Rash on the face and head of a newborn: white pimples and red rashes in a baby

What is a rash

These are rashes on the upper layer of the epidermis that are bacterial, viral or infectious in nature. They arise under the influence of a provoking factor and cause itching, swelling, and redness of the skin. In fact, this is one of the manifestations of allergies, which, in the absence of timely treatment, can turn a once healthy person into a “chronic allergy sufferer.” The rash looks disgusting, disrupts the homogeneous structure of the skin, and creates favorable conditions for the development of purulent and infectious processes.

Hormonal rash in newborns

Microbes do not always become the main cause of skin rashes; hormonal changes in the body of infancy cannot be ruled out. For example, after the birth of a child, an excess of estrogen predominates for another 2-3 weeks, which leads to enlargement of the mammary glands and the appearance of characteristic rashes on the skin. The phenomenon is temporary, but noticeably frightens young parents. Externally, it is a profuse acne that has dense contents, similar to the signs of acne. However, the pus is not liquid in consistency; it resembles a whole white grain.

Hormonal rash in newborns, also called neonatal, acne, three weeks. You can get rid of the characteristic rashes without medications; you need to wait a few weeks. To remove pimples, a decrease in the concentration of female hormones - estrogens - in the children's body is indicated, which are precisely the main cause of the pathological process.

Neonatal pustulosis of newborns, implying hormonal “blooming of the dermis” in children in the first days of life, is most often localized in the upper part of the body - on the head, neck, face and back. That's why it's called cephalic. To get rid of unpleasant symptoms, it is necessary to observe adequate rules of personal hygiene for the baby. In this case, the disease disappears on its own within 2-3 days.

Causes of rashes in children

Hormonal rashes

Usually, rashes that appear on the skin of a baby's face appear due to a hormonal imbalance. In this case, small pimples appear on the face and are red in color. They can spread to the neck and scalp. Often, approximately in the second or third week of a baby’s life, pimples form with an abscess in the center.

Manifestation of allergies in a newborn

Another common cause of pimples on the face is an allergic reaction . As a rule, such rashes appear in those babies whose mothers are breastfeeding. Such rashes appear due to the fact that a woman

doesn't follow a diet
or includes foods that are new to a newborn baby in your diet .

For example, a very strong allergen is chicken egg white.

It is for this reason that doctors say that protein should not be given to an infant until he is one year old.

Until this time, the baby can be fed only boiled yolk. In addition, breastfeeding women must exclude from their diet foods that contain red pigment.

Manifestation of prickly heat on the face

It often happens that a young mother does not have enough experience, because of this she begins to dress her little one very warmly, which is why he sweats a lot. Since his salt glands are not yet working very well, a rash forms in the baby, localized on the baby’s face and head. In addition, it often happens that prickly heat is the result of non-compliance with hygiene standards .

Always, especially in summer, a child needs to be bathed daily.

Miliaria is often confused with a local manifestation of seborrheic dermatitis. You can learn more about the manifestations of seborrhea and methods of combating it from this article.

Manifestation of pustulosis

Sometimes a rash on a baby's face appears due to neonatal infantile pustulosis . twenty percent of infants have this disease . It must be treated with medication.

The peculiarity of this disease is that in the center of the pimple there are no contaminated pores; they very rarely begin to fester. For this reason, no focus of inflammation is created, so such pimples can be difficult to detect.

If a child has neonatal cephalitic pustulosis, then his skin texture changes, but this is very difficult to notice visually. Such changes can be detected palpation . Sometimes red pustules may form; they are usually found on the baby's face and neck.

