You’re never too young for acne

When acne appears in newborns it is known as acne neonatorum. It’s actually very
common. This type of acne is seen mainly in male infants and is believed to occur
from the stimulation of an infant’s sebaceous glands by maternal androgens. Most
often, it requires no treatment because it usually goes away by itself.
The lesions of acne neonatorum usually appear at about 2 weeks of age. They con-
sist of tiny red bumps and pustules that are seen on the cheeks, forehead, chin,
neck, and sometimes the chest. They tend to appear over the course of a few weeks
and often vanish over the course of a few months as the baby’s large sebaceous
glands become smaller and less active.
Treatment, if necessary, has traditionally been with benzoyl peroxide; however, recent
studies have shown that a topical antifungal cream known as ketoconazole has been
shown to be effective. It can be purchased over the counter as Nizoral cream.
Infantile acne can show up in children between the ages of 3 to 6 months of age. It’s
different than acne neonatorum because it more closely resembles teenage acne —
the acne may appear as inflammatory as well as comedonal lesions.
In some instances, infantile acne has led to pitted scarring, and there’s some evi-
dence that this type of acne may be an indication of future problems with acne
during adolescence. Treatment of infantile acne usually consists of topical benzoyl
peroxide or a topical retinoid. Rarely, oral isotretinoin may be given for very severe
potentially scarring cases.
If treatment of acne neonatorum or infantile acne is required, consult your pedia-
trician, and if necessary, ask to see a dermatologist. I tell you how to go about seeing
a dermatologist in Chapter 8.