Baby acne.

From: HerbalSW.aol.com
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 20:13:33 EST
To: herb.lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Herb] (no subject)

Here's a question for y'all

I have a 4 week old infant who has baby acne. The regular books say simply mild soap and water and nothing else.

Skin stuff is about liver and her oil glands are staring to work. Any thoughts on how to address this rapidly changing and ever growing beautiful, yet, zit faced kid o' mine? I am breast feeding her so could do stuff via the breast milk...

Thanks in advance?

Catherine M. Wood

From: "Michelle Morton-niyama" lakshmi.kingcon.com

My second had that-

I would suggest not using soap- and washing with ground herbs and oatmeal( yarrow, chamomile, lavender)

I would also wash throughout the day with mild calendula tea.

Dusting with arrowroot is nice as well.

Congrats on your gift.

From: Sharon Hodges-Rust mwherbs.cox.net

milia, the baby acne should be left alone there is pathology to it. there is no infection and no disease process here. You could cut the soap because how dirty does a baby really get? Just bathe with water, diaper area may need a tiny bit of soap. A face scrub routine could really end up backfiring, babies tissues are very delicate and don't tolerate too much rough treatment. This is why even allopathic medicine goes for simple washing as well because there really isn't anything here that needs to be fixed.

Now if you are seeing excessive inflammation or the acne is infected still simple washing, and depending on the rash either a calendula weak tea rinse or salve. In addition get rid of possible irritating substances like laundry soaps with dyes and smells, dryer sheets, which also seem to cause some women a great deal of trouble in pregnancy as well, what is touching the babies face all the time ?- you and your families clothes they too need to be smell and dryer sheet free. Are you using anything strong smelling on your skin, since you are breastfeeding the baby is also in touch with that all the time as well. And if you are in contact with anything you know you are allergic or sensitive to get rid of it, and this includes foods.

As for breastmilk, there are very Nutrients that are affected by mom's diet, but one big one is essential fatty acid content, so what are your sources of efas?

Most of us get way too much hydrogenated oils and not enough clean oils cook with a cold pressed oil, toss out the margarine unless it is the kind without hydrogenated oil. You may need to supplement-flax seed oil, evening primrose oil, black currant oil.

Sharon in Tucson

PS I started practicing midwifery aprox 21 yrs ago, currently working on an Arizona licensed.

From: "Michelle Morton-niyama" lakshmi.kingcon.com

>A face scrub routine could really end up backfiring, babies tissues are very delicate and don't tolerate too much rough treatment.

I should have been more clear- I meant to put the herbs in a muslin cloth and wash with the "milk" that they make- really, just let it drip on the skin- no scrubbung involved. Yes, I agree, no soap...

From: "Aliceann and Scott Carlton" carlton47.earthlink.net

> milia, the baby acne should be left alone there is pathology to it.

Thanks for the voice of reason Sharon. In addition to your suggestions, a daily massage with a little sesame, pure olive, or coconot oil is a big help. All babies benefit from gentle massage and the oil nourishes the delicate skin without clogging it up as is the problem with mineral oil based oils.

As you noted Sharon, this isn't a pathological condition and it quickly resolves (weeks to a few months).

Aliceann