Allergic rash in a newborn

The cause of such rashes is exposure to a provoking factor, which may be a food allergen, household chemicals, or skin care cosmetics. In addition, external irritants cannot be excluded from household, natural, or chemical origin. In all cases, the rash in infants looks the same and causes itching, burning, internal discomfort, and emotional instability. This unpleasant symptom characterizes several diseases presented below, so differential diagnosis is required. So:

Food allergies. More often it appears on children's cheeks due to the penetration of the allergen into the digestive tract. The infection can enter the newborn's body through the mother's breast milk.
Contact allergies, also called household allergies. Appears when the skin comes into direct contact with external allergens - potentially hazardous substances. The smell of paint or animal hair can provoke such an allergic reaction in a newborn.
Drug allergy. A red rash becomes a side effect of long-term conservative treatment for a newborn and not only. Due to the weakening of the immune system by the disease, the newborn body is not able to resist partial intoxication of the body from the pills.
Hives. This is a complicated form of an allergic reaction, in which the red rash is small and profuse. Prone to forming blisters. Externally, the rash resembles a nettle burn, hence the name. A complication for a newborn patient is anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema.
Prickly heat. The rash in a baby appears in the folds of the skin due to impaired sweating of these areas. The foci of pathology are the groin, back, armpits, and neck. The main task of parents is to restore the newborn’s heat exchange, dress the baby according to the weather, and remove the rash.
Diaper dermatitis. Occurs upon contact with wet diapers, since liquid feces and urine irritate sensitive skin. First, irritation appears, and then diaper rash and sores appear. Parents need to follow the rules of personal hygiene for their newborn baby.
Atopic dermatitis. A common skin disease that causes a blistering rash in a newborn. The foci of pathology are the cheeks and chin, legs and arms, and children’s buttocks. The rash itches and makes the newborn nervous and irritable.

Causes of rash on the face and head of a baby

Due to the tenderness of the skin of a newborn, the presence of various rashes on the skin, including the face and head, is not an unusual occurrence in the first weeks of the baby’s birth from the mother’s womb; rather, on the contrary, it is quite normal.
The adaptation process includes a number of different manifestations, including a rash on the face and head, and although these changes are considered normal, this does not mean that specialist supervision is not required. This is necessary, first of all, so that the doctor can determine the nature of the rash and, if necessary, prescribe medications with which treatment will be carried out. The causes of a rash in a baby may differ in type, but experts identify five types of manifestations as the most common:

Milia. In the first stages of life, babies may develop a fine, crumbly, yellowish-white rash on the chin and nose. The manifestation does not pose any danger to the newborn and disappears on its own in the first months.
Acne of newborns. It can appear as colorless or slightly pink rashes on the cheeks. These manifestations indicate the formation of hormonal processes. Within a few weeks the situation will normalize on its own. Sometimes the rash is accompanied by the presence of acne, which suggests hormonal imbalances.
Toxic erythema. The peculiarity of the rash is its appearance, which is expressed in the form of red spots with small bubbles of a white or yellowish tint. The location of toxic erythema is the abdomen, chest, and around the joints. This usually occurs 2-4 days after birth; within a week the erythema goes away on its own, but the child may behave restlessly due to the presence of itching of varying tolerance. Toxic erythema poses absolutely no danger to the baby’s health; this type of manifestation indicates the child’s adaptation to the external environment.
Irritation. Occurs against the background of teething, is accompanied by copious secretion of saliva, causing the appearance of a rash on the chin in the form of small dots.
Seborrheic dermatitis. It appears as peeling and a yellowish rash, in the form of yellow, hard and greasy scales. This is a common phenomenon that appears and disappears without any harm to the child’s health.

Hormonal causes of rash in infants

Hormonal rashes in infants are distinguished by a clear structure, which is the main difference from other similar manifestations. The cause of the rash is the effect of hormones, the onset of which is observed while the child is in the womb. Hormonal rash appears in the form of small pimples of flesh-colored or white color, with a red border.

As already said, the main cause of the rash is the work of hormones, enhanced by the connection with the mother’s still existing follicular background, and until this ends, the following manifestations of symptoms are possible, which once again indicate this type of restructuring of the body.

