To many of us, it would come as a surprising thing to learn that as many as 20 percent of newborn babies are affected by acne. From this fact we can make out that this condition is actually quite common and if dealt with proper care it is not a thing to be too worried about. All you need to do is to be aware of the thing and understand the measures to be taken if your baby is affected by acne.

Why would a baby have acne?

Babies develop acne due to the stimulation of their sebaceous glands by the maternal hormones that manage to cross the placenta during the time of delivery and irritate the oil glands of the baby. These form bumps on the skin that often appear like pimples.

When and where do babies develop acne?

Generally, it has been observed that a baby develops this condition at three weeks age, but there are chances that the bumps appear as early as the time of delivery. Records also hint that a male child is more prone to this particular condition than a female child and generally it is in and around the face where a baby develops acne.

How to treat baby acne?

The good thing about baby acne is that the condition resolves spontaneously without any serious treatment in about a time period of four months. All that parents need to do is regularly clean the babys face with water and mild baby soap. This process should be carried out at least once a day. It is recommended that one stays away from all the lotions or oils available in the market, because instead of helping the situation, they might just aggravate the whole thing.

However, physicians might recommend the concerned parents a few over-the-counter drugs that can help the condition of baby acne. This can include hydrocortisone cream, which can be applied on the acne. However, a better OTC drug option would be an ionic colloidal silver solution. Not only is it safer than the other alternatives, but also it is also more effective, killing the bacteria that resides on the excess oil and also helps to terminate the itching.

What are the implications of baby acne?

It must be understood that a family history of acne does not necessarily mean that a baby will develop acne after birth. It is also a fact that a baby having the condition of acne need not be affected by the condition during adolescence.