Most bumps and blotches on a newborn baby are harmless and clear up by themselves. By far the most common skin problem of infants is diaper rash, but there are some other skin disorders that are usually not serious unless accompanied by other symptoms. With an increase in heat and humidity, the sweat glands attempt to provide sweat as they would normally, but because of the blockage, this sweat is held within the skin and forms little red bumps, or occasionally small blisters in young infants. Erythema toxicum can cause flat red splotches that appear in up to half of all babies. These blotches rarely appear after 5 days of age, are usually gone in 7 to 14 days, and are nothing to worry about.
Baby acne is caused by exposure to the mother's adult hormones.
The little white dots often seen on a newborn's nose represent an abnormal amount of normal skin oil that is a result of these hormones. Acne usually occurs between 2 and 4 weeks of age but may appear up to 4 months after birth and can last for 12 to 18 months. Cradle cap causes greasy, scaling , crusty patches on the scalp that appear in a baby's first 3 months. It usually goes away by itself, but some cases may require treatment with medication. Prickly heat causes rash or blotches during hot weather or in a hot environment.