Infant Acne? Not possible surely....

 Can infants get acne? 

While it is a little unusual, infants can actually have acne.  Acne is most common in adolescents and young adults, and for the far majority of people it generally will disappear completely by the age of thirty.  Newborn infants who have acne most often have a sort of “acne eruption” over their nose or cheeks. 

Usually this clears without treatment, and it is best to allow the problem to take care of itself naturally.  If after several weeks or months there seems to be no change, or the acne gets even worse, it might be nothing, but it might be a sign of something more serious.

Why can infants get acne?  Acne is cause by hormonal imbalances, and the same thing is what causes acne in infants.  Hormonal changes that occur while the fetus develops can actually cause infants to have acne.  Usually this will clear in a few weeks without any treatments, which is for the best.  The eruption called infantile acne may appear in the weeks, or in some cases even months after birth.  Persist acne may have an underlying metabolic cause that should be investigated by a pediatrician and dermatologist.

The ages of two to six should be an "acne free zone," during which acne very rarely occurs.  This acne free zone is believed to be due to the very low production of sebum at this time of life.  The low sebum production between these ages is probably associated with the low levels of androgenic hormones in the child’s developing body. Sebum production is known to be under a degree of androgenic control, which explains why young children between these ages can’t get acne even when the answer to the question can infants get acne is an obvious and clear yes.

The association between acne and increased rate of sebum production later in life is supported by evidence that average rates of sebum secretion are larger in people with acne than in those without.  Sebum production begins to increase as the child matures toward adolescence and hormone patterns change.  In very young infants, acne eruptions usually appear on their cheeks or chin.

Acne that develops in a very young infant may disappear within a year, or may persist for several months.  There is a chance that even if the acne persists that it is nothing serious, though any long term persisting acne with infants should be checked out by a doctor to make sure it is just skin irritation and not a sign of something worse. 

Some of the most extreme cases of infant acne have been known to actually persist all the way until age of four or five.  While this is the case, people wonder: can infants get acne because it is still a rare event.  In the case of persistent infant acne—acne that persists for longer than a year—the source of this should always be investigated

Can infants get acne?  The answer is yes.  Don’t be alarmed by an initial outbreak, just pay attention and keep track of how it changes.  Most infant acne will clear right up without help, and should be allowed to do so.  If the acne doesn’t clear up, do not treat it with regular acne medicine, but seek medical advice, and follow the advice for a happy and healthy infant.