Baby Rashes

Certain medications, viral illnesses and allergic reactions can cause an Baby Rashes in babies. Many other conditions common in infants, such as eczema, baby rashes, erythema toxicum, and heat rash, can resemble baby acne.  Baby rashes develops during the weeks after birth. This is thought to be most likely due to hormones that passed from mother to infant during the last stage of pregnancy.  Baby rashes can be aggravated by milk, formula, or spit-up coming in contact with the skin. Other irritants include rough fabrics or fabrics laundered in strong detergent. If your baby has baby rashes, don’t use soap, lotion or creams on the face because these can also be irritations.

Newborns are prone to baby rashes.  Most baby rashes cause no harm and go away in time on their own.

Some examples of baby rashes that are commonly found in newborns are as follows:

•           Pink pimples (“neonatal acne”) are often caused by exposure in the womb to maternal hormones.

•           Erythema toxicum is another common newborn rash that looks like mosquito bites or hives.

•           Dry, peeling skin is often due to a baby being born a little late. The underlying skin is perfectly normal, soft, and moist.

•           Little white bumps on the nose and face (“milia”) are caused by blocked oil glands. When baby’s oil glands enlarge and open up in a few days or weeks, the white bumps disappear.

•          Salmon patches (called a “stork bite” at the back of the neck or an “angel’s kiss” between the eyes) are simple nests of blood vessels that fade on their own after a few weeks or months.

•           Jaundice is a yellow coloration to your baby’s skin and eyes. It is caused by an excess of bilirubin which is a breakdown product of red blood cells.

•           Mongolian spots are very common in any part of the body of dark-skinned babies. They are flat, gray-blue in color and they look a lot like a bruise. They can be small or large. The spots are caused by some pigment that didn’t make it to the top layer when baby’s skin was being formed.

Visit DermaTechRx Research Center to read more about Baby Rashes

Heat Rash Babies

Most bumps and blotches on a newborn baby are harmless and clear up by themselves. A rash is any skin bumps or blotches. The rash can be red, skin-colored, or slightly lighter or darker than skin color. By far the most common skin problem in infants is diaper rash.

Another common skin problem that occurs with babies is heat rash. With heat rash babies pores of the sweat glands become blocked. This generally happens when the weather is hot or humid. As the infant sweats little red bumps and possibly tiny blisters form because the blocked glands cannot clear the sweat.  When the weather is hot or humid, the infant sweats, but because of the blockage of the sweat glands, this sweat is held within the skin and forms little red bumps, or occasionally small blisters in young infants.

Some helpful suggestions to avoid heat rash are during the hot season dress your baby in light-weight, soft, cotton clothing. Cotton is very absorbent and keeps moisture away from the baby’s skin. If air conditioning is not available a fan may help evaporate moisture and cool the infant. Place the fan far enough away that there is only a gentle breeze drifting over the infant. Avoid the use of powders, creams, and ointments. Baby powders don’t improve or prevent heat rash. Creams and ointments tend to keep the skin warmer and block the pores. Most often, heat rash goes away on its own. Severe forms of heat rash may need medical care, but the best way to relieve symptoms is to cool your skin and prevent sweating.

Heat rash is also known as prickly heat and miliaria and it does not just affect babies. Though it’s most common in infants, heat rash affects up to a third of adults living in tropical climates and can bother anyone during hot, humid weather. Heat rash develops when your sweat ducts become blocked and perspiration is trapped under your skin. Symptoms range from superficial blisters to deep, red lumps. Some forms of heat rash can be intensely itchy or prickly.

Heat rash usually heals on its own and doesn’t require medical care. See your doctor if you or your child has symptoms that last longer than three or four days, the rash seems to be getting worse or there are signs of infection such as increased pain, swelling, redness or warmth around the affected area or pus draining from the sores.  Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit, neck or groin and fever or chills are all warning signs of a more serious condition.

Baby Rashes Pictures

Cradle cap

Heat rash

Diaper rash

Most newborns and toddlers end up with some type of baby rash.  This can be anything from baby acne, heat rash, diaper rash, cradle cap, prickly heat or miliaria crystalline. Chicken pox and eczema are also common childhood afflictions.  Most of these rashes are harmless and go away on their own.

Cradle cap, a common rash on a baby’s head, is usually easy to recognize, with symptoms that can include a scalp rash that is dry and flaky.  It also appears as thick, greasy, yellow or brown scales.  Other symptoms is it has red patches with crust and is sometimes itchy.

For mild cradle cap, time is often the best treatment, as many children get better on their own.

If the baby has red skin around the diaper area, diaper rash is most likely the culprit. Most diaper rashes occur because of skin irritation due to diapers that are too tight; wet diapers left on for too long; or a particular brand of detergent, diapers, or baby wipes. Avoid it by keeping the diaper area open to the air as long as possible, changing your baby’s diaper as soon as it’s wet, washing with a warm cloth, and applying zinc oxide cream.

