Newborn Rashes
The following is a description of the most common benign newborn rashes. Now you can spend time staring at your child’s smiling face rather than worrying about their blotchy skin. Rashes are very common in the newborn period. Fortunately, most of these rashes are benign and self resolving. **For children of any age: If your child is well-appearing, has no fever and develops a rash – it is usually not serious.
Red flags: Petechiae – looks like your child has been dotted with a red or purple felt tip pen. The dots don’t blanch (disappear) when you press on them.
- Fluid filled vesicles (blisters)
- Rash accompanying a sick appearing child.
Erythema Toxicum
Horrible name but normal rash
Description:
Small red bumps that can be anywhere on your infants body or face
- Looks like flea bites
- May appear on day 1 of life and come and go for weeks
- Do not itch, scar, or hurt
Treatment:
None, self resolving
Neonatal Acne
Take a picture and show your child when they complain of their first pimple as a teenager
Description:
- Pimples and pustules on face, especially cheeks, chest, upper back & scalp
- May look very severe
- May appear on day 1 of life and wax and wane over several months
- Due to maternal hormones
- Does not itch, hurt, or scar
Treatment:
- None, self resolving
- May use soft soaps such as Dove or Ivory
- No facials or acne creams
Nevus Simplex
Stork’s Kiss, Salmon Patch, Stork’s Bite
Description:
- Red blotches of skin most common on eyelids, middle of forehead, & nape of neck
Treatment:
- None
- May remain entire life or fade as they get older
- Will never cause a problem
Mongolion Spots
Description:
- Blue patches of skin, most common on lower back and buttocks but can be anywhere on body
- Look like bruises
- Most common among Asian and darker skinned ethnicities
Treatment:
- None. May remain entire life or fade as they get older. Will never cause a problem.
Milia
Description:
- Tiny white heads on the nose
- Small clogged pores
Treatment:
- None, self resolves
Diaper Rash
Cause:
- Skin irritation from contact with a wet or dirty diaper
Description:
- Red irritated skin where the skin contacts the diaper
- May have patches of raw, bleeding skin
Treatment:
- Air out or dry diaper area thoroughly before putting diaper or ointments on
- Diaper Creams such as Desitin, Balmex, A & D Ointment, Butt Paste
- Diaper creams act as barrier to protect the irritated skin and allow it to heal
- Neosporin on raw & bleeding skin helps prevent infection
Candidal Diaper Rash
Yeast Infection
Cause:
- Yeast grows in any moist environment. As a result, candidal dermatitis is common in the diaper area of both males and females
Description:
- Red skin in the folds and creases of the groin or neck
- Little red bumps near the red patches
Treatment:
- Air out or dry diaper area thoroughly before putting diaper or ointments on
- Anti-Fungal Creams such as Lotrimin Cream (over the counter) three-times per day
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Description:
- Cradle Cap
- Dry, scaling scalp
- Scalp may have yellow crust that oozes
- May extend to forehead, eyebrows and behind ears
- Common to come and go throughout first year of life
Treatment:
- Mineral Oil, Selsun Blue, or Neutrogena T-gel. Massage into scalp, leave in for a couple of minutes until the dry skin is soft and then rinse head as you brush out scale with a soft brush or toothbrush
