Maintaining healthy skin in infancy using prevention of irritant napkin dermatitis as a model.

Irritant napkin dermatitis is a form of contact dermatitis that occurs in the nappy area as a consequence of the disruption of skin barrier integrity by prolonged contact with faeces and urine. It is a condition that still occurs regularly in young children, and is best managed by prevention. In this update, we will consider the reasons that irritant napkin dermatitis develops, and the simple methods that parents can adopt to avert it. These methods are equally appropriate for general skin care in babies, with the aim of preventing atopic dermatitis, another exceedingly common skin problem in this age group.