Toddler with Chronic Acne

[lyriclaughton]

My 14 month old son has had acne on his cheeks since he was a newborn. Our pediatrician referred his to a dermatologist (seen him twice) who prescribed Klaron(R) and we haven't seen any improvement. I have done everything I can think of (changed detergents, wash his face constantly, etc). There are some allergies on my side of the family and we do own a dog. No other symptons at all. At this point I don't know if he should see an allergist or a different dermatologist. Any advice is appreciated.

[Debbie Miller, RN]

Hello,
First of all I would recommend that you stop washing his face constantly and definitely no scrubbing. Use just light fingers, mild face wash and patting dry. Extra washing is not necessary, it will not result in allergy reduction, and cleanliness beyond a normal daily face washing is not even a factor in teenage acne. What your child has is probably not acne at all but some other skin condition (possibly allergy as you have suggested). Excessive cleansing will only aggravate sensitive skin.

If the treatment ordered by a doctor does not work, it's best to return to that doctor. How will the doctor know if it worked if he does not hear from you? He cannot know for sure what is causing the rash but is giving it his best shot. Trial and error are often the way things are treated. If one treatment doesn't work, that tells us a few more clues to help us find the right one. It is totally normal to sometimes miss the mark, especially in such things as this. Another dermatologist just has to start over again. I would go from where you are. This doctor may ultimately suggest an allergist anyway but I would still go back to him/her first.

Best wishes.