Abstract: Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of neonatal acne to better understand the disease. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted on the patients with neonatal acne and the data was analyzed retrospectively. Results: A total of 56 cases of neonatal acne were collected, including 41 males (73.21%) and 15 females (26.79%). The average age at onset was (16.15±3.28) days, and the average course of the disease was (10.0 ±1.32) days. Inflammatory papules and pustules (83.93%) were the most common lesions in 47 cases. Cheek involvement was seen in all the 56 cases, including involvement of brow arch in 16 cases. One of the parents had a history of acne in 47 cases and parents or sister had a history of atopic dermatitis in 14. Other diseases in the family history included eczema in 10 patients, hemangioma in 2, amelanotic nevus in 2 and Ota nevusa in one. Out of the 21 cases misdiagnosed as eczema,16 cases were treated with topical steroid. Conclusion: Neonatal acne often occurs on face, 2 to 3 weeks after birth. Most of the lesions are mild inflammatory papules. Many parents of the patients have an acne history in adolescence. Misdiagnosis is quietly common.

Key words: neonatal acne, epidemiology