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The Effect of Sunflower Seed and Almond Oil on Preterm Infant Skin: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Seda Caglar1, Gizem Kerimoglu Yildiz, Ilkay Bakoglu
1Seda Caglar, PhD, RN, is Assistant Professor, Pediatric Nursing Department, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, İstanbul, Turkey. Gizem Kerimoglu Yildiz, PhD, RN, is Assistant Professor, Hatay School of Health, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University. Ilkay Bakoglu, RN, is Clinical Nurse, and Ozgul Salihoglu, MD, is Associate Professor, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Bakirköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul. The authors have disclosed no financial relationships related to this article. Submitted August 8, 2019; accepted in revised form October 2, 2019.
Insights
Sunflower seed oil and almond oil improved hydration in preterm infants. These natural oils are safe and effective for infant skin care, showing better results than the control group.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal dermatology
- Infant skin care
- Dermatological research
Background:
- Preterm infants have fragile skin barriers, increasing susceptibility to dryness and irritation.
- Maintaining skin hydration is crucial for preterm infants' overall health and well-being.
- Current interventions for infant skin hydration require further investigation for efficacy and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of sunflower seed oil (SSO) and almond oil (AO) on stratum corneum hydration.
- To assess the effect of SSO and AO on Neonatal Skin Condition Scores (NSCSs) in preterm infants.
- To compare the efficacy of SSO and AO against a control group for improving infant skin condition.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 90 preterm infants (32-37 weeks gestational age).
- Infants were assigned to three groups: sunflower seed oil, almond oil, or control.
- Oils were applied topically four times daily for five days, with hydration measured using a skin moisture meter.
Main Results:
- Both sunflower seed oil and almond oil significantly improved stratum corneum hydration compared to the control group.
- Neonatal Skin Condition Scores were significantly better in the SSO and AO groups versus the control.
- No significant difference in skin condition or hydration was observed between the sunflower seed oil and almond oil groups.
Conclusions:
- Sunflower seed oil and almond oil are safe and effective emollients for improving preterm infant skin hydration.
- Nurses can utilize these natural oils to enhance skin barrier function in neonates.
- Further research is recommended to explore the long-term efficacy of natural oils in infant dermatological care.
Objective:
To investigate the effect of sunflower seed oil (SSO) and almond oil (AO) on stratum corneum hydration and Neonatal Skin Condition Scores (NSCSs) of preterm infants.
Methods:
This randomized controlled trial recruited 90 preterm infants whose gestational ages were between 32 and 37 weeks in the neonatal ICU. Infants were randomly assigned to three groups (SSO, AO, or control). The oils were applied to the whole body of each infant except for the head and face by a nurse researcher four times a day (4 mL/kg) for 5 days.
Main Outcome Measures:
Skin condition of the infants as evaluated with the NSCS; hydration as measured by a skin moisture meter before and after application.
Main Results:
When average stratum corneum hydration was compared, infants in the SSO and AO groups had better hydration than infants in the control group. The NSCS scores in the control group were significantly higher than in the intervention groups, but there was no difference between the SSO and AO groups.
Conclusions:
Neither SSO nor AO has harmful effects on the skin, and their use may improve stratum corneum hydration. These oils can be used by nurses to hydrate the skin of preterm infants. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of natural oils on infant skin.
