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Neonatal skin care: the scientific basis for practice

C Lund1, J Kuller, A Lane

  • 1Intensive Care Nursery, Children's Hospital, Oakland, CA 94609, USA.

Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing : JOGNN
|June 11, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal skin requires specialized care due to its vulnerability to disruption. This review provides evidence-based guidelines for maintaining infant skin integrity and health.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal dermatology
  • Pediatric nursing
  • Skin integrity research

Background:

  • Neonatal skin possesses unique anatomical and physiological characteristics that predispose it to barrier disruption.
  • Immature skin barrier function in newborns increases susceptibility to trauma, toxicity, and infection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a comprehensive literature review on neonatal skin care practices.
  • To identify evidence supporting best practices for maintaining neonatal skin integrity.
  • To inform the development of clinical practice guidelines for neonatal skin care.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature search of MEDLINE and CINAHL databases.
  • Inclusion of articles published after 1963, with a focus on recent findings (1993-1999).
  • Data extraction and organization covering skin anatomy, physiology, differences, nutritional factors, care practices, and breakdown management.

Main Results:

  • Newborn skin is highly susceptible to barrier disruption from external factors.
  • Evidence supports specific guidelines for bathing, lubrication, disinfection, and adhesive use.
  • Recommendations are provided for maintaining skin integrity, minimizing toxic exposure, and promoting long-term skin health.

Conclusions:

  • The review synthesized evidence to develop a comprehensive neonatal skin care guideline.
  • Clinical practice guidelines are proposed for bathing, lubrication, antimicrobial skin disinfection, and adhesive removal.
  • Ongoing evaluation of the developed guideline is in progress at multiple clinical sites.
Abstract

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