Dermatology lesson No. 1 for new parents might be: Forget the ads that show babies with picture-perfect skin.

The reality is there are dozens of different skin conditions that can affect newborns, and most babies will experience at least one during their first few months, says Dr. Denise Metry, a pediatric dermatologist at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas.

"First, we want parents to understand they can pretty much expect some kind of rash. Second, we tell them that most are harmless and disappear on their own without any treatment," Dr. Metry says.

Among the earliest rashes parents can expect to see – either at birth or within two to three days – are pustular melanosis and erythema toxicum. "These rashes have horrible names that frighten parents, but both of them are very common, completely benign and require no treatment," says Dr. Denise Salerno, a pediatrician at Temple Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, Penn.

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