In newborns of both sexes, enlargement of the mammary glands is observed, sometimes this is accompanied by slight discharge in appearance resembling colostrum.
Swelling of the scrotum in boys.
Enlargement and swelling of the labia in girls, sometimes blood discharge is observed.
Skin rash.

Hormonal rash is called differently: millet pimples, milia, flowering. Why exactly milia, or millet pimples, is explained simply: the name comes from the Greek “milium”, which is translated as “grain”. This is the best way to compare the appearance of a hormonal rash, where in the center of the pimple there is a white head, well reminiscent in appearance of a millet grain.

Allergic causes of rashes

Newborns have the most sensitive reaction to any irritants and the reason for this is an undeveloped immune system, which, due to developmental characteristics, practically does not protect the child’s body from the outside world. The place where an allergic rash appears in a baby is most often the face and neck. Experts are alarmed by the sharp increase in allergic rashes in newborns, the nature of the manifestations of which can have significant differences. The primary task of specialists is to determine the source of the irritant in order to further exclude it from the list of substances or products with which the child comes into contact. The main danger of an allergic rash is the initial stage, against which more serious diseases of a similar nature can develop, namely respiratory diseases, bronchitis, and asthma.

Experts identify three main reasons that can provoke an allergic rash in infants:

Contact. Carried out through the skin.
Food. The irritant penetrates the digestive system.
Household. Enters exclusively through the respiratory system.

An allergic reaction manifests itself not only in the form of a rash, but also in a number of other signs:

In the form of small bubbles.
Redness of varying extent of skin areas.
The presence of swelling in the areas affected by the rash.
Restless behavior of the child due to itching, which can manifest itself in varying strengths. This can be determined based on the child’s behavior; he may be whiny and irritable.
Erosive wounds are the result of bursting blisters.
Food allergies can be identified by the location of the rash on the buttocks, calves, forearm and cheeks.

Some symptoms may differ depending on the individual characteristics of the child's body.

The cause of the rash on the face and head is infection

Since a rash on the face and other areas of the skin in newborns can appear for various reasons, and this is not a deviation in the baby’s development, the main task of specialists is to correctly diagnose the rash. One of the manifestations may be caused by the body’s reaction to the penetration of an infection, which cannot disappear on its own and in this case it is necessary to treat with medications. An infectious rash also has a number of symptoms that indicate the presence of the disease in the baby:

Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, manifested by pain. The child may have no appetite and become irritable.
Nausea and vomiting.
Temperature increase.
Redness of the throat.
Cough, runny nose.

A rash can appear both at the initial stage of the disease and at the end of the development of an infectious disease. Among the common infectious childhood diseases that are accompanied by a rash, experts identify the main ones:

Erythema infectious. Cough, fever. The rash appears in the form of large spots, in the center of which there is a light spot.
Measles. Initially, the rash appears behind the ears and on the face, after which it affects almost all parts of the body.
Rubella. There is a massive rash over a long period (at least a week).
Varicella (chickenpox). Bubbles with clear liquid (vesicles).
Meningococcal infection. The localization sites are the elbows and the face, where a star-shaped rash appears.
Vesiculopustulosis. White or yellow pustules that usually affect the skin of the back, neck, chest, arms and legs. Rarely found on the head and face.
Roseola. An absolutely harmless rash, which in most cases occurs in children under two years of age.
Scarlet fever. Age-related skin lesions from 3 years. Accompanied by a sore throat, expressed in acute form.

In most cases, an infectious rash requires examination by specialists and monitoring of the progress of healing for the entire duration of treatment.

Bacterial causes of rash in a newborn

Infection occurs as a result of a violation of the integrity of the skin (scratches, cuts), through which bacteria penetrate the child’s body. Children often scratch themselves on their own, and sometimes the parents themselves are to blame for this: poorly cut nails, which are the culprit for the destruction of the delicate skin of newborns, allow various types of bacteria to enter the body.

