# Does your toddler have infantile acne?



## njohnson (Mar 18, 2006)

Hi. My DS has had acne on his cheeks since about 8 weeks old. He had the major breakout (baby acne) at about 8 weeks and that went away, but he still has some acne on his cheeks that is always there. I have read that there is such thing as "infantile acne" that can be treated with Benzoyl Peroxide. Do any of you mamas have toddlers with (or had in the past) this infantile acne. And, did you have to get a prescription from a doctor or did you just buy the topical agent over the counter and use it. Did it work? I don't want him to grow up and have acne scars because I didn't take care of it sooner. Looking for any advice from those of you with the same issues. Thanks.


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## cdahlgrd (Sep 4, 2002)

I would chat with your doctor about it. Some allergy rashes can look like acne, and I would be very careful about using anthing on it because it could cause burns and scarring on baby skin.


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## Scout (Jan 23, 2002)

It might be Keratosis Polaris. My son has had patches of acne on his cheeks off and on, like a recurring rash, since he was a baby. He also has them on his upper arms. Our ped said it was Keratosis Polaris, which the ped in fact has himself, and he said that, growing up, it always seemed to bother other people more than it did him.


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## dbsam (Mar 3, 2007)

If it is Kerotosis Pilaris……My son also has Kerotosis Pilaris. His rashes are on his upper arms, upper thighs, and cheeks. The severity increases and decreases. When he is over heated or upset his face really gets red and rough. I took him to a dermatologist who recommended Dove soap since the PH balance is close to our skin’s PH balance. (According to him it was the only soap close.) However, I’ve always used unscented California Baby wash and it also is close to the skin’s PH (I called the company to make sure). When I used Jason Naturals w/lavender or any other soap w/a fragrance the rash became much more pronounced. We’ve always used mild, chemical free laundry products but I’ve heard traditional laundry soaps can really aggravate the rash. The dermatologist said he would not treat the condition unless it really bothers my son as a teenager – when Kerotosis Pilaris tends to be the worst. Most people outgrow the condition as they age.


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

Our daughter also gets a rash that looks a lot like acne, and her pediatrician has said it's a form of eczema. She requires only cotton sheets/pillow cases, mild soaps (we mostly do water), and I'm currently looking for a sunscreen that she can tolerate without breaking out (I think I found a Jason's one that is a combo of tintanium dioxide (?) and zinc oxide). We use Cetaphil lotion to keep her skin lubricated and steroidal creme if necessary.

I'm about to demand a visit to an allergist because I'm beginning to suspect something in her diet that's contributing too.

I'd talk to your doctor.


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## simplehome (Jul 13, 2004)

I'd also bring it up with your doctor. We have Kerotosis Pilaris here as well---it is genetic, so my son and I share it, and my husband has it to a lesser degree. It's no big deal---they say that once you are around 30, it goes away completely for most people. I never really had much acne as a teenager, if that is any consolation. It doesn't have to mean bad facial skin your whole life, just a few bumpies here and there. I'd talk to the doctor to rule out excema and allergies, and ask about Kerotosis Pilaris. It's a definite possibility, as a ton of people have it.


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## RedOakMomma (Sep 30, 2004)

To me, it sounds like excema. My doctor is very hands-off about treating things like this, so he said to avoid steroid creams all together, unless it starts to get itchy and painful. What he suggested helped a lot...when baby is just out of the bath, and his cheeks are still wet, we put a thin coat of vaseline on his face. That seals in the moisture and helps a lot.

Some excema is due to allergies, some is due to dryness. I've heard from several adults with excema that the pimply-type stuff on faces is usually a dryness/weather related excema. If you have large, itchy red patches on your body (especially behind the knees and inner arms), it's more suggestive of allergy excema.

Our son was about 8 months old when his pimply excema started...just as winter was coming on and it was starting to get dry in the house (and his little cheeks were being exposed to rough, cold winter wind). OUr Dr. said the excema would get better once the weather was consistently more humid. With that in mind, you could try to artificially increase the humidity in your house and see if that helps.








It's a bummer, I know, but hopefully the change in weather will help!


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## mclisa (Jul 26, 2004)

Baby acne shouldn't need to be treated with benzoyl peroxide.

I think you need to have your child seen by his doctor to make an official diagnosis so you know what to use.

I would be cautious about using vaseline around the face as you don't want the baby to get this into the lungs.


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