Comparison of two different neonatal skin care practices and their influence on transepidermal water loss in healthy newborns within first 10 days of life.

AIM: Physiologic post-partum skin adaptation to the relative dry extra-uterine environment is a dynamic process which begins immediately after birth. Considering the differences from adult skin, the neonatal skin is more prone to damage by environmental factors; therefore, skin care regimens should be age adapted to ensure a good epidermal maturation. The effects of two different skin care practices were evaluated by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurement in 94 newborns aged ≤10 days: group 1 (G1), newborns washed only with a cotton washcloth moistened with water; group 2 (G2), newborns washed with liquid baby cleansers and hydrated with moisturizers. These recordings were compared to TEWL baseline values of the same neonates and to adults' values. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in healthy full-term newborns, measuring TEWL with TEWAMETER® TM300. The areas tested were the volar forearm and the popliteal fossa. RESULTS: In G1 (52 subjects), TEWL mean values were 6.65±2.81 SD (g/m2/h) at volar forearm and 7.49±2.47 SD (g/m2/h) at popliteal fossa. In G2 (42 subjects), TEWL mean values were 8.83±3.05 SD (g/m2/h) at volar forearm and 10.18±3.64 SD (g/m2/h) at popliteal fossa. There were statistically significant differences of TEWL mean values between G1 and G2, newborns and adults, baseline and post-skin care procedures. CONCLUSION: Tested skin care regimens could influence the process of functional adaptation of skin, in the early postnatal period. We could hypothesize that daily washing with liquid baby cleansers and moisturizing may delay the natural maturation of skin barrier function.