
Toxic neonatal erythema is a common skin disease. This is not a serious illness, nor does it harm your baby and usually goes away on its own without treatment.
Toxic erythema (Erythematoxicum neonatorum), also known as acne, usually appears in babies and does not affect the baby's health. Although it is called toxic erythema, it is a benign rash. It is also not the same as common adult acne.
Cause the baby has toxic erythema?
Currently, the cause of toxic scarlet fever remains unknown. Toxic erythema is not caused by infection or allergies and is also not related to breastfeeding or bottle feeding, but small, pus-filled bumps will appear when your baby has the disease.
Is it common?
Toxic erythema is very common, about 4 to 5 babies out of 10 will get the disease. Usually, toxic erythema occurs in healthy, full-term babies. The rash can occur within the first 48 hours after birth, but most usually occurs when the baby is younger than 2 days old.
In addition, toxic erythema also occurs in overweight babies born in the summer or fall and babies who are breastfed.
Symptoms of erythema poisoning
The main symptom of toxic erythema is small red spots, which usually appear on the face and body. Sometimes they also appear on the arms and legs, but the palms of the hands or feet are very rare.
Sometimes the erythema is patches of pustules or small, pustular bumps. They can be more or less floating and often differ in size in different locations. These red dots usually become blurred when you press them down. Poisonous erythema sometimes appears only transiently, sometimes the rash has just disappeared in one location, then another new sign appears.
If you suspect that your baby has toxic erythema, you should take your baby to the doctor for an accurate diagnosis. This is even more important if the baby has symptoms such as fever, not eating or sleep ... With these signs, sometimes the baby can be infected with another disease.
Usually, it's easy for doctors to spot your baby's rash without having to check it. If the cause is not known or the baby is not feeling well, then testing should be done.
Treatment of toxic erythema
There is no special treatment for toxic scarlet fever, as it goes away on its own. If your baby has toxic erythema, you don't worry too much about how uncomfortable or painful your baby is. However, the baby's skin becomes redder and this can be unsightly.
You should also be careful not to over-bathe, squeeze or break any pustules because the baby's skin is very sensitive. This will easily cause your baby to get skin infections. In addition, you should also use products that are fragrance-free and gentle to the skin to bathe your baby.
How long does toxic erythema last?
Usually, the rash lasts only a few days. However, there are also many cases where the rash completely disappears within two weeks and sometimes they return until the baby is 6 weeks old.
Toxic erythema has a long term effect?
The toxic erythrasma emerges on its own and then disappears, leaving the skin normal. However, after the rash, some babies have dry skin, eczema or other skin problems whose cause is not related to the toxic erythema.