Is this infant acne, excema or something else?

[ciaobella]

My nearly 7 week old has a rash(?) all over his face and head. I have not been really worried because he has no symptoms of being ill (fever, etc) and I have heard infant acne is really common. However, now that it is on his scalp too I feel really guilty! When Andrew was this age I would have taken him straight to the doctor! We have a scheduled well baby doctor appointment Thursday next week, but in the mean time I am hoping my fellow mommies can fill me in.

Most of the rash is small raised bumps. Some, primarly on his cheeks are a little more red/bigger bumps. He has gotten some true pimples on his chin, but this is different.

So, what do you think it is?

Thanks for your guesses!

Anne

[gatorsmom]

Raised bumps, hmmm... Does it look sore? Have you put anything on it? Were you wiping his face with a wet wash cloth or baby wipe for any reason?

I ask this because my son's eczema flares up every time I wipe off his face after a meal. The wet wash cloth irritates his sensitive skin. However, it doesn't look like bumps- it looks like an angry, sore, red rash. When it calms down, however, it does look like little, raised, dry pimple-sized bumps. I dry off his face and put Aquaphor on it to prevent his drool from making it worse.

Has your DS taken any antibiotics lately? This sometimes causes a rash as an allergic reaction. If you are nursing him, have you eaten something different lately? A random virus can also cause rashes on an infant, my pediatrician told me.

Like you, I wouldn't worry about it too much since there's no fever UNLESS he seems irritable- like it is itching him a lot. I'd wait til his well baby appointment too. Hope he's better soon.


Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005

[lisams]

Wow, I could have written your post! DS is 8 weeks old and has the same kind of rash on his forehead, scalp and a few little patches around his face. I noticed it about a week ago. I think it's his skin adjusting to the production of oil glands, so pretty much acne. I'm not too worried. I do remember DD having the same kind of looking rash and she ended up having eczema so I suppose it could be that too. Not sure why, but I'm not that much worried about it.

[asha]

Is something going on? My DS who is 3 months now has the exact same symptoms. Red bumps on his face, scalp behind his ears, around the collar area etc. I did take him to the doctor. She said this is probably a heat rash. She was sure it was not excema or anything like that.

I started dressing him lightly, things have improved, but not entirely gone yet. It has been a month since it started. He still gets it every now and then.
It flares up after a bath. I have tried Johnsons baby wash and cetaphil cleanser, does not make a difference. Doctor also suggested that I try to keep his face dry. Like when he nurses and the milk runs down his cheek, wipe it up asap. Nothing seems to make a big difference. It is much better than a month ago, but still very much there.

[ciaobella]

It seems to flare up when he gets upset (cries) or if the area gets warm. For example, the cheek that is next to me when he nurses tends to get more red. It does not flare up after a bath. He is exclusively BF and I have not changed my diet or anything like that. No antibiotics.

I will report back what the doctor says next week. I have not put anything on it yet.

Thanks again!

[janeybwild]

CJ gets this on his sideburn area, and it does gets more red after nursing on that side as you described. Also, clearly worse when hot and drooly :) We wash is lightly with a moist cotton ball then put aquaphor on which seems to help. Our ped thought it was a touch of excema. HTH.

[gina]

My dd was like that too. I think it was heat rash but may also have been a reaction to milk in my diet. It seemed like it cleared up some when i cut back on milk.

She actually has a rash now and i thought it was due to the pollen in the air but the Dr says it looks like a virus, but she has a runny nose also.

Gina

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w132/ginaelms/Dec06020.jpg

DD 15 yr Jade
DD 13 mo Olivia

[gatorsmom]

It's interesting that your pediatrician said that she was sure it wasn't eczema because you are describing all the symptoms of it. Red bumps on his face, behind his ears, around the collar, flaring up after a bath, etc. All big signs of ecsema.

Is there a history of allergies in your family? I ask this because 6 months ago I took my son to a good Pediatric Allergist and he said that babies and children who are predisposed to developing allergies very often have ecsema as children. He said it often appears in the places you described on your baby. The ecsema is a sign that the child will most likely develop allergies later on even though they may not be apparent at this young age.

The thing that seems to help our son's ecsema is keeping his skin free of saliva and drool. several times a day I dry off the drool and apply aquaphor and that seems to help. On the other areas of his body where he has it, I keep his skin very, very well moisturized with a perfume-free, hypoallergenic lotion. And I don't bathe him everyday. For the really red itchy patches, I apply hydrocortizone cream occasionally and cover it with a layer of aquaphor before he goes to bed. It's usually cleared up by morning. then I apply more aquaphor or lotion to protect the skin. Since your baby is so tiny, though, I'd check with a physician before trying hydrocortizone cream.

poor little pumpkins! HTH