The first months of a baby’s life are an exciting and difficult period for young parents. The body of a newborn baby only adapts to environmental conditions and does not work at all like an adult. Many mothers and fathers are excited by any change in the behavior of the baby and his appearance. The obvious symptoms of “unhealth” are especially worrying - skin rashes, allergic reactions. What are milies in newborns: is it a disease or just a special condition of the skin?
Miles: what is it?
Milies are small skin rashes of white color. More often they are slightly convex, but can be almost flat. Spots can be placed one or more pieces together. Visually, miles are like small pimples and blackheads. Sometimes they are also called "skin fading" or "millet rash." By themselves, such rashes do not cause any discomfort to their owner. The affected area of the skin does not hurt or itch. As you can see in the first photo, milies in newborns usually appear on the face. Very rarely, they are observed on other parts of the body. What to do if you find such a rash in your baby?
Causes of millet rash
Milies appear on the skin for two reasons. In infants, such a rash is most often a reaction of the body to hormonal changes. While the baby is in the womb, the mother's body passes on to him, along with nutrients, his hormones. After the birth, the baby masters a new type of food. Immediately after birth, all systems and organs begin to function in a new way in the baby’s body. The hormonal background also changes. Due to all these changes, milies can appear in newborns.
What are millet pimples medically? Doctors call white specks "miliums." In fact, these are accumulations of sebum that have not reached the surface of the epidermis. However, unlike adult acne, milies in newborns do not need any special treatment and removal. The second reason why a millet rash appears is: clogging and malfunctioning of the sebaceous glands. This happens due to changes in the hormonal background and the body's adaptation to environmental conditions.
What are milies in newborns and how to distinguish them from an allergic rash?
Very often, young mothers, noticing white dots on the skin of the baby, blame themselves. In the first weeks of life, the baby’s diet is breast milk. Its composition depends on the nutrition of the mother. In the case of allergic reactions, indeed, it is the mother who must change her diet. Millet rash is a completely different phenomenon. Even if the nursing mother adheres to a special diet and waits for the newborns to pass the mile, nothing will happen. It is very important not to confuse miliums with an allergic reaction. The best solution: show the baby to the pediatrician if any rash appears. If for some reason this is not possible, it is worth remembering the main symptoms of an allergy. The reaction to food and cosmetics is usually manifested in the form of a red rash. Skin irritation is usually itchy, may be accompanied by peeling. Often in infants with allergies, an increase in body temperature, discharge from the nose and eyes, and digestive disorders are also observed. If these symptoms appear, seek medical attention.
Milium treatment
All doctors agree that treating a millet rash in newborns in some special way is not required. White pimples are an exceptionally “cosmetic” defect. They are not dangerous, not contagious and do not cause any concern to the baby. It is only necessary to wait a little while, and miles on newborns on the face will pass independently.
A young mother needs to consult with an observing pediatrician regarding proper care for the baby. If there are no contraindications, the baby should be bathed and washed daily. With the permission of the doctor, you can add decoctions of herbs: water, chamomiles, calendula. The use of pharmacy ointments for the treatment of millet is not required. It is advisable to refuse to apply any children's cosmetics to the affected skin during the treatment of miles.
Recovery period
When milies pass in newborns, how long can these pimples normally be present on the skin? Usually, white dots on the skin of the baby pass during the first two months of life. Pediatricians agree that miles can disappear without a trace only by the third month. If the spots do not change in size and do not cause inconvenience, do not worry. An unscheduled visit to the pediatrician should be made if: there are more and more pimples, they change their color and size. The appearance of red spots and dots in the vicinity of miles is an occasion to see a doctor.
What can not be done if a newborn has a mile on his face?
Many parents are concerned about the appearance of any unusual symptoms in a newborn baby. Miles are not dangerous, but it is extremely difficult not to notice them. Having discovered incomprehensible white pimples on the baby's face, many mothers instinctively try to help the child and get rid of them.
The first reaction is to try to squeeze out the contents of the white dots. It is absolutely impossible to do this. Firstly, this effect will be very painful for the child, and secondly, the risk of infection is high. It is also not necessary to smear milia with green or iodine. When asking, you should limit the use of any creams, lotions and ointments. If peeling of the skin is observed, moisturizers can be used 1 time per day.
Now you know what milies are in newborns. Usually, these white spots pass within a few weeks without any active treatment. Any home or folk remedies in this situation can only do harm.