Newborn acne

Astrid Leitner studied veterinary medicine in Vienna. After ten years in veterinary practice and the birth of her daughter, she switched - more by chance - to medical journalism. It quickly became clear that her interest in medical topics and her love of writing were the perfect combination for her. Astrid Leitner lives with daughter, dog and cat in Vienna and Upper Austria.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

Newborn acne (acne neonatorum) is a harmless skin disease that occurs in the first few weeks of life and usually disappears on its own after a few weeks. The typical small pimples on the cheeks, forehead and chin occur in around one in five babies. Read everything you need to know about duration, treatment and causes here.

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. L70

Brief overview

Duration: a few weeks, a maximum of 3 to 4 months
Treatment: Usually no treatment needed
Causes and risk factors: hormonal changes in the first few weeks of life, boys more often affected than girls
Course: disappears by itself, leaves no scars
Symptoms: Reddish pimples with yellowish nodules in the center, mainly on the face
What is Newborn Acne: Harmless skin condition that occurs during the baby's first few weeks of life

How long does newborn acne last?

If a baby develops newborn acne shortly after birth, it often only takes a few weeks for the reddish pimples to go away on their own. After four months at the latest, baby acne will heal in most children. Good to know: Babies with newborn acne do not feel bothered by the pimples. The rash is not painful or itchy. After the newborn acne has healed, the skin of the face is rosy and soft again, and scars do not remain.

Heat, sweating, and fatty creams can make the rash worse and cause itching. If the baby scratches, scars can remain.

What helps? What To Do About Newborn Acne?

Classic baby acne usually does not need to be treated with medication. It disappears on its own after a few weeks without leaving any scars.

Only if the baby scratches the pimples and the skin becomes inflamed will the doctor prescribe an anti-inflammatory ointment. He will only use antibiotics for bacterial infections.

Home care tips

When caring for delicate baby skin, less is more. In order not to put additional strain on the skin with newborn acne, the following has proven itself:

Clean the affected skin areas with lukewarm water.
Use a mild, moisturizing soap two to three times a week.
Use skin care products sparingly and make sure that they are free from preservatives, paraffins and perfume.
Avoid fatty ointments or oils, these clog the sebum glands of the skin.
Do not use cleansing products or anti-acne products; they do more harm than good to sensitive baby skin.

General tips

Aside from skin care, these tips will help protect your baby's skin from newborn acne:

Use suitable baby nail scissors to trim the baby's fingernails to prevent them from scratching the pimples. At night, cotton gloves can also protect against unwanted self-harm while sleeping.
Keep the baby's face dry: Saliva and leftover food can irritate the skin and worsen the complexion.
Be patient: the pimples usually go away on their own after a few weeks!
Do not rub the skin firmly after bathing, but dab the affected areas carefully and gently with a cotton towel.
Do not squeeze out the pimples; injuries may become infected and leave scars.
Heat and sweating can make the rash worse: Cotton clothing allows the skin to breathe better and prevents heat build-up.
Breast milk has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties: in some cases, dabbing the pimples with breast milk helps. It won't make the pimples go away any faster, but the ingredients in breast milk can help relieve any skin irritation.

If the rash persists or it spreads, ask your pediatrician for advice. The same applies if itching occurs and the baby's scratching becomes inflamed!

Why do babies get newborn acne?

causes

Baby acne is a natural reaction of the skin to hormonal changes after birth. Newborn acne is caused by male sex hormones (androgens). They are mainly transmitted from mother to child during the last trimester of pregnancy. The body needs them for the maturation of the lungs and the immune system.

Androgens also act on the sebum glands by increasing the production of sebum. This can clog the sebum glands - this creates the typical picture of baby acne.

In the course of the first few weeks of life, the androgens from the mother slowly break down again and the hormone levels concerned drop. The baby is now producing its own hormones. If the hormone level settles at a normal level, the newborn acne also disappears again.

You cannot prevent baby acne as it is triggered by hormonal changes. Important: Newborn acne has nothing to do with poor hygiene or poor nutrition. Whether the pimples appear or not depends solely on the hormone level.

