Study Finds Simple Skincare Can Reduce Risk of Infant Eczema

                            Study Finds Simple Skincare Can Reduce Risk of Infant Eczema

Source

Not specified (based on the study published in JAMA Dermatology on July 23)

Abstract

A study published in JAMA Dermatology on July 23 indicates that applying moisturizer to infants daily can reduce their risk of developing eczema, but the effect seems to depend on whether the infant has a genetic susceptibility to eczema. Eczema (atopic dermatitis), an inflammatory disease characterized by itchy, dry skin that may blister or bleed, usually starts in infancy and symptoms tend to diminish with age. The research, conducted by Hywel Williams' team from the University of Nottingham in the UK, involved over 1,200 parents of infants without eczema. The results showed that the eczema diagnosis rate was 43% in infants not using moisturizers and 36% in those using them. However, further analysis revealed that moisturizers only had a protective effect on infants without a family history of eczema, consistent with earlier studies that they have no preventive effect on infants at high genetic risk.

Content

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is an inflammatory disease characterized by itchy, dry skin that may blister or bleed. It usually begins in infancy, and symptoms gradually subside with age. