Is millet acne (milia) in babies a cause for concern?

This is an automatically translated article.

If the baby's skin is not smooth, it is likely that the baby has milia, also known as millet acne in babies. This phenomenon often causes anxiety in parents. So does milia in babies have any effect on children or not?

1. Millet Acne – What is Milia?

Nearly 50% of newborns appear to have a skin lesion called "millet acne", even some babies are born very early, only 1 to 2 days after birth, tiny white dots appear on their cheeks. , nose, chin. These are cysts containing sebum or keratin, the size of a needle, pale white on a background of normal skin or mucous membranes. You may also find this seed in your baby's gums or palate.
By definition, milia are small keratin-containing cysts derived from epithelial structures (hair follicles, sweat ducts, sebaceous ducts).

2. Identifying milia in babies

Pimples can appear anywhere, most commonly on the face, especially the eyelids and cheeks. Clinical manifestations are small papules < 3mm, white, scattered or concentrated on the skin, red-pink papules above with small vesicles, sometimes white pustules mixed in areas of skin with abundant perspiration. smell like chest, back, forehead. Children may itch a lot, caused by blocked sweat ducts.

3. Classification of milia in infants

Milia are divided into 2 main types: Primary Milia and Secondary Milia, each of which is divided into several different subtypes. Milia seen in newborns are usually primary milia, congenital milia: 40% - 50% of newborns, lesions are small, white papules scattered or clustered around the nose, face, upper half of the body. Milia can appear in the lining of the mouth called Epstein pearls or on the roof of the mouth (Bohn nodules).

4. Acne milia in babies what to do?

Usually in young children, due to the stagnation of sebum or the mother's hormones, there are small milky white particles protruding from the forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. list. If the baby has no symptoms of itching or fussiness, the family can rest assured, a few months after the old epidermis peels off, the new skin is regenerated, the skin will be normal. Only when the baby has symptoms of itching, cannot sleep, does not gain weight, it must be treated.
Mother needs to wash her face and bathe her baby daily with clean, warm water. Mix warm enough water, do not use too hot water to harm the baby's skin, causing blistering because the baby's skin is very fragile. Use a soft cloth to wipe the baby. When bathing, only use soap made specifically for babies. Do not use adult shower gels, do not apply any perfumes or perfumes that can cause skin allergies in children. Do not scrub vigorously, affecting the baby's skin. It is important to keep the baby's skin dry and cool.
Children's clothes must be washed thoroughly with mild detergent, soaked in fabric softener to soften. Fabric material should choose cotton, absorbent and breathable. Wash and dry your baby's clothes and then store them in a baby closet. Wrap your baby in cloth diapers for ventilation, do not wear diapers that block air. In addition to the baby's clothes, blankets, and towels, they must also be carefully washed, not wet with urine.
However, if after 3 months, the acne on the baby's skin is still a lot, the mother should take the baby to a reputable medical facility for examination. Never apply any cream or ointment to the white spots without your doctor's prescription. Do not try to squeeze or squeeze the needle to hurt and scar the baby's skin.

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