Despite the application of skin care treatments, many infants have skin problems, such as dryness and erythema.

The aim of a study published in Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology proposed a new combination skin care for infants which consisted of a foaming cleanser with lower surfactant activity and moisturizers that contained pseudo-ceramide.

Overall, 50 infants (age: 3-24 months) with insignificant levels of dry skin were enrolled in this usage trial. The infants were first washed with the test cleanser while bathing and then applied the moisturizer (lotion or cream) containing pseudo-ceramide. Prior to and following the four-week usage period, visual evaluation of the skin condition was conducted by a dermatologist, in addition to instrumental analysis.

Erythema and papule, accompanied by dryness, were commonly observed at week 0; by week-4, these symptoms significantly improved. The condition of none of the subjects deteriorated. The number of infants with lower cutaneous barrier function and higher skin pH decreased. Parents of the infants recognized improvements in the skin symptoms and were appreciative of the test materials.

From the results, it was concluded that combined usage of the foaming cleanser with lower surfactant activity and a moisturizer containing pseudo-ceramide may be effective in maintaining healthy infant skin and ameliorating skin symptoms.

Source: Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2017 Oct 3;10:393-401. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S140716.