The Baby Skin Care Advice Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Skin Care for Healthy Babies at Term: Developing the content of inter-disciplinary practice guidance and evidence-based information outputs about baby skin care for health professionals, undergraduate education providers, and mothers, fathers and their families
IRAS ID
225810
Contact name
Alison Cooke
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
Title: Skin Care for Healthy Babies at Term: Developing the content of inter-disciplinary practice guidance and evidence-based information outputs about baby skin care by exploring the views of health professionals, undergraduate educators and mothers in focus groups, interviews and national survey.
Summary: Special care of baby skin is important as it is susceptible to increased water loss and reduced hydration compared to adults. The baby skin barrier is developed sufficiently at birth to withstand the environment, but continues to be in a transitional state in the early years of life. Skin care advice should incorporate evidence which ensures that only skin care products which are beneficial to the skin are recommended. This is particularly important considering the rising prevalence of childhood atopic eczema, which may be linked to environmental factors including the increased availability and use of oils and inappropriately formulated skincare products.
Parents want to use skin products, but there is insufficient guidance for maternity service health professionals to give evidence-based advice on baby skin care. It is possible that current advice may be doing more harm than good.
A systematic review and audit of practice conducted by our team in 2016 highlighted a need to provide education and training to current and future health care professionals, and to provide evidence-based advice to women and their families on how to care for their baby’s skin from birth.
This study, funded by the Royal College of Midwives, will develop the content required to fulfil this need, and determine the optimal dissemination vehicle, by exploring the views of health professionals, undergraduate education providers and parents in focus groups, interviews (Manchester/London) and national survey. Evidence dissemination in the format preferred by user groups will increase awareness of optimal baby skin care and may contribute to reducing prevalence of atopic eczema through evidence-based practice.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0296
Date of REC Opinion
19 May 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion