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Comparison of Skin Structural and Functional Parameters in Well-Nourished and Moderately Undernourished Infants

Betsy Hughes-Formella1,2, Oliver Wunderlich3, Ragna Williams3

  • 1Independent Consultant, Reinbek, Germany, betsy.hughes@derm-consult.com.

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology
|June 6, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Moderate undernutrition impacts infant skin development, particularly the dermis and subcutis. However, essential epidermal functions like skin barrier and pH remain largely unaffected in undernourished infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dermatology
  • Infant Nutrition
  • Skin Physiology

Background:

  • Limited understanding of nutrition's role in infant skin development.
  • Skin structure and function are crucial for infant health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of moderate undernutrition on infant skin structure and function.
  • To compare well-nourished and undernourished infants using noninvasive methods.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 310 infants across various age groups.
  • Noninvasive techniques including skin caliper, sonography, transepidermal water loss, skin pH, and corneometry.
  • Plasma fatty acids analyzed to indicate nutritional status; infants categorized as well-nourished or moderately undernourished.

Main Results:

  • Structural maturational differences observed in the dermis and subcutis of undernourished infants.
  • Subtle epidermal functional changes noted, but skin barrier and hydration were not significantly reduced.
  • Skin pH showed a shift towards more acidic values in the undernourished group.

Conclusions:

  • Moderate undernutrition significantly affects infant dermis and subcutis development.
  • Critical epidermal functions, including skin barrier integrity and pH, are generally maintained despite undernutrition.
  • Findings highlight the resilience of the infant epidermis to moderate nutritional deficits.
Abstract

Keywords:
Fatty acidsFunctional skin parametersInfant skinNutritionSkin developmentSkin barrier functionStructural skin parameters

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