Neonatal Acne: How to Care for Your Baby

Neonatal acne (also called baby acne) is when a newborn gets small red or white bumps on the face, neck, upper back or scalp. The bumps go away within a few months. Usually, the baby doesn't need medical treatment.

• Wash your baby's face once a day with warm water and mild soap.

• Do not squeeze or pick at the bumps. This may cause scars.

• If your health care provider prescribed medicated cream, lotion or ointment, use it as directed. Do not put anything else on your baby's face or scalp.

Your baby:

• still has baby acne after 4 months of age

• gets bumps on another part of the body

• has bumps that are getting bigger or that look very red or irritated

When does baby acne go away? Baby acne almost always goes away by the time a baby is around 4 months old. It usually doesn't cause scarring.

What is the treatment for baby acne? Because baby acne goes away on its own, treatment isn't needed in most cases. Sometimes, doctors prescribe a medicated cream or ointment.

What causes baby acne? The exact cause of baby acne isn't known. It may be related to the mother's or baby's hormones (chemical messengers) or to a yeast that lives on the skin. 

Does baby acne make it more likely that my baby will have acne as a teen or adult? No. Having baby acne doesn't make a child more likely to have acne later in life.