Neonatal acne is a common form of acne that occurs in newborns, thought to be related to maternal hormones. It usually disappears naturally, but severe cases may require treatment. Infantile acne is a similar condition that occurs in babies over three months old.
Neonatal acne, also known as infantile acne or acne infantum, is a relatively common form of acne that occurs in newborns. While the exact cause of newborn acne is not yet known, it is thought to be related to certain maternal hormones released during pregnancy. This hormone activates the sebaceous gland which in turn causes acne and other skin conditions. In most cases, no treatment for acne infantum is needed.
While neonatal acne isn’t a particularly well-known problem, it is thought to affect about one in five newborns. For this reason, parents sometimes assume that the condition is more serious than it actually is. In reality the problem almost always disappears naturally, although in some cases a cream will be used to speed up the process. Although the duration of neonatal acne varies, symptoms usually disappear within a few months.
Often, the symptoms of acne in babies don’t show up right after birth, but take several weeks to show up. Acne is usually concentrated around the nose and cheek area and is composed mainly of pustules and papules. Pustules are the smallest white dots that occur on the face of someone who has acne. The papules are often more noticeable as they are redder and are raised above the skin.
Some form of treatment may be needed in severe cases of neonatal acne. Sometimes creams such as retinoids and benzoyl peroxides are used. These forms of treatment, however, should not be used without the prior advice and recommendation of a doctor. While baby acne can be a distressing problem for parents, it’s not a dangerous condition and therefore you shouldn’t take any chances when trying to treat it. The fact that the condition usually clears up relatively quickly and without treatment is another reason why treatment is usually not prescribed in all but the worst cases.
Infantile acne is a similar condition but occurs in babies over the age of three months. It is considered a separate condition from acne infantum due to the fact that it does not occur in infants and therefore probably does not have the same cause. Like baby acne, however, childhood acne almost always goes away naturally, although it can take several years depending on the severity of the problem. Treatment is not usually required for childhood acne unless the condition is particularly severe.
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