Routine application of topical emollients is not recommended for the prevention of skin conditions in healthy full-term infants.
This recommendation was developed by the WHO Guidelines Development Group (GDG). The GDG agreed that there was insufficient evidence on the beneficial and harmful effects of routine application of topical emollients on healthy term newborns to prevent skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, dry skin and others.
While the application of emollients before the onset of atopic dermatitis may be useful in the primary prevention of this condition, the plausible harmful effect is the possible destruction of the acid mantle, which is key to the function of the epidermis. In addition, absorption of emollient excipients can lead to contact sensitivity and epidermal injury.
The studies included in the evidence on which this recommendation is based rarely described any harmful effects. However, the GDG raised concerns about the potential risk of harmful effects with certain types of emollients that were observed in randomized controlled pilot trials, in observational studies in term newborns, preterm infants, adults, and animals. Therefore, skin topicalization in healthy, full-term newborns is not recommended.
