“My 7-week-old baby has had acne since she was born. How do I treat baby acne? Is there anything I can do to clear up her skin?”
Newborn Baby Acne Treatments and Remedies
Believe me, infant acne will go away — though it may take a while. No one knows for sure what causes baby acne, which usually begins at 2 to 4 weeks and can last for several months (often clearing up between 4 and 6 months, though it varies). The most likely culprits are the maternal hormones that are still circulating in your baby’s system. Those tiny blemishes can also be attributed to her sensitive skin and her not-fully-developed, easily-clogged pores.
How to treat baby acne
Infant acne is extremely common, so your little sweetie won’t be the only newborn sporting such “adolescent” skin. (My daughter Emma had the worst baby acne, and possibly the longest lasting, so I’ve been there!) In the meantime, don’t scrub, pick or otherwise treat it. Just keep your baby’s face clean by washing her skin with warm water and mild baby soap every day, then patting it dry.
Related Articles:
As for natural baby acne remedies, breast milk — nature’s wonderful food — can also be the best medicine, thanks to its antimicrobial properties. Aside from easing cradle cap and clogged tear ducts, some mothers find that breast milk can help clear up newborn acne (consider it baby’s first pimple cream!). It’s free and always on hand, so there’s no reason not to try rubbing a little wherever baby has acne if you’re breastfeeding.
The good news: Those tiny bumps will disappear in a matter of months, leaving no lasting marks — which means your little one will have baby-perfect skin in no time.
Here’s to a clear future!
by Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting.