Acne and numerous eruptions appear on the body of the child from birth. And one of the types of rashes is acne - acne mostly on the face. In newborns, as well as in infants in the age of 3-11 months, this disease develops moderately and not for long.
However, this does not mean that you need to turn a blind eye to acne in infants, treatment may still be required. It happens that untreated acne in babies "pops up" in adolescence with copious rashes on the face. The form of treatment is prescribed solely by a pediatrician, since rashes may have a different cause, for example - allergic.
Acne is caused by hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands, caused by the influence of androgens from the adrenal cortex. If the blood serum level greatly increases the level of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, then the development of severe acne is possible. Treatment of acne in infants is in local therapy.
Acne Neonates
It is noted in 20% of children already from the first days of life. A typical character of the rash is papulo-pustular erythematosis. Comedones are usually absent. The rash appears on the cheeks, forehead, chin, eyelids, scalp, upper chest, neck. The severity of the disease is moderate, without trace, in 1-3 months. However, the rash may persist in infants up to 6-12 months.
Given that acne in newborns is characterized by an independent spontaneous completion, treatment in most cases is not required. However, if multiple skin lesions are observed, local application of therapeutic ointments with ketoconazole is indicated. These drugs significantly reduce the duration of the disease of acne.
Acne Babies
Acne in infants occurs less frequently than acne in newborns - between the ages of 3 and 16 months. Boys are more often ill. If the parents suffered from acne, this disease is more severe in children. Acne in infants is characterized by the formation of closed and open comedones, pustules and papules. The rash spreads more and more often contains inflammatory elements. Sometimes purulent cysts are formed, causing scarring. The rash is localized mainly on the cheeks. Acne can disappear by the age of 1-2, but more often up to 5 years. A severe form of acne is acne conglobata, in which the nodes merge into conglomerates. Appear abscesses and rough scars. Acne babies, especially the conglobate form, can lead to the development of a serious illness during adolescence.
In the treatment of acne in infants, topical retinoids are used. Combination with local antibiotics (clindamycin, erythromycin) and benzoyl peroxide is allowed. A severe form of the disease is an inflammatory lesion with the formation of knots and papules that have been troubling for several months. In this case, erythromycin is given in tablets. If erythromycin is contraindicated, trimethoprim / sulfamethoxazole may be prescribed. The use of tetracycline in the treatment of infants is not recommended, as the development of teeth and bones is impaired.
Deeply lying bladders and nodes can be treated by injecting triamcinolone acetonide in a low dosage. If there is no curative effect, the doctor can recommend isotretinoin. The drug is indicated for older children. Rather well tolerated, side effects are rare. When the drug is given to infants, the only obstacle is an uncomfortable form of release of the drug in the form of gelatin capsules. Since under the influence of oxygen and sun isotretinoin is destroyed, the capsules are opened in a shaded room and immediately mixed with jam or butter. Treatment should be accompanied by regular blood sampling to control the level of cholesterol, triglycerides, liver function.
The average duration of acne treatment is 6-11 months. Parents should take into account that during puberty, acne can recur.