne Proulx
Lyne Proulxhttps://ottawamommyclub.ca/
Lyne Proulx is a Certified WEBB Bodywork Pet Practitioner, Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI), Certified Professional Wedding Consultant, and an Event Planner. She loves all things Disney and is an avid teaholic and chocoholic. She coordinated the Annual Infant Information Day/Early Years Expo for the City of Ottawa for 8 years. She was the Queen B of the BConnected Conference, Canada's Digital Influencer and social media Conference in Ottawa and Toronto. She was also the co-chair of the Navan for Kraft Hockeyville 2009-2011 committee that organized five community events within 6 months, and helped Navan reach the top 10 finalists in Canada. In April 2011, she received the City of Ottawa Mayor's City Builder Award.

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