Bacterial rashes can appear against the background of infection with the staphylococcus bacterium, which can subsequently develop into the infectious disease vesiculopustulosis. The disease develops in the form of purulent inflammation of the child’s sweat glands, manifested in the form of small yellowish or white pustules located on the chest, neck, limbs and back. When the bubbles spontaneously open, wounds form and become crusty. The disease mainly affects infants.

Rashes on the face and head due to microclimate

Often parents, especially without the proper experience and skills in caring for newborn children, make an unfortunate mistake, which as a result manifests itself in the form of rashes on the face and head due to a violation of the microclimate in the living quarters where the child is. Impaired air circulation and heat exchange, high humidity and high temperature in the room are the main factors that provoke a rash. The manifestation is more popularly known as prickly heat.

Miliaria affects areas where there is increased sweating in the form of a small rash, pink-flesh, or red. Miliaria often appears after a child lies tightly wrapped for a long time while sleeping or walking. For children, this type does not cause any particular trouble: the rash does not itch, there is no increase in temperature, and with proper care it disappears from the skin on its own. The cause of the manifestation is sweat, so timely prevention and basic hygiene will help deal with the appearance of prickly heat.

Infectious rashes in newborns

If the cause of a profuse rash on the skin is a viral infection, this condition is fraught with serious consequences for the health of the newborn and not only. Additional symptoms are high temperature, fever, and digestive disorders. Before choosing medications to treat the rash, it is recommended to clarify the diagnosis in the newborn. What kind of illness could this be:

Chickenpox. The rash is abundant and localized throughout the body. Each pimple has liquid contents. After random opening, the bottle dries up and the crust falls off, temporarily leaving a stain on the body. The description of the characteristic illness is known to all parents, since almost everyone suffered chickenpox in childhood.
Scarlet fever. The rash spreads throughout the body very quickly; in addition, inflamed tonsils are involved in the pathological process. After eliminating the rashes, noticeable spots remain on the body, prone to peeling. A sick newborn child should be isolated for 10 days and treated urgently.
Rubella and measles. These are well-known childhood diseases with a profuse rash, which are best tolerated between 1 and 3 years of age without potential complications. In a newborn, the spots merge into large foci, while the patient himself suffers from high temperature and signs of fever.
Roseola has similar symptoms to rubella. The rash aggregates into large lesions, and the skin is prone to dryness and flaking. The main causative agent of the disease is the simple herpes virus; conservative treatment is complicated. When pressed with a finger it immediately turns pale.
Thrush. The disease is of fungal origin, and the rash spreads to the mucous membranes of the newborn. The activity of the pathogenic fungus can be suppressed only by conservative methods - a mixture of medications will help. Newborn fungal rash is treated with a steep soda composition.

How to treat a rash

If acne, prickly heat, or acne symptoms appear on the skin of a newborn, you should urgently contact a pediatric dermatologist. Superficial self-medication is excluded, otherwise the manifestations will become even more abundant. After identifying the provoking factor and completely eliminating it, treatment is conservative, and alternative methods of traditional medicine can be additionally used.

All over the body

If a small itchy rash is spread throughout the body, it is possible that it is prickly heat. To effectively eliminate it, it is important to control the heat exchange of the newborn body, correctly apply the baby to the breast during feeding, and organize bathing in the morning and every evening with the addition of a decoction of chamomile, celandine or string to the water.

On the cheeks

This is an eloquent sign of diathesis. Therefore, before removing a rash from a newborn, you need to review your diet and exclude potential allergens from it. The irritant enters the child's body through breast milk, causing trouble for mother and baby. To relieve unpleasant symptoms, the doctor prescribes mild antihistamines or drink a weak chamomile decoction.

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On the neck

This may be a manifestation of contact dermatitis when delicate skin comes into contact with synthetic clothing materials. It is important to exclude contact of the non-born with a potential allergen and additionally use Sudocrem ointment. The drug is non-greasy, does not contain alcohol, will relieve inflammation, swelling and redness, without drying the skin, and reduces areas of skin rash.

