Alison Cooke 1 , Michael J. Topical oils on baby skin may contribute to development of childhood atopic eczema. A pilot, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial assessed feasibility of a definitive trial investigating their impact in neonates. One-hundred and fifteen healthy, full-term neonates were randomly assigned to olive oil, sunflower oil or no oil, twice daily for 4 weeks, stratified by family history of atopic eczema.
We measured spectral profile of lipid lamellae, trans-epidermal water loss TEWL , stratum corneum hydration and pH and recorded clinical observations, at baseline, and 4 weeks post-birth.
Recruitment was challenging recruitment Both oil groups had significantly improved hydration but significantly less improvement in lipid lamellae structure compared to the no oil group. The study was not powered for clinical significance, but until further research is conducted, caution should be exercised when recommending oils for neonatal skin.
Key words: infant; skin barrier function; topical oils. Accepted Oct 29, ; Epub ahead of print Nov 9, E-mail: alison. Neonatal dry skin is a normal adaptation to the extrauterine environment following birth. The primary function of baby skin is to provide a barrier, firstly to water loss and secondly to penetration from external irritants and allergens 1. Some research has suggested that there is a potential for development of atopic eczema AE synonym atopic dermatitis if topical products with adverse effects on skin barrier function are used for the prevention or treatment of baby dry skin 2, 3.
AE is a disease resulting from gene environment interactions leading to breakdown of the skin barrier, cutaneous inflammation and allergy 4, 5. Genetic changes cannot account for this increased incidence, but there has been an increase in potentially linked environmental factors including the increased availability and use of baby skincare products.