Risk factors

Up to 20 percent of all newborns develop baby acne - but in which child it will actually develop cannot be predicted. Baby acne affects both sexes. However, since boys naturally produce more androgens than girls, acne is more common in them.

Certain medications also increase the likelihood of baby acne. If the mother takes certain drugs during pregnancy or breastfeeding, these may promote acne in the child. This applies to active ingredients such as cortisone (e.g. for inflammatory bowel diseases or autoimmune diseases), lithium (for certain mental illnesses) or iodine (for dysfunction of the thyroid gland). Tell your pediatrician if your baby has newborn acne and you are taking any of the above.

Baby acne does not necessarily lead to acne in teenagers or adults!

When do babies get newborn acne?

The symptoms of baby acne can already exist at birth or develop in the course of the first few weeks of life. They often appear for the first time around the third week of life. The small pimples first appear on the face, mainly on the cheeks and forehead, and less often on the chin. In some children they spread down the body and can also be found on the chest and stomach.

With the breakdown of maternal hormones, the pimples also disappear without any action. How long it takes for acne to heal varies from baby to baby. In most cases it disappears within a few weeks, but at the latest after three to four months.

What are the symptoms of newborn acne?

Acne in babies has a typical appearance:

Small red dots with yellow nodules in the middle, these are pustules filled with sebum
If the disease is more severe, areas of the skin can become inflamed and purulent
Pimples on the face (cheeks, chin, forehead), in some cases on the chest and stomach
The peak of the rash is usually reached after two weeks, then it slowly subsides again.
The skin is sometimes slightly reddened.
No pain
No itching
Heat, sweating, or fatty skin care products make the rash worse.

What is Newborn Acne?

Newborn acne is a harmless rash that either starts at birth or develops during the first few weeks of life. The typical pimples occur mainly on the cheeks, forehead and chin, but sometimes they also move down the body and spread to the chest and stomach. Occasionally they can also be found on the back.

Baby acne has nothing to do with poor hygiene or poor nutrition. The pimples are hormonal and disappear on their own after a few weeks. Treatment is usually not necessary. The prognosis is good: even if the baby acne is severe, it usually heals again without scarring.

The concern that affected children will also suffer from acne in adolescence is unfounded: Children with baby acne are no higher risk than others. It is different with infant acne. Affected children are also prone to acne later in life.

Newborn acne or infant acne?

While newborn acne is harmless and goes away on its own, infant acne is a condition that requires treatment. It looks similar to baby acne, but it can still be easily distinguished. The time of the first appearance and the appearance of the pimples are important: Infant acne develops between the third and sixth month of life. In contrast to newborn acne, the pimples are reddened, inflamed and cause itching. If the baby scratches it, it can leave scars.

Infant acne can heal spontaneously, but it usually lasts longer than newborn acne. In some children it remains until they are four or five years old, and rarely even until puberty. Infant acne may be a harbinger of severe acne during puberty. Children who develop it are genetically predisposed to it. Usually there are other people in the child's family who are or have been affected by acne.

If you suspect infant acne, it is advisable to see a doctor. Depending on the severity of the acne, the doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics.

diagnosis

The first point of contact for skin changes in babies is the pediatrician. He will assess the appearance of the pimples, where they are, and whether the skin is showing any signs of inflammation. Newborn acne is a "visual diagnosis", which means that the doctor does not need any further examinations for the diagnosis.

Skin conditions that look similar

Cradle cap: Cradle cap is the first manifestation of neurodermatitis (atopic eczema). The skin changes typically appear later than newborn acne, between about three and six months of age. Cradle cap shows up as yellowish scales and crusts on the face (forehead, cheeks, eyelids) and on the outside of arms and legs. Cradle cap itches very badly.

Milia: Milia (also called skin grit) are white-yellowish pimples that mainly appear around the nose and eyes. They are hormonal and, like newborn acne, go away on their own without treatment.

Head gneiss: head gneiss shows itself as yellowish scales on the scalp. It is hormonal, the cause is increased activity of the sebum glands. Head gneiss develops shortly after birth and disappears on its own. Itching occurs.

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