Baby acne gets its start in the womb, where baby is exposed to mom’s hormones. Those hormones increase oil production which in turn clogs baby’s oil glands. Pimples on baby’s nose and cheeks usually clear up by themselves in a few weeks. So you don’t need to treat baby acne or use lotion.  If your child starts to get blisters on the body or face or limbs that then crust as new blisters appear, this is probably chicken pox.

Although having a heat rash is common in infants, it is likely not as common as many parents believe, who tend to call any red rash their baby has when it is hot outside a heat rash. As the name tends to imply, heat rash is triggered in certain children when they become overheated, either because they are overdressed or because it is simply too hot outside.

When comparing baby rashes pictures are a good way to identify which rash is which.  Most baby rashes pictures will also include detailed descriptions that can be helpful in identifying the type of rash affecting your infant.  It is common for some rashes to be confused with others. In the event there is still some doubt as to what you are dealing with it is a good idea to contact your doctor.

Rash

A rash indicates an abnormal change in skin color or texture. Rashes are usually caused by skin irritation, which can have many causes. A rash is any bumps or spots on the skin. The rash can be red, skin-colored, or slightly lighter or darker than skin color. Prickly heat causes rash or blotches during hot weather or in a hot environment just like a heat rash.

Hives are red welts that appear to move around on the body. They differ in size and shape and are usually very itchy. The most common cause of hives is a viral infection. There is no treatment for the virus, and the hives may last for a few weeks. You can use antihistamine medication for the itching. Sometimes bacterial infections cause hives. These are treated with antibiotics. Sometimes hives can be a sign of an allergy. This is best determined by your health care provider.

Milia/miliaria are tiny white, clear or red bumps on the skin.  These usually occur on the face and chest. Usually the white or clear ones are seen in newborns. The red ones are also called heat rash or prickly heat.

Baby acne is caused by exposure to the mother’s adult hormones. Little white dots often seen on a newborn’s nose represent an abnormal amount of normal skin oil that is a result of these hormones. Acne usually occurs between 2 and 4 weeks of age, but may appear up to 4 months after birth and can last for 12 – 18 months.

Eczema is a condition of the skin in which areas are dry, red (or darker than normal skin color), and itchy. When it goes on for a long time the areas become thickened. It is often associated with asthma and allergies, although it can often occur without either of these. Eczema often runs in families.

Cradle cap causes greasy, scaling, crusty patches on the scalp that appear in a baby’s first 3 months. It usually goes away by itself, but some cases may require treatment with medication.

Erythema toxicum can cause flat red splotches. These splotches are usually with a white, pimple-like bump in the middle and appear in up to half of all babies. These blotches rarely appear after 5 days of age, are usually gone in 7 – 14 days, and are nothing to worry about.

Most baby rashes cause no harm and go away in time on their own.

Infant Heat Rash

Heat rash is most common in babies and young infants when they become overheated, either because it is too warm outside or they are simply overdressed or have a fever. Although having an infant heat rash is common, it is likely not as common as many parents believe. It is typical to call any red rash kids may have when it is hot outside a heat rash.

Learning to distinguish heat rash from other common skin rashes, such as impetigo, eczema, folliculitis, and poison ivy, can be helpful so that you can properly treat and prevent this common rash. Though heat rash can affect anyone, newborns are most susceptible. As the name implies, infant heat rash is triggered in certain children when they become overheated, either because they are overdressed or because it is simply too hot outside. As they become hot and sweat, their sweat ducts become blocked and rupture.

Because a newborn’s sweat ducts aren’t fully developed, they rupture easily, trapping perspiration beneath the skin. This happens most often in hot weather, but it can occur anytime infants are dressed too warmly. Newborns who have high fevers or are in incubators can also develop blocked sweat ducts. The inflamed sweat ducts look like small bumps with a red halo around them and can usually be found grouped together under a child’s clothing and inside the folds of his skin, such as his neck, armpits, and groin. Infants who wear a hat may also get a heat rash on their forehead and scalp. Most often, heat rash goes away on its own. Severe forms of heat rash may need medical care, but the best way to relieve symptoms is to cool your skin and prevent sweating.

Mild heat rash doesn’t require any other treatment, but more severe forms may need topical therapies to relieve discomfort and prevent complications. Topical treatments may include things like calamine lotion to soothe itching or lanolin, which may help prevent duct blockage and stop new lesions from forming.  Topical steroids are often used in the most serious cases. Some anecdotal evidence supports the use of oral vitamin C supplements to help relieve heat rash also. However you should contact your health care provider if your child experiencing any of the following symptoms:

* A fever or other unexplained symptoms associated with the rash
* Any areas that look wet, oozing, or red, which are signs of infection
* A rash that extends beyond the diaper area
* A rash that is worse in the skin creases
* A rash, spots, blister, or discoloration and is younger than 3 months
* Blisters
* No improvement after 3 days of home treatment
* Significant scratching