To many parents' dismay, their beautiful newborn's face breaks out with red bumps. One of the most common causes for red bumps on an infant’s face is baby acne. It tends to occur at about the same age as the baby's peak gas production and fussiness. How attractive! (This all coincides with parents' maximum sleep deprivation.) Parents are often quite concerned both about how these bumps look and about their significance.

In baby acne, these bumps are quickly fleeting evidence of the connection between your body and your son's. Baby acne is thought to be caused by hormones left from mom in the final weeks of pregnancy. It's something that usually pops up in the first few weeks of life and then goes away by 4-6 months.

During the final moments of your pregnancy, your hormones crossed the placenta into your son. Among other things (such as maturing his lungs), this stimulated the oil glands on your son's skin, eventually giving rise to the baby acne.

Fleshy or red pimples can be present at birth, but typically appear at 3 to 4 weeks of age. They occur predominately on the cheeks, but are also quite common on the forehead and chin. Whiteheads are sometimes present. This condition tends to come and go until the baby is between 4 and 6 months old.

The acne will be most prominent when your son is hot or fussy (increased blood flow to the skin), or when his skin is irritated. If his skin comes into contact with cloth laundered in harsh detergents, or becomes wet from saliva or milk that he has spit up, the condition may appear worse for several days.

Gently cleanse his face once a day with water, and perhaps a mild baby soap. Oils and lotions do not help, and may aggravate the condition. If the acne is severe or lasts beyond 6 months, your pediatrician may prescribe a mild medicine to help.

Otherwise, you can expect that the rash will soon be a memory. The oil glands will disappear, and you won't see the acne again until you turn around once, and he's a teenager. This time the acne will be evidence that his own hormones are turning him into a man.

Baby Acne - So, what can you do about it?

As with most things in life, patience is key. Because your baby's acne is not caused by having dirty skin, do not use hard cleansing products on her skin. You should not scrub or use over the counter acne medication on her skin. If you do that, you could cause irritation that will cause further skin problems. Do not squeeze the acne either, as this could cause scarring.

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More testimonials and advise related to baby acne:

acne vulgaris - anti acne - baby acne

Other "experts" or cosmetic company's perspectives on baby acne

Do I Need to Stop My Acne Skin Care Regimen During Pregnancy?
Ruth Stattmiller
Pregnancy usually brings along with it a host of medical concerns which prompt behavioral and lifestyle changes. It is common knowledge that pregnant women should avoid smoking and drinking, not to mention some excessively physical activities. But there are also a host of other medicines and procedures which should be avoided during pregnancy. So, the question is, how does pregnancy affect acne skin care regimens?

Many acne medicines are quite explicit about the fact that you should not use them during pregnancy. Roaccutane and Accutane are certainly among these. For those of us that have used the products, the medicine packaging picturing a pregnant woman with an 'X' over her sent a strong message that they should not be used if you are, or might become pregnant. There are other medicines, such as Tetracycline tablets and topical retinoids such as Tretinoin and Adapalene which can have detrimental effects on the bones and teeth of developing fetuses. While these medicines should clearly be avoided because of the detrimental effects they have on your baby, there are other medicines which should potentially be stopped simply because they are no longer appropriate when pregnant.

Pregnancy is often associated with a period of drier than normal skin. As a result, a number of acne medicines which are designed specifically to dry out the skin, namely benzoyl peroxide cream or gel may no longer be appropriate.

But does this mean that there are no acne skin care regimens that can be followed? Absolutely not. There are in fact a number of milder and often natural solutions which can contribute to healthier acne free skin which either have no, or even positive effects on your child. To replace harsh creams or gels designed to dry out the skin, an excellent alternative is tea tree oil. A milder facial wash can also provide the cleansing effect of an acne wash without over-drying your skin, which is naturally drier due to pregnancy. But because you may be giving up some of the acne fighting power by switching over to a milder wash, it is a good idea to supplement your acne fighting regimen with some natural clay masks such as Kaolin and Bentonite which will absorb oil and clear blocked pores naturally.

The second avenue through which pregnant women can clear up their skin while positively affecting the health of the child, is through their diet. By consuming higher quantities of raw vegetables, whose antioxidant properties serve to take free radicals (also referred to as bacteria) out of your system, you can cut down on the amount of bacteria released through your pores. In addition, by cutting back on the quantity of sugars and refined carbohydrates that you eat, you will naturally cut down on the amount of sebum or oil that your body produces. This will keep your pores clearer and allow the bacteria which passes through your pores to come out cleanly and without causing infection and acne. These approaches, in addition to providing you with clearer skin, are a safe and healthy alternative to acne fighting while simultaneously improving the health of your child.