Hard water softening effect of a baby cleanser

Evidence-Based Consensus Recommendations for Skin Care in Healthy, Full-Term Neonates in India

Purpose

Neonatal skin care practices guided by personal experience and preferences might be substantially different across different hospital settings. The aim of this consensus recommendation is to provide clinical practice guidance to healthcare practitioners on evidence-based neonatal skin care practices from delivery-to-discharge, in hospital settings.

Patients and Methods

A Scientific Advisory Board meeting on "Evidence-based Neonatal Skin Care Practices and Protocols" was held in December 2020 with an expert panel comprising neonatologists, pediatricians, obstetricians and gynecologists and pediatric dermatologist. Comprehensive literature search was performed up to 23 March 2021 using PubMed and Google Scholar to retrieve relevant evidence.

Results

Recommendations were developed on critical aspects of skin care in healthy full-term neonates including cleansing at birth, skin-to-skin care, cord care, diaper area care, initial and routine bathing, cleansers and emollients use, and criteria to choose appropriate skin care products. Recommendations include inclusion of skin assessment in routine neonatal care, first bath timing after cardio-respiratory and thermal stabilization, 6-24 hours after birth; bathing with water alone or adding a mild liquid cleanser could be considered appropriate as it does not impact the developing skin barrier; use of emollients is recommended for neonates with higher risk of development of eczema to maintain and enhance skin barrier function and integrity; and inclusion of skin care advice in neonatal discharge checklist. Importance of rigorous quality control, high-quality clinical trials for assessment of baby products, usage of products that are formulated appropriately for newborns, and full label transparency for baby products were highlighted. The panel identified gaps in literature and discussed the scope for future research.

Conclusion

These recommendations may help to standardize evidence-based skin care for healthy full-term neonates in Indian hospital settings to improve the quality of care that neonates receive in hospital and facilitate improvement in overall neonatal health outcomes.

Effects of ultra-pure soft water on the hands of nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit: A randomized crossover study

BACKGROUND

Healthcare workers (HCWs) wash their hands with tap water (TW) and soap. However, hard TW causes dermatitis.

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to compare the effects of ultra-pure soft water (UPSW) with those of TW on the hands of HWCs.

METHODS

The present study was a prospective randomized trial with a crossover design. All the nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the study centre were divided into Sequence 1 (UPSW to TW) or 2 (TW to UPSW) and washed their hands with TW or UPSW in alternating 4-week periods with a 4-week washout period. Trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and stratum corneum hydration (SCH) were evaluated. Skin condition was self-assessed.

RESULTS

Twenty-one and 22 nurses were assigned to Sequence 1 and Sequence 2, respectively. USPW increased SCH to a significantly greater degree than TW (mean: 26.3 μS ± 12.3 SD; 95% confidence interval: 1.12-51.54; p = 0.041) although it did not affect TEWL. UPSW use significantly improved the subjects' skin condition, as reflected in an overall increase in the assessment scores.

CONCLUSIONS

UPSW improved SCH and the condition of hand skin. Prolonged USPW use may increase nurses' comfort during work and hand hygiene compliance.

The Role of the Environment and Exposome in Atopic Dermatitis

Purpose of review

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder affecting up to 20% of children and up to 5% of adults worldwide, contributing to significant disease-related morbidity in this patient cohort. Its aetiopathogenesis is underpinned by multiple factors, including genetic susceptibility, skin barrier defects, a skewed cutaneous immune response and microbiome perturbation in both the skin and the gut. In this review, we aim to examine the biological effects of key environmental exposures (the sum of which is termed the “exposome”) at the population, community and individual levels in order to describe their effect on AD pathogenesis.

Recent findings

It is now understood that as well as considering the type of environmental exposure with regard to its effect on AD pathogenesis, the dosage and timing of the exposure are both critical domains that may lead to either exacerbation or amelioration of disease. In this review, we consider the effects of population-wide exposures such as climate change, migration and urbanization; community-specific exposures such as air pollution, water hardness and allergic sensitisation; and individual factors such as diet, microbiome alteration, psychosocial stress and the impact of topical and systemic therapy.

Summary

This review summarises the interaction of the above environmental factors with the other domains of AD pathogenesis, namely, the inherent genetic defects, the skin barrier, the immune system and the cutaneous and gut microbiota. We specifically emphasise the timing and dosage of exposures and its effect on the cellular and molecular pathways implicated in AD.

The effect of water hardness on atopic eczema, skin barrier function: A systematic review, meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Hard domestic water has been reported to worsen atopic eczema (AE) and may contribute to its development in early life.

OBJECTIVE

To review the literature on the relationship between the effect of water hardness (high calcium carbonate; CaCO₃ ) on (a) the risk of developing AE, (b) the treatment of existing AE and (c) skin barrier function in human and animal studies.

DESIGN , DATA SOURCES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We systematically searched databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, GREAT and Web of Science) from inception until 30/6/2020. Human and animal observational and experimental studies were included. The primary outcomes were risk of AE and skin barrier function. Studies were meta-analysed using a random effects model. Evidence certainty was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies were included. Pooled observational data from seven studies on 385,901 participants identified increased odds of AE in children exposed to harder versus softer water (odds ratio 1.28, 95% CI 1.09, 1.50; GRADE certainty: very low). Two mechanistic studies in humans reported higher deposition of the detergent sodium lauryl sulphate in those exposed to harder versus softer water. Two randomized controlled trials comparing water softeners with standard care did not show a significant difference in objective AE severity with softened water (standardized mean difference 0.06 standard deviations higher, 95% CI 0.16 lower to 0.27 higher; GRADE certainty: moderate).

CONCLUSIONS & CLINICAL RELEVANCE

There was a positive association between living in a hard water (range: 76 to > 350 mg/L CaCO₃ ) area and AE in children. There is no evidence that domestic water softeners improve objective disease severity in established AE. There may be a role of water hardness in the initiation of skin inflammation in early life, but there is a need for further longitudinal and interventional studies.

The exposome in atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex inflammatory disorder with multiple interactions between genetic, immune and external factors. The sum of external factors that an individual is exposed to throughout their lifetime is termed the exposome. The exposome spans multiple domains from population to molecular levels and, in combination with genetic factors, holds the key to understanding the phenotypic diversity seen in AD patients. Exposomal domains are categorized into nonspecific (human and natural factors affecting populations), specific (eg humidity, ultraviolet radiation, diet, pollution, allergens, water hardness) and internal (cutaneous and gut microbiota and host cell interaction) exposures. The skin, as the organ that most directly interacts with and adapts to the external environment, is a prime target for exploration of exposomal influences on disease. Given the well-recognized physical environmental influences on AD, this condition could be much better understood through insightful exposomal research. In this narrative review, we examine each domain in turn, highlighting current understanding of the mechanisms by which exposomal influences modulate AD pathogenesis at distinct points in time. We highlight current approaches to exposome modification in AD and other allergic disease and propose future directions for exposome characterization and modification using novel research techniques.