If a baby is born after its due date, the vernix caseosa would have mostly gone which means the skin tends to be dry and peeling as it has not been effectively protected in the watery environment of the womb. If a baby is born prematurely, its skin will be more vulnerable as it would not have had chance to mature completely, making it more prone to infection and trauma. This being said, the skin of a newborn is generally quite vulnerable due to the immaturity of the skin barrier. It has not developed a complete flora and fauna, so does not have full protection of the commensal bacteria nor has it developed the acid mantle. For the first 6 weeks of life, it is recommended that water alone is used to cleanse the skin. Subsequently, any products that are used should have minimal levels of perfume and colourants in them. Bland emollients (see
Emollients) may be helpful if a baby’s skin gets dry.
Babies in neonatal units have particularly vulnerable skin. A survey carried out at the University of Southampton suggests that despite this fact, many neonates have their skin overly cleansed and frequently damaged with tape and dressings (Rapley, 2007).
