You’ve been waiting for your baby to arrive for 9 months and now he/she is here you’re panicked by the newborn baby acne your child has developed.  Your maternal instincts immediately kick in and you want to rid your baby of this awful condition as soon as possible.

The best place to start is to understand what baby acne is and the main causes.

This condition is also known as acne neonatorum and occurs in a fifth of newborn babies.  It is possible for newborn baby acne to be evident immediately after birth but the majority of cases are reported to surface anywhere from 2 weeks to five months old.

As a parent I ran to the doctor at the sign of any acne, rash or ailment.  However, the doctor didn’t provide any magic cure, instead she told me that it was harmless and to let nature run it’s course.  If it persists for a long period of time with no signs of clearing up then it’s best to consult your doctor for any underlying causes.

What causes baby acne?

As with most conditions there is more than one cause of baby acne.  Below are a few of the main factors.

* Just like adult acne, it can be caused by skin irritation.
* A reaction to medicines.
* It’s not uncommon for lotions and oils to cause the condition.
* The placenta allows the mothers hormones to pass to the baby which causes an imbalane and in turn can cause acne.  However, as the baby matures, it loses the mother’s hormones and the hormonal balance is restored.

Treatments?

- Cleansing the face of the baby to ensure dirt, food or milk doesn’t sit on your babies skin for long.  Make sure you cleanse gently to prevent skin irritation and further breakouts.

- Bear in mind that creams or oils are likely to cause further problems and should  be avoided at this time.

- One of the best tips from mothers, although difficult to justify at first, is to let the baby acne run its course and let it disappear on its own.

- Babies skin is really soft and sensitive so it’s best to use a different detergent than you use for yourself.

The best thing to do is to enjoy your time with your baby and before you know it that newborn baby acne that had you worrying will be gone.  And the next time you see acne will probably be when your child is in their teens!