What Are These White Patches on My Child’s Face?
During and after the summer season, we get lots of questions from parents about white patches appearing on their kids’ cheeks. Of course, without seeing your child’s skin, I can’t tell you for sure what they are – you’ll need to reach out to your pediatrician for that. But in most cases, they’re what’s called pityriasis alba.
Pityriasis alba is a common, benign (non-harmful) skin condition that causes dry, pale patches of skin.
These usually appear on the cheeks, but can also show up on the neck, upper arms, or other parts of the upper body. It’s most common in young children, and it doesn’t make them sick in any way.
At first, these patches can look slightly pink. Later, they fade to be lighter than the skin around them. They may be more noticeable in children with darker skin, and in kids of any skin tone after a summer of sun exposure.
Usually, these patches occur in areas where the skin is prone to dryness, and they’re more commonly seen on kids who have eczema. The exact cause is unknown. One theory is that as areas of dry skin exfoliate or shed, paler patches of new skin are exposed.
Pityriasis alba isn’t harmful, and it usually goes away without treatment. But here are a few things that will help the patches even out more quickly:
- Moisturize twice a day with a rich, dye-free, scent-free moisturizer. Some examples are Aveeno, CeraVe, Aquaphor, and Vaseline. Start by moisturizing from head to toe. Then you can spot-treat the driest areas throughout the day.
- Use sunscreen anytime your child is going to be outside.
If your child has areas that look red:
- Apply a thin layer of over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream twice a day to just the red areas.
- Be sure to keep moisturizing and using sunscreen, too.
- After the redness goes away, stop the hydrocortisone cream. Don’t use it for more than 2 weeks. If the redness lasts longer than this, please contact your child’s pediatrician for additional recommendations.
It may take a few months or longer for your child’s skin color to return to normal, but it will.
If you see pale, dry, or red areas on your child’s face or upper body that might be pityriasis alba, we recommend you email clear photos to their pediatrician or make an appointment to confirm the diagnosis.
Resources for Parents
National Library of Medicine
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology
About the Author
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