Your Newborn's Skin and Rashes

A newborn's skin is prone to rashes of all sorts, but luckily most of these rashes are harmless and go away on their own.

Is My Newborn Normal?

The moment your newborn is delivered, you're bound to heave a heavy sigh of relief. But if you're like most first-time parents, that relief doesn't last long.

Unexpected birthmarks, a pulsating soft spot, jaundice, skin rashes, eyes that cross, head lumps and bumps: It can all be downright scary and can easily send new parents into panic mode.

"If you don't know what to expect, or especially if you are expecting that sort of 'Hollywood' version of the doll-perfect newborn, seeing and examining your baby for the first time can be quite shocking to some parents -- and even cause some serious anxiety attacks," says Tia Hubbard, MD, nursery pediatrician at the University of California at San Diego Medical Center.

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Common Rashes in Newborns

Pink pimples ("neonatal acne") are often caused by exposure in the womb to maternal hormones. No treatment is needed, just time. They can last for weeks or even months on baby's skin.
Erythema toxicum is another common newborn rash that looks like mosquito bites or hives. Its cause is unknown, and it resolves without treatment after a few days or weeks.
Dry, peeling skin is often due to a baby being born a little late. The underlying skin is perfectly normal, soft, and moist.
Little white bumps on the nose and face ("milia") are caused by blocked oil glands. When baby's oil glands enlarge and open up in a few days or weeks, the white bumps disappear.
Salmon patches (called a "stork bite" at the back of the neck or an "angel's kiss" between the eyes) are simple nests of blood vessels (probably caused by maternal hormones) that fade on their own after a few weeks or months. Occasionally stork bites never go away.
Jaundice is a yellow coloration to your baby's skin and eyes. It is caused by an excess of bilirubin (a breakdown product of red blood cells).
- If the bilirubin level becomes sufficiently high, blue or white lights may be focused on the baby's skin to lower the level, because excess bilirubin can sometimes pose a health hazard.
Mongolian spots are very common in any part of the body of dark-skinned babies. They are flat, gray-blue in color (almost looking like a bruise), and can be small or large. They are caused by some pigment that didn't make it to the top layer when baby's skin was being formed. They are harmless and usually fade away by school age.