title: Influence of sunflower seed oil or baby lotion on the skin barrier function of newborns: A pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin care influences skin barrier function during the first postnatal weeks. Although the use of natural oils in preterms has been investigated, there are currently no data comparing the effect of sunflower oil to an emollient on barrier development in healthy term newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, randomized clinical study, 50 healthy full-term newborns aged ≤72 h were randomly assigned to two groups: group baby lotion (L, n=22) and sunflower seed oil (SSO, n=24). The skin barrier function was evaluated in three anatomical areas (front, abdomen, and thigh) by noninvasive assessment of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration (SCH), sebum, and skin pH at inclusion and after five weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both groups, skin pH decreased and SCH increased statistically significantly in all measured areas at W5 compared to baseline. TEWL decreased statistically significantly on the forearm in both groups, on the upper leg in group L, and on the abdomen in group SSO.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both skin care regimes did not harm skin barrier function adaptation in healthy term neonates during the first five weeks of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Varvara
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kanti
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Malise
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.|Department of Medical Statistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stroux
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawatzky
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Henrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternity, St. Joseph Clinic Berlin Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abou-Dakn
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Blume-Peytavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Hair and Skin Science, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garcia Bartels
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D004643:Emollients / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012629:Sebum / Q000378:metabolism; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D000074242:Sunflower Oil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013848:Thigh; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004643:Emollients; D000074242:Sunflower Oil; D014867:Water
keywords: natural oils; neonatal care; newborns; pH; transepidermal water loss