Baby and Laundry Detergent?

Question

I have been washing my babies clothes with Xtra for about 3 weeks and just this past week, he started to get what looks like baby acne on his cheeks, neck and shoulders. Sometimes his skin looks red and blotchy on his neck, shoulders, face and head but it only looks like that when he's been laying down. When I pick him up and hold him and stuff, the blotches and redness go away. I didn't know if the redness and blotches were due to the detergent I've been using or not? I figured if his skin was sensitive to it, it would have started to get all irritated within the first week of me using it and not wait til now to start. Or could he have baby acne? Does that start at any old time cause he didn't have it before last week. I know that his father has rather sensitive skin and his gets red and blotchy from the most random things. If he had an itch on his arm and scratched it, it would turn bright red in less than a minute. My son doesn't seem to be upset by it but I don't know what cause it

Yes, I realize I can use baby detergent but that wasn't what I was asking. I wanted to know if it was possible for him to just all of sudden break out from the detergent even after I've been using it on his clothes for three weeks? The first four responses I've got don't even answer what I want to know. Don't answer with stuff I already know. I'm using Dreft for him now. Here's what I want to know: Can a baby get baby acne at any time? Would the detergent affect him even after having used it for 3 weeks on his clothes? And could he possibly have sensitive skin like his father where some of the slightest touches turn his skin red and blotchy?

Answer 1

From what I have understood in your ? I would say no it isn't from the detergent. Usually ( there is always an exception) if a child is going to have a contact reaction to something it happens within the first 48 hours of being exposed also you say it goes away when you pick him up. A baby can get "baby acne" at any age but it doesn't sound like that either since it goes away when you pick him up. I would say that either he has sensitive skin like his father or he is just being irritated by the fabric and it rubs him wrong when he is laying down also I know it is gross but babies slobber and that could cause his face to be irritated. I wouldn't worry about it as long as it doesn't bother him and it goes away but skin sensitvity is hereditary and chances are he is jjust like dad!

Answer 2

Yes your baby can get acne at any time. It may or may not be caused by the detergent. Yes your son can develop a sensitivity to a detergent you have been using for a while. The sensitivity thing happens to me all the time with soaps. I became allergic to an antibiotic 7 days into my third cycle with the drug. People can have no reaction to a bee sting one time and the next one will kill them. Some say you build up a tolerance for soaps or medications. I am the opposite. The case may be the same for your son.

Answer 3

I wouldn't waste money on Dreft. Any hypoalergenic detergent will work just fine, but make sure that it's hypoalergenic and not an just an alergen reducer (I suggest Purex).
It sounds like the blotches and redness are simply a heat rash. If you live in a really warm area, put a fan in baby's room. If you don't maybe you're just using too many blankets (this has been linked to SIDS also so be careful). My son had heat rash all summer (we live in the desert) and my Dr. said to just wipe him down with a diaper wipe and use baby powder.

Answer 4

honestly, it sounds like possible heat rash. If it was his detergent, he would have the rash all over his body.

same thing happened with my daughter, she had a little bit of baby acne, but the Dr. said the rest of the blotches were heat rash. It is usually worse when they are sleeping (or just coming up from a nap) and after a while they start to fade. and yes, babies get acne within the first 3 months, and usually begins to go away before they are 6 months!

try dressing him a little lighter when your in the house. or a luke warm bath. it helps.

good luck!

(I don't think it's your laundry detergent) ;-)

Answer 5

My oldest son didn't get baby acne until he was 1 month old. The doctor said it was normal and not to worry about it. It went away within a week (I think). I didn't change my detergent or anything. I just kind of let it run its course. My youngest son had baby acne when he was born and he had it for a month. I think it just depends on the baby.

Answer 6

Usually when you wash baby's clothes with regular detergent you just rinse it one more time & it shouldn't affect your baby. You don't have to use dreft or baby detergent. It sounds like baby acne or heat rash. If it goes away when you pick him up. Maybe where you lay him down is hot. But more importantly check with your pediatrician.

Answer 7

Change your laundry detergent for awhile and see if the rash goes away. I use a laundry soap call Bio-Kleen. They don't put all the chemicals in it like the other soaps do. The whole family uses the soap also. Anyway, something else you could try is to run your baby's clothes through the rinse cycle again before putting them in the dryer. Something else you could try is not using a dryer sheet.

Answer 8

I would never wash my child's clothes in Xtra let alone a babies. Use Dreft or All Free. You also need to make a trip to the pediatrician to make sure your babys skin is ok.

Answer 9

Anyone can develop an allergy to detergent. I used Ivory Snow and Downy for the first few months.(I have 3 kids) Their skin is so sensitive so a baby detergent is best. If you are very concerned take him in to your doctor and he'll tell you what it is.
Good luck with this.

Answer 10

Yes it could be the detergent and it could be baby acne. FYI I use Tide Free because baby detergents have scents which can also cause problems for baby.