Your newborn's skin and rash
The skin of a newborn is prone to rashes of all kinds. Fortunately, most
of these rashes are harmless and go away on their own.
Common rashes in newborns
- It is sometimes believed that pink pimples are caused by exposure to maternal hormones in the womb. No treatment is required, only time. They can last for weeks or even months on a child's skin.
- Another common rash in newborns is erythema toxicum. Appears as red spots with poorly defined borders, which are slightly raised and may have a small white or yellow dot in the center. Its cause is unknown and it disappears without treatment after a few days or weeks.
- Dry, flaky skin can be seen in almost all normal babies, but it is especially noticeable in babies who were born a little late. The skin underneath is completely normal, soft and moist.
- Small white pimples on the nose and face are caused by blockage of the sebaceous glands. When a child's sebaceous glands enlarge and open within a few days or weeks, the white bumps disappear.
- Salmon plaques are simple nests of blood vessels that disappear on their own after a few weeks or months. Sometimes stork bites never go away.
- Jaundice is the yellow color of a child's skin and eyes. This is caused by an excess of bilirubin. If the bilirubin level gets high enough, blue or white light can be focused on the baby's skin to lower the level, as excess bilirubin can sometimes be a health hazard.
- Congenital melanocytosis, formerly called Mongolian spots, is very common anywhere on the body of dark-skinned infants. They are flat, gray-blue in color and can be small or large. They are caused by pigment that did not reach the top layer when the baby's skin was formed. They are harmless and usually disappear by school age.
New rashes can appear in babies in a few days, weeks or even months.
Common rashes in the first months of a child's life
- Cradle cap (seborrhea) often appears at 1-2 months. Oily, yellowish crusts appear on the scalp, which may include a red, itchy rash on the face, behind the ears, on the neck, and even in the armpits. Your doctor will tell you how to best treat this common condition, depending on your child's symptoms.
- Eczema is an itchy, red patch of skin that can often be seen on a child's chest, arms, legs, face, elbows, and under the knees. It is caused by dry, sensitive skin and sometimes allergies. Your doctor can determine if the rash looks like eczema and prescribe appropriate treatment. In general, treatment consists of:
- Using a very gentle soap
- Using a gentle detergent and no fabric softener in baby's laundry
- Using skin moisturizers
- Applying a steroid cream if the eczema won't go away
- Prickly heat looks like small red bumps, mostly on areas of your baby's body that tend to overheat and sweat, such as the neck, diaper area, and underarms. Treatment is to try and keep the area dry and avoid overheating by dressing them in loose clothing.
- A fungal infection can manifest itself in your child in different ways. On the tongue, it is called thrush and looks like powdered milk, which, unlike milk, cannot be scraped off. In the diaper area, candidiasis looks like an intense red rash, often with small bumps around the edges. A fungal infection loves moist and dark areas, so you will find redness in the folds of the thighs. Candidiasis is treated with an antifungal oral gel or an antifungal liquid medicine or cream, or both.
Tips for concerned parents
In the first few months of a child's life, any rash associated with other
symptoms should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.
When to worry about a baby skin rash
While most rashes are not serious, some require special attention:
- Fluid-filled blisters can indicate a serious infection, like a bacterial infection or herpes.
- Small red or purplish dots over the body (''petechiae'') can be caused by a viral infection or a potentially very serious bacterial infection. These will not lighten with pressure. Any infant with possible petechiae should be evaluated by a doctor immediately.