Comparison of the Effects of Bathing and the Dry Technique on the Skin Condition of Early Neonates: A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND

In Japan, neonates have typically been bathed in a bathtub immediately after birth because bathing is a custom for cleansing impurities. However, dry technique has been introduced into many institutions since 2000. There is little scientific evidence on the benefit or harmfulness of either method to neonatal skin, and consequently, opinion remains split on which method is superior.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether bathing or the dry technique of cleaning is better in maintaining skin health in the early neonatal period.

METHODS

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin pH, considered an index of skin barrier function, were measured in each group. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6, which are inflammatory cytokines released by keratinocytes, were measured by skin blotting.

RESULTS

TEWL and skin pH of neonates were lower with the dry technique than with bathing. The expression level of IL-6 and TNF-α in chest skin of neonates was higher with bathing than with the dry technique.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the dry technique may maintain skin health better than bathing in the early neonatal period.