Causes of baby acne

What is baby acne?

Baby acne is the skin condition that appears in the infants just at the age of two or three weeks. Causes of acne baby include the hormonal imbalance at the time of birth but do not exclude a few other causes too. Baby acne appears mostly in the form reddish pimples but sometimes it appears like pearly whiteheads like form and rarely it occurs in the form of tiny milia or miliaria acne .These skin conditions usually affect the baby cheeks but occasional chin, forehead and arms too are affected.

Causes of baby acne

During the pregnancy baby skin is exposed and used to the Amniotic fluid, which is a colorless liquid comprising mostly of water and some degenerated cellular material. Immediately after the birth, the baby skin is exposed to a totally different environment and the skin sends message to the brain regarding low temperature whereupon the brain initiates temperature rise in the skin through shivering. Color of the skin also undergoes rapid change in the initial phases after delivery.

Skin; the largest human organ

Not many people realize that, skin is the largest human organ, both by weight and by volume .Moreover it is the first organ to come in contact with a totally new environment after delivery. As such there is no need to have an alarmist’s approach regarding the appearance of the baby acne, which is evidenced in almost one fifth of the new born babies after two or three weeks. More than often times, the symptoms are cleared automatically and it is never a serious condition, though a nuisance both for the baby and the mother. The condition aggravates with the discomfort and restlessness of baby.

What are the post delivery changes in skin?

Baby skin characteristics at the time of delivery; depend upon the duration of pregnancy. Skin of the babies born; before time, is thin and translucent while those born on due time have thicker and red to purple skin; which darkens soon afterwards. There is a waxy protective covering on the body of baby and it is known as ‘vernix’. This covering is removed during the first bath and obviously leaves the skin susceptible to the minor skin disorders like baby acne. There is soft hairy growth, covering large area of skin, including forehead, scalp, arms and even cheeks. These soft hair .termed as ‘lanugo’disappear within the first weeks and may cause the appearance of the baby acne which follows. However, the acne too disappears automatically and it does not take more than four, five weeks that the baby skin is clear of all these apparent disorders.

What is the treatment of baby acne?

No treatment for Baby Acne is recommended because it is never a dangerous medical condition. The only precaution to be taken is to treat the skin softly. Wash Baby face without using any antiseptics or harsh soaps. Do not wipe after washing, but pat to dry. Consult pediatrician if the condition persists over a period of several months.

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