It is quite common for babies to have red spots on their skin, especially in the first months of life. These can appear due to natural causes, because of sensitive skin, or may be triggered by a variety of other reasons. If you notice some red spots on your baby’s skin during bath time or diaper changes, don’t panic. Try to identify the cause. Sometimes there is no need to rush to the emergency room right away and potentially expose your baby to unnecessary infections.
Why is a baby’s skin more sensitive?
When babies are very young, they do not yet have fully developed sweat glands, nor the glands responsible for skin pigmentation. This makes their skin even more sensitive. As a result, it’s more common for them to have dermatological issues1. But some red spots or even small red bumps on a baby’s skin can also signal a more serious problem, such as chickenpox, for example.
IMPORTANT: Before giving any medication, it is necessary to know the cause of the red spots on the skin. We do not recommend treatment without medical advice.
Issues that cause spots on baby’s skin
Heat Rash
The well-known heat rash consists of small red bumps caused by excess heat in the baby’s body. When the baby sweats a lot, the pores can get clogged and bumps can appear all over the body, especially in warmer and more covered areas such as the neck, skin folds, and places that sweat more. You can prevent heat rash by giving more than one bath on hotter days and avoiding tight or heavy clothing such as wool.
Hemangioma
These are red spots on the baby’s skin that may look pinkish or dark red. They usually disappear when pressed. Their cause is the abnormal accumulation of blood vessels in the skin, and unfortunately, there is no way to prevent them.
Atopic dermatitis or eczema
This redness is hereditary. It causes a lot of itching and leaves the baby’s skin very dry. Quite often, it can cause wounds and even bleeding. Since there is no way to prevent it, the ideal is to consult a pediatrician to start treatment with corticosteroids to control the discomfort from itching.
Contact dermatitis or diaper rash
Poor hygiene and leaving the baby in the same wet or soiled diaper for too long can cause red spots on the skin. These occur mainly in areas covered by the diaper and in skin folds. These spots cause itching, burning, and excessive irritation. The way to prevent this is to always keep your baby’s diaper clean and dry. Avoid leaving your baby in sweaty clothes for too long, and always use diaper rash creams, preferably at each diaper change.
There are other reasons for the appearance of red spots2. If they do not go away with the care mentioned above, a pediatrician should be consulted immediately. Red spots on the baby’s skin may also be due to teething3. Insect bites can cause an allergic reaction and can also cause spots on the body.
Rubella and meningitis are also illnesses that deserve special attention and a lot of care. They are contagious, and one of their symptoms is the presence of red spots on the skin. Therefore, it is necessary to closely observe other symptoms to determine the cause.
Reader Questions:
How to treat red spots on a baby’s skin?
Treatment should be tailored to each type of spot, allergy, or irritation. But usually, the most recommended step is to stop using the substance that is causing the problem and, under pediatrician guidance, use corticosteroid creams.
How to remove red spots from a baby’s skin?
If the spots are caused by an allergic reaction, they should be treated as an allergy. But if they are birthmarks or caused by other unknown factors and don’t go away over time, a dermatologist should be consulted for evaluation. This doctor can recommend the best treatment for lightening or eliminating the mark.
What do small red bumps mean?
The appearance of little red bumps can indicate several things, such as an allergy or diseases like chickenpox, rubella, etc. Only a pediatrician can assess and determine the origin of the problem.
See also: Candidiasis in Babies – Is It Possible for My Baby to Have This?
Photo: nathaniel stern, mjiang_2000
