Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon Rashes in NewbornsCommon Rashes in the First Few Months of LifeWhen to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Rashes in Newborns
Common Rashes in the First Few Months of Life
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Newborns commonly get skin rashes on various parts of their body. Most are harmless and resolve on their own. However, severe jaundice, eczema, or persistent diaper rash require medical intervention. Understanding the different types of newborn skin variations can help you know when to contact a healthcare provider.
This article covers common newborn rashes, how to treat them at home, and when to contact a healthcare provider.
d3sign / Getty Images
Newborns can have skin variations at birth or a few days after delivery.Common rashesin newborns include the following:
This section explores the causes and treatments for these common newborn rashes.
Newborn Acne
Erythema Toxicum
Reproduced with permission from © DermNet and © Raimo Suhonendermnetnz.org2023.
Milia
Salmon Patches (Nevus Simplex)
Salmon patches (nevus simplex) are flat, salmon (pink-orange), pink, or redbirthmarksthat appear in 30% to 40% of newborns. The patches can occur on babies whether they are lighter skinned or darker skinned. They do not cause discomfort and typically fade within a few months to a few years. Laser therapy can be an option if they don’t go away.Depending on the location, you may hear people call these:
Reproduced with permission from © DermNetdermnetnz.org2023.
Jaundice
Justin Paget / Getty Images
Jaundice Treatment
Congenital Melanocytosis
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from © DermNetdermnetnz.org2023.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
In the first few months of life, babies can develop rashes due to oil buildup, sensitive skin, eczema, irritants, heat, or infection.
Cradle Cap
Seborrheic dermatitis(cradle cap) causes red, scaly areas with greasy, yellow scales or dry, flaky patches due to oil and dead skin buildup. It can occur on the scalp, ears, face, and skin folds. Cradle cap affects around 10% of babies under 4 weeks old but is most common around 3 months.
Eczema
Eczema TreatmentInfants with eczema often get allergies or asthma as they age. Treatment involves gentle skin care and avoiding triggers like harsh soaps, dry air, and pet dander. You can also use a cool washcloth or colloidal oatmeal in a lukewarm bath to reduce itching and swelling. In severe cases, a healthcare provider may suggest steroid creams.
Eczema Treatment
Infants with eczema often get allergies or asthma as they age. Treatment involves gentle skin care and avoiding triggers like harsh soaps, dry air, and pet dander. You can also use a cool washcloth or colloidal oatmeal in a lukewarm bath to reduce itching and swelling. In severe cases, a healthcare provider may suggest steroid creams.
Heat Rash
When sweat ducts clog, sweat leaks into the layers of the skin, causing aheat rash(miliaria). It affects up to 40% of infants, often in the first month of life. One of its two types causes tiny, clear blisters without redness in areas like the neck and underarms. The other causes small red bumps on the forehead, upper body, and covered areas that get hot.
Preventing and Treating Heat RashDressing newborns in light clothes and keeping them cool during hot or humid weather can help prevent and treat heat rash.
Preventing and Treating Heat Rash
Dressing newborns in light clothes and keeping them cool during hot or humid weather can help prevent and treat heat rash.
What a Heat Rash Looks Like on Darker Skin (and What to Do Next)
Diaper Dermatitis
Treatmentinvolves keeping the area clean and dry and using diaper creams with minimal ingredients, which typically helps resolve the rash within a few days.
Fungal Infections
Persistent diaper rashes might result from fungi or yeast, causing itchy skin, with discolored dry or scaly patches, bumps, or blisters.Yeast infectionsoften appear in moist, dark areas like the diaper area and skin folds. It can occur when babies or breastfeeding parents take antibiotics. Your provider may suggest an antifungal cream.
What Is a Rash On a Newborn’s Chest?
