Good Routine Baby Skincare

Good infant skincare can help prevent the most common dermatoses in babies.
Good routine Baby Skincare is a set of practices which aims to give the best care to the fragile skin of infants. It comprises of three steps...

Good bathing practice - Bepanthen Baby Bath can help with this!!

• Many baby cleansing products are harsh for baby’s skin as they contain detergents that remove the skin lipids (source)
  Atherton D. Maintaining healthy Skin in Infancy Using Prevention of Irritant Napkin Dermatitis as a Model. Community Practice 2005; 78: 255-257.

Good nappy practice

• Use good quality supper disposable nappies. Compared with washable cloth nappies, these have been shown to be associated with a reduces incidence and decreased severity of IND (sources)

  Jordan WE, Lawson KD, Berg RW Franxman JJ. Diaper Dermatitis: Frequency and Severity Among General Infant Population. Pediatric Dermatology 1986; 198-207.

  Lane AT, Reheder PA, Helm K. Evaluation of Diapers Containing Absortbent Gelling Material with Conventional Disposable Diapers in New Born Infants. American Journal of Disease in childhood 1990; 144: 315-318

• Nappies should be changed immediately when soiled to reduce the amount of time the skin is in contact with the urine/faeces. Also, depending on the age of the child, nappies should be changed frequently.

Routine use of emollient – Bepanthen Ointment can help with this!!

• In general, Ointment (water in oil formulations with a lipid content ≥ 50%) provide a superior moisture barrier than lighter oil in water products (source)
  Clarke C, Hoarc C. Making the Most of Emollients. Pharmaceutical Journal 2001; 266: 227-229.
  . Therefore ointments are generally more effective than creams and lotions (source)
  Siegfried EC. Neonatal Skin Care and Toxicology. In: Eichenfield LF, Frieden U, Esterly NB(eds). Textbook of Neonatal Dermatology. Pennsylyania WB Saunders 2001; p62-71.
  . Emollients:
  • Protect against skin disruption
  • Are important for maintaining skin moisture but not all emollients support the skin barrier (source)
    Hachem J-P, De Paepe K, Kaufman L, Roigers V, Roseeuw D. The effect of two moisturizers on skin barrier damage in allergic contact dermatitis. European Journal of Dermatology 2002; 12: 136-1385. rash on premature and full term babies 2001; 70: 33-38.
  • Studies have that application of a barrier supportive emollient aid in protecting and repairing the skin barrier (sources)

    Goujon C, Alleaume B, de Bony and Girard P. Randomized single blinded pilot study of the efficacy and tolerability of Bepanthen Ointment in subjects with bilateral dryness of the hands. Realites Therapeutiques en Dermato – Venerologie 1997; 66: 37-4.

    Proksch E, Nissen HP. Dexpanthenol enhances the skin barrier repair and reduces inflammation after sodium lauryl sulphate induced exposure. The Journal of Dermatological Treatment 2002; 13: 173-178.

    Putet G, Guy B, Andres P, Sirvent A, de Bony R and Girard F. Effect of Bepanthen Ointment on the prevention and treatment of diaper rash on premature and full term babies 2001; 70: 33-38.

    Millis KM & Atherton DJ. What can be done to keep babies’ skin healthy RCM Midwives Journal 2007; 7(7): 288-290.