Baby Skin Care Research Programme: Baby wipes study

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: We carried out our study because we have little good quality evidence about the effects of using baby cleansing wipes on young babies’ skin. Recent professional guidance states that cotton wool and water should be use to cleanse a baby’s skin in the first month of life. However, other research that we have carried out informs us that mothers are confused about the best way to cleanse their baby’s skin, and find that cotton wool and water is not always efficient and can be inconvenient. The goal of the study was to explore changes in babies’ skin during the first month of life (measured at day 1 and day 28 on the buttocks and thigh). Changes that were explored included skin hydration, evaporation levels of water through the skin, skin pH, inflammation or napkin rash and use of napkin rash cream. At day 28, a swab of the skin around the baby’s anal area was taken to assess levels of micro-organisms.