Summary
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kutlubay Z, Tanakol A, Engýn B, et al.Newborn skin: common skin problems.MæDica. 2017;12(1):42-47. PMID:28878836Gomez J, Admani S.Nevus simplex: a review.Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association.2023;15(2):84-85. doi:10.1097/JDN.0000000000000730van der Geest BAM, de Mol MJS, Barendse ISA, et al.Assessment, management, and incidence of neonatal jaundice in healthy neonates cared for in primary care: a prospective cohort study.Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):14385. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-17933-2Kolbe V, Boy D, Büttner A.Mongolian spots — a challenging clinical sign.Forensic Sci Int. 2021;327:110964. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110964Sasseville D.Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis in infants. In: Corona R, Levy ML, Fowler J, eds. UpToDate. UpToDate; 2024.Micali G, Pulvirenti N, Dall’Oglio F, et al.Treatment of cradle cap in infants with a new cosmetic non-steroidal gel cream: clinical, laboratory, and instrumental evaluation.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021;20(Suppl 1):14-17. doi:10.1111/jocd.14095American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Eczema.Dupuy E, Miller M, Harter N.What we have learned—milestones in pediatric contact dermatitis.Curr Dermatol Rep. 2022;11(1):1-12. doi: 10.1007/s13671-022-00353-w.Carlisle A, Lieberman J.Clinical management of infant anaphylaxis.J Asthma Allergy. 2021;14:821-827. doi:10.2147/JAA.S286692Additional ReadingKutlubay Z, Tanakol A, Engýn B, Onel C, Sýmsek E, Serdaroglu S, Tuzun Y, Yilmaz E, Eren B.Newborn skin: Common skin problems.MæDica. 2017;12(1):42-47. PMID: 28878836
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kutlubay Z, Tanakol A, Engýn B, et al.Newborn skin: common skin problems.MæDica. 2017;12(1):42-47. PMID:28878836Gomez J, Admani S.Nevus simplex: a review.Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association.2023;15(2):84-85. doi:10.1097/JDN.0000000000000730van der Geest BAM, de Mol MJS, Barendse ISA, et al.Assessment, management, and incidence of neonatal jaundice in healthy neonates cared for in primary care: a prospective cohort study.Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):14385. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-17933-2Kolbe V, Boy D, Büttner A.Mongolian spots — a challenging clinical sign.Forensic Sci Int. 2021;327:110964. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110964Sasseville D.Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis in infants. In: Corona R, Levy ML, Fowler J, eds. UpToDate. UpToDate; 2024.Micali G, Pulvirenti N, Dall’Oglio F, et al.Treatment of cradle cap in infants with a new cosmetic non-steroidal gel cream: clinical, laboratory, and instrumental evaluation.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021;20(Suppl 1):14-17. doi:10.1111/jocd.14095American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Eczema.Dupuy E, Miller M, Harter N.What we have learned—milestones in pediatric contact dermatitis.Curr Dermatol Rep. 2022;11(1):1-12. doi: 10.1007/s13671-022-00353-w.Carlisle A, Lieberman J.Clinical management of infant anaphylaxis.J Asthma Allergy. 2021;14:821-827. doi:10.2147/JAA.S286692Additional ReadingKutlubay Z, Tanakol A, Engýn B, Onel C, Sýmsek E, Serdaroglu S, Tuzun Y, Yilmaz E, Eren B.Newborn skin: Common skin problems.MæDica. 2017;12(1):42-47. PMID: 28878836
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kutlubay Z, Tanakol A, Engýn B, et al.Newborn skin: common skin problems.MæDica. 2017;12(1):42-47. PMID:28878836Gomez J, Admani S.Nevus simplex: a review.Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association.2023;15(2):84-85. doi:10.1097/JDN.0000000000000730van der Geest BAM, de Mol MJS, Barendse ISA, et al.Assessment, management, and incidence of neonatal jaundice in healthy neonates cared for in primary care: a prospective cohort study.Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):14385. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-17933-2Kolbe V, Boy D, Büttner A.Mongolian spots — a challenging clinical sign.Forensic Sci Int. 2021;327:110964. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110964Sasseville D.Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis in infants. In: Corona R, Levy ML, Fowler J, eds. UpToDate. UpToDate; 2024.Micali G, Pulvirenti N, Dall’Oglio F, et al.Treatment of cradle cap in infants with a new cosmetic non-steroidal gel cream: clinical, laboratory, and instrumental evaluation.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021;20(Suppl 1):14-17. doi:10.1111/jocd.14095American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Eczema.Dupuy E, Miller M, Harter N.What we have learned—milestones in pediatric contact dermatitis.Curr Dermatol Rep. 2022;11(1):1-12. doi: 10.1007/s13671-022-00353-w.Carlisle A, Lieberman J.Clinical management of infant anaphylaxis.J Asthma Allergy. 2021;14:821-827. doi:10.2147/JAA.S286692
Kutlubay Z, Tanakol A, Engýn B, et al.Newborn skin: common skin problems.MæDica. 2017;12(1):42-47. PMID:28878836
Gomez J, Admani S.Nevus simplex: a review.Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association.2023;15(2):84-85. doi:10.1097/JDN.0000000000000730
van der Geest BAM, de Mol MJS, Barendse ISA, et al.Assessment, management, and incidence of neonatal jaundice in healthy neonates cared for in primary care: a prospective cohort study.Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):14385. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-17933-2
Kolbe V, Boy D, Büttner A.Mongolian spots — a challenging clinical sign.Forensic Sci Int. 2021;327:110964. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110964
Sasseville D.Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis in infants. In: Corona R, Levy ML, Fowler J, eds. UpToDate. UpToDate; 2024.
Micali G, Pulvirenti N, Dall’Oglio F, et al.Treatment of cradle cap in infants with a new cosmetic non-steroidal gel cream: clinical, laboratory, and instrumental evaluation.J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021;20(Suppl 1):14-17. doi:10.1111/jocd.14095
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Eczema.
Dupuy E, Miller M, Harter N.What we have learned—milestones in pediatric contact dermatitis.Curr Dermatol Rep. 2022;11(1):1-12. doi: 10.1007/s13671-022-00353-w.
Carlisle A, Lieberman J.Clinical management of infant anaphylaxis.J Asthma Allergy. 2021;14:821-827. doi:10.2147/JAA.S286692
Kutlubay Z, Tanakol A, Engýn B, Onel C, Sýmsek E, Serdaroglu S, Tuzun Y, Yilmaz E, Eren B.Newborn skin: Common skin problems.MæDica. 2017;12(1):42-47. PMID: 28878836
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