newborn spots

[Katherine]

DD is now 3 weeks old and yesterday she developed horrible spots on her face which I can only describe as acne. They are all over her cheeks and forehead with a couple on her neck and ears, very small but with little heads. Nowhere else on her body.

I've been trying to think of something she could have reacted to but the only thing to touch her face apart from water was a homemade wipe a few days ago in chamomile tea but it was a few days ago and her bum has had this since birth and no spots. It doesn't seem to bother her but looks horrible.

I know tiny babies get all sorts of spots so I'm not worried about it at all. I'm just trying to decide whether to put something on the worst of it - lavender gel, calendula? or just leave well alone.

Any suggestions?

Do they look like little blisters and have a slightly oval shape? Chickenpox blisters can look a little like acne when it starts. Might be worth giving your doctor a call....If they are tiny and white, they're probably 'milk spots'

My ds had this and they cleared within a week (he was around 7 weeks old). I'd say best to leave the skin alone (just keep it clean). I'm sure they'll clear very soon - they are quite common.

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I'm pretty sure they are not milk spots - she's got those on her nose. These are different. The skin around the spot is red with a little head on the top like adult acne. Pretty sure its not chickenpox either. Both my other two have had that. This is so localised to her face - maybe its even a reaction to the sun. Hope its not eczema.

Katherine, my ds3 had a spotty face for weeks after he was born.I just washed his face with cool boiled water and they disappeared on there own after awhile.But all babies are different and
if you are worried though go to your gp and ask hv to keep an eye on them also. Better safe than sorry.

When I had DD she had spots like you describe about a week after she was born, I was told that it was due to hormonal changes in me and my milk. That basically I was giving her an outbreak of teenage type acne because the hormones were passing through my milk. The same way that baby girls can sometimes get a period soon after the birth because of b/f hormones. But I have read that its due to general hormone changes rather than what comes through b/f:

"A red pimply rash known as ?baby acne? may break out on your baby's face during the third or fourth week of life. This rash seems to bother parents more than the baby. No treatment is usually necessary other than gentle washing with a mild soap and water. It is caused by the stimulation of the baby's oil glands due to the increased hormones passed from the mother to baby at birth."

Or it could be Milia:

"The pinhead-size white spots on your baby's nose, cheeks or chin are due to blocked sweat and oil glands. They will disappear without treatment in several weeks when the glands begin functioning. Wash your baby's face with water and a washcloth while they are present; do not try to remove them"

HTH

Try here and here for some more info, bit more scientfic then my rambling!

Ds had this - turned out it was the start of infantile eczema, fortunately now largely outgrown.

Katherine, we've got these too. As you say, localised to her face, not very attractive, but they come and go in any one place within a day or so. I am going to ask my GP about it at the six week check-up but it's reassuring to hear that others have had this and generally it has cleared up quite soon.

Katherine, both my two had these - it looks horrible doesn't it! Dd's are just clearing up at 6 weeks - our health visitor said it was just the skin stablising after being born, and because ds had them I'm not worried.

I think Pie has got it with the infant acne as that is exactly how it looks. Also her facial skin has gone quite oily and she's now 3.5 weeks old. Oh well I will leave well alone and hopefully they will just go soon. Typical hormones playing havoc already poor thing.

My little boy suffered terrribly with these type of spots (not milia) between the ages of 3 and 6 months and, whilst I am not saying it was a teething symptom, they cleared up almost immediately after he cut his first 2 teeth. I was advised to moisturise his skin by both HV and GP which seemed to make it worse and so I just cleaned with cotton wool and water. Don't worry though it will clear up, sometimes hormonal changes, teething, weaning can put pressure on the nervous system and can cause rashes like these to develop. He is now 11 months and after enjoying 5 months of clear skin their back to haunt me on just one cheek this time. This time the skin seems very rough and dry but with these red bumps with yellow middles again. I am interested to see if this is exzema as some of you mention and that I am not being fobbed off by my GP