On the forehead

In such a clinical picture, the injured child is not recommended to wear a hat, but it is recommended to use a weak solution of potassium permanganate externally, and Fenistil drops internally for children from 1 year of age. It is important that the solution does not get into the ear, moisten the cotton wool and thoroughly treat each wound. Treat until the characteristic rash disappears completely.

On the stomach

This is a characteristic sign of atopic dermatitis, which is prone to a chronic course without timely treatment. The newborn should be given antihistamines and probiotics, according to the age category and the pediatrician’s recommendations, bathe the baby daily in chamomile and string, and be sure to monitor the nutrition of the nursing mother.

In the crotch

This is a characteristic sign of diaper dermatitis in a newborn. To quickly get rid of the characteristic perineal rash, you must carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene of the baby, examine all folds, use powder and diapers only from hypoallergenic materials, buy Bepanten cream for regular treatment of problem areas.

On hands

When a rash appears on the hands, it is important to rule out a childhood infectious disease. To do this, contact a pediatrician together with the newborn, undergo an examination, and differentiate the diagnosis. If the appearance of a rash is preceded by a non-infectious process, the phenomenon is temporary and goes away on its own after the allergen is eliminated from the body. Otherwise, it is recommended to be treated with medication, sometimes with the use of antibiotics.

Around eyes

It is possible that this is the result of using wet wipes that contain fragrances and alcohol. It is necessary to immediately abandon such caring cosmetics, otherwise the characteristic rash will soon become a common occurrence for the newborn. To eliminate allergy symptoms, you can use unsteeped tea as a lotion or chamomile infusion orally

Symptoms

The clinical picture of rashes has many symptoms, both general and specific. It is advisable for adult family members to learn to distinguish them, at least in general terms, in order to take adequate measures:

Neonatal pustulosis appears as small red pimples that protrude slightly above the surface of the skin. At the top of each pimple you can see a white or black dot. Localization of rashes is the face and scalp. Such pimples do not cause an increase in body temperature, do not hurt, do not itch or itch, and do not affect behavior, sleep or appetite. They disappear on their own about a month after their appearance and do not pose any threat to the baby’s health.
Toxic erythroderma manifests itself in the first weeks of life and is localized not only on the face and head, but also on the chest, abdomen, and butt. It has the appearance of hyperemic (bright red) spots, against which papules may appear - cavity-free formations in the shape of a tubercle. There are no irritating manifestations such as pain, itching, or burning. After a few days, the spots and papules disappear. The etiology of this condition remains unclear.
An allergic rash on the face and head of a newborn, regardless of the etiology, is almost always accompanied by itching and burning; the skin in the places where it appears turns red, peels and cracks. When it appears, a small child becomes restless, sleeps poorly, refuses to eat, often cries, and scratches the rash.
Atopic dermatitis - in children under one year of age, its symptoms include extensive red spots that appear not only on the face and head, but also on other parts of the body. The skin affected by it becomes dry and thinner.
Heat rash on the head and face is quite rare. It looks like small red rashes that can turn into blisters. The skin in this area feels raw and stings.
Infectious symptoms, manifested by skin rashes, are very extensive. In case of bacterial infection, the role of the trigger is usually played by staphylococci, which cause pustular rashes, and streptococci, which cause the formation of pustules on the skin filled with a colorless watery component.
A fungal rash is not purulent; it has clearly defined boundaries, and the affected areas of the skin quickly dry out and peel off.
Small pimples on the head of a month-old baby can be caused by herpes, the virus of which is transmitted to him from the mother. Viral rashes are also caused by scarlet fever and chickenpox.
Seborrheic dermatitis causes the formation of yellow crusts on the scalp, most often localized in the back of the head.

Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis. Therefore, if alarming symptoms appear, the baby must be shown to a doctor.