Nothing is more beautiful to you than your newborn baby, which is why it can be frightening to see a rash or other mark on her soft skin. Fortunately, most blemishes are harmless and do not require treatment, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians website. Still, the rash may be uncomfortable for your baby. For this reason, most parents try to avoid situations that may irritate their newborn baby's delicate skin.
Hormones
A mother's hormones may cause her newborn baby's skin to become irritated. Acne neonatorum, or baby acne, usually appears when a baby is around 2 weeks old. It looks like adult acne and is thought to be caused by over-stimulation of the sebaceous glands in the skin, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center's website. The stimulation is caused by maternal hormones left over from when the baby was in the womb. It can also be caused by the child's own hormones. Baby acne may last for only a few weeks or linger for months. Cradle cap, a greasy, scaly skin irritation that appears on the scalp, might also be triggered by hormone fluctuations; however, the exact cause has not been determined.
Heat and Friction
Too warm temperatures can cause a newborn to break out in a rash consisting of tiny white or clear bumps. This is often called "prickly heat" and may be triggered by overdressing your baby or by hot temperatures. Eczema is a skin condition that features patches of rough, dry, itchy skin. Often, the patches are red or ooze liquid. Coarse fabrics or harsh, perfumed lotions or soaps can cause eczema. The skin may be reacting to an allergen in such cases or the cause may be unknown.
Diapers
Prolonged contact with moisture can also trigger skin irritation in infants, especially in the diaper area. For this reason, it is important to change a newborn baby's diaper frequently. Diaper rashes that appear greasy or feature red, raised, angry marks may be caused by a yeast infection. If you suspect that your baby is suffering from a yeast infection, take her to the doctor because she will need to be prescribed a topical cream in order to treat and clear up the rash.
Other Causes
Some babies are born with small white bumps that cover the face and nose. This is a common condition called milia that is caused by tiny flakes of dead skin that get trapped in the pores. It clears up on its own. Erythema toxicum is another very common skin irritation -- it affects up to half of all newborns -- that is signified by flat red blotches on the skin. The cause is unknown.
