How to Clear Baby Acne?

I never knew babies could get acne. I always thought it was just one of those awkward things teenagers and sometimes adults get to make life a tad more embarrassing. Thanks hormones. But as I soon found out, babies can get acne too! But how to clear baby acne was the next question.

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Now I never realized baby acne was a thing before I had my daughter. She ended up getting this weird rash on her face around 4-6 weeks old.

I, as a new Mom, freaked out!

I was shocked at these tiny little white pimple type bumps that ended up all over my daughters face.

I felt so bad for her. Even though she didn’t seem affected by it, it just looked painful.

(Photos of before and after are featured below)

After researching different articles on baby rashes and looking at other photos of baby faces that looked similar my daughters (photo below), I came to the conclusion she had baby acne.

I looked up things to help “cure” it because, while it didn’t bother her one bit, it just looked uncomfortable and painful.

I couldn’t stand seeing her in “pain” (even though she really wasn’t, but like I said new-Mom paranoia).

Every article I read and Mom forum I went to and read through multiple Mom posts about baby acne they all basically said the same thing: leave it alone it will go away.

Now if you are anything like me, I couldn’t just leave it alone.

I went to the doctor for advice (Yes I know, but ya know, new Mom). And basically the doctor told me to just let it be, but he could tell that wasn’t the answer I was looking for so he told me I could use hydrocortisone cream on her cheeks to help heal the bumps and redness.

Never thought of using hydrocortisone cream to help the acne rash, but I went to the local target and picked up this one.

To my surprise it helped!

Just using it once overnight I could tell the next morning it looked a little better! After a couple of days of using the cream twice a day (morning and night) the acne rash was gone!

I was so thrilled that the cream worked! I went back to the doctor for a follow-up appointment a week later and the doctor was pleased with how the bumps and rash were clearing up.

The doctor also looked closer at the rash and thought she could possibly have eczema.

He told me to just keep an eye out and use some eczema cream at night to help keep the rash calm (the bumps had already gone away from the cream).

After the doctor’s office, I went to my local Target and bought the Aveeno baby eczema cream lotion because I trusted that brand.

We had been using their lavender lotion and bath wash, so I knew the Aveeno brand wouldn’t give a negative reaction to her skin. (read that review here)

Between the hydrocortisone cream to help get rid of the little white bumps and the eczema cream every night after bath time, my daughters baby acne went away after about a week of being constant with the creams.

Ever since then (she is 2 now), we just put on the eczema cream after her bath because she still has some subtle redness that will flare from having eczema but the cream helps heal and calm it.

UPDATE 2020:

My oldest daughter is now 4 and not needing the creams anymore and has not used the creams for about 2 years now.

My youngest also had the same rash when she was born but hers was all over her chest, stomach, and back.

I followed the same steps as my oldest and her rash was minimized in a few days and completely gone within 2 weeks!

Hydrocortisone cream PROS:

• Fast acting
• Inexpensive (ranges $5-$8)
• Lasts awhile (little goes a long way, we haven’t had to buy another tube)
• Small tubes make for easy travel

Hydrocortisone cream CONS:

• Does not smell the best

Aveeno baby eczema cream PROS:

• Light weight formula
• Works for sensitive baby skin
• Fragrance and steroid free

Aveeno baby eczema cream CONS:

• Expensive ($13 for a 7.3oz tube)

*PHOTO PROOF TIME*

(Photo below was taken before any creams when it was really bad on November 10, 2015)

(Photo below was taken after the baby acne was almost completely gone 5 days later on November 15, 2017. She still had some redness in her cheeks but overall way better.)

(Photo below was when the redness was completely gone on November 22, 2015 only 12 days after starting the creams)