Baby acne and newborn skin spots: what is normal

Newborn · Health · Reviewed 20 June 2026 · All articles

In the first weeks of life, a baby's skin goes through a great deal of change. Many parents are surprised when spots, blotches, or rashes appear on what they expected to be perfectly smooth newborn skin. The reassuring reality is that the vast majority of newborn skin conditions, including baby acne, milia, and erythema toxicum, are completely harmless, require no treatment, and clear up on their own. Knowing what each one looks like and why it happens will save you anxiety and help you avoid any well-intentioned but potentially irritating home remedies.

What is baby acne?

Baby acne, sometimes called neonatal acne or acne neonatorum, is a very common skin condition in newborns. It typically appears as small red spots, or red spots with white centres, scattered across the cheeks, forehead, and chin. The nose and upper chest can also be affected, though the face is the most common site. The spots look broadly similar to teenage acne, which is why the name stuck, but there are some differences: baby acne does not tend to have blackheads, and the skin underneath and around the spots may look slightly red or irritated.

The spots are usually small and fairly uniform in appearance. They do not blister, crust over, or weep fluid in typical cases. If you press on the skin lightly, the redness around each spot may briefly fade and return. The spots themselves tend to stay the same size rather than growing.

Baby acne is estimated to affect roughly 20% of newborns. It is more common in male infants, though the reasons for this are not fully understood. Having baby acne does not predict whether the child will experience acne in adolescence.

When does baby acne appear and how long does it last?

Baby acne most commonly appears between two and four weeks after birth, though it can appear at any point in the first month. Some babies are born with spots already visible, but this is less typical.

The spots often look most prominent when the baby is hot, crying, or wearing fabric that has irritated the skin. This can make the condition look more alarming than it actually is: a baby who has been in a warm bath or has been crying might briefly have quite red, prominent spots that then calm down once the baby cools and settles.

Baby acne resolves on its own, without treatment, usually within a few weeks to three or four months. Most cases are gone by the three-month mark. It does not leave scars or marks on the skin. Patience is genuinely the right approach here.

What causes baby acne?

Baby acne is caused by maternal hormones. During pregnancy, hormones including oestrogen and other androgens cross the placenta and enter the baby's bloodstream. These hormones are essential for foetal development, but they also stimulate the oil glands (sebaceous glands) in the baby's skin, in much the same way that hormonal changes stimulate oil glands in teenagers.

After birth, the baby's body gradually breaks down and clears these maternal hormones. As the hormone levels drop over the weeks following birth, the oil glands settle down and the spots resolve. The timeline broadly matches the typical resolution of baby acne by around three months.

Because the cause is hormonal and internal rather than external, changes to diet, bathing routines, or skincare products cannot speed up resolution. The baby's body simply needs time to process the hormones.

How to care for baby acne

The correct treatment for baby acne is no treatment at all, beyond gentle daily cleansing. This can feel counterintuitive when you are looking at spots and wanting to do something, but intervention with skincare products often makes things worse rather than better.

The following approach is recommended by the NHS and paediatric dermatologists:

Resist the urge to apply olive oil, coconut oil, or other oils to the spots. While these are sometimes suggested as natural skincare for babies in general, research has raised concerns that they can disrupt the skin barrier in newborns and may worsen skin conditions rather than help them. Plain water and a soft cloth are all that is needed.

Milia: white spots from birth

Milia are small white or pale yellow spots that appear on the nose, cheeks, and chin of newborns and are often present from birth or the first few days of life. They look a little like tiny white pearls just under the surface of the skin. Unlike baby acne, milia are not red or inflamed around the spot itself.

Milia are caused by dead skin cells becoming trapped in small pockets near the skin's surface. They are not related to hygiene or maternal hormones and are not contagious. Milia are extremely common: the NHS reports that around half of all newborns have them.

Like baby acne, milia require no treatment. They clear on their own within a few weeks as the skin matures and the trapped cells work their way out. Do not attempt to squeeze or pop milia; this can introduce bacteria and cause infection.

Erythema toxicum: the blotchy red rash

Erythema toxicum neonatorum is a mouthful of a name for one of the most common newborn rashes. It typically appears in the first two to five days of life and looks like red blotches or patches, often with a small white or yellow centre that can resemble a tiny pustule. It can appear virtually anywhere on the body except the palms and soles.

Despite its rather alarming-sounding name (which translates roughly as "newborn toxic redness"), erythema toxicum is completely harmless and does not cause the baby any discomfort. It is thought to be related to the newborn immune system beginning to respond to the external environment. The rash typically fades within a week and usually disappears entirely by two weeks of age.

No treatment is needed. The rash may appear to move around the body, fading in one area and appearing in another over the course of a day or two. This shifting pattern is characteristic and helps doctors and midwives distinguish it from more serious rashes.

When to see your GP

The skin conditions described above are all benign and self-resolving. However, not every spot or rash on a newborn is harmless, and there are situations where you should seek medical advice rather than waiting:

If you are ever unsure about a skin change in your newborn, it is always reasonable to have it looked at by a professional. A brief check by your health visitor or GP can provide reassurance, and it is always better to ask than to worry unnecessarily.

Frequently asked questions

What does baby acne look like?

Baby acne typically appears as small red or red-and-white spots on the cheeks, forehead, and chin. The spots are similar in appearance to teenage acne and are usually scattered rather than in clusters. The skin around the spots may look slightly red or irritated. Baby acne does not have the blackheads seen in adult acne.

What causes baby acne?

Baby acne is caused by maternal hormones that cross the placenta during pregnancy and remain in the baby's bloodstream after birth. These hormones stimulate the baby's oil glands in the skin, producing spots. As the hormones clear the baby's system over the weeks after birth, the acne resolves on its own.

Should I put cream on baby acne?

No treatment is needed or recommended for baby acne. Applying creams, oils, or lotions can irritate the skin and may make the spots worse. The best approach is to wash the affected area gently with plain warm water once a day and then pat it dry. The spots will clear on their own, typically within a few weeks to three or four months.

When should I see a doctor about spots on my baby's skin?

See your GP if spots appear for the first time after six weeks of age, if they are spreading to the body beyond the face and neck, if they seem to be worsening rather than gradually improving, if they are accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, feeding difficulties, or unusual behaviour, or if you notice spots that look blistered, crusted, or very different from typical baby acne.

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