When the average person thinks of acne, the image of an unhappy teenager with a greasy face pops into mind. But the fact is, acne can affect anyone, at any age, including adults, the elderly, and yes, even babies! When most parents see acne on their baby, their first reaction is that something is seriously wrong.

Their minds race to think of what they might have fed the baby or if they used the wrong detergent and caused some sort of skin rash or irritation. Seldom do they ever consider acne as a possibility, and considering how rare it is in babies, you can not really blame them. But acne in babies is a reality and here is what you can do about it.

For some babies, they show signs of pimples as newborns. For most parents, this is somewhat less alarming since they have a hospital full of doctors and pediatric nurses who can tell them what it is, that it is completely normal and how to treat it.

What is more alarming for many parents is when you have taken your new baby home for a few weeks and then, out of the blue one morning, you wake up to see your baby with red dots all over his or her face. But not to worry, acne can show up on your new babies chin, nose, forehead and even on the back.

In most cases, the pimples are “whiteheads” and are sometimes surrounded by a patch of red and enflamed skin. You will very seldom see “blackheads or pimples that look infected, but if you do, you probably want to consult with a doctor. Most parents notice them for the first time after babies bath since the warm water and the rubbing of the skin usually makes the small pimples stand out more.

There are actually several acne-like skin conditions that your baby can get. A condition called eczema is actually quite common in babies, and so is a condition called cradle cap. Since your new born babies skin is so sensitive, common irritations are common and are not cause for concern unless they appear significantly irritated.

As for the cause of acne on new born babies, your guess is as good as the experts. Most doctors believe there is a link to the changing in hormones that your baby goes through when he leaves your body and starts producing hormones all his own. In almost all cases, the acne clears up within a month of when you first see it, but in some cases, it can last longer. If you notice that your babies acne or skin rash lasts any longer than that, you should notify your babies doctor right away.

If you are concerned about your babies completion in the meantime, there are a list of things you should do and a list of things you should not. One thing you should definitely not do is apply adult creams or solutions to your babies skin. Even if it claims to be a gentle aloe and vitamin E skin cream, your babies skin could have a negative reaction to it.

Another important point you should remember is if your baby comes down with acne, it is not because you are a bad parent and you do not bathe your child enough. Doctors may not be completely clear on what causes baby acne, but they do know that it has nothing to do with dirt. Scrubbing your baby will not accomplish anything and you could seriously damage their skin.

Your baby undergoes dozens of gradual changes in a short time once they enter the world. One of those changes may be a skin condition like acne. But unless the pimples persist for an extended period of time, there is not much you can do about it and you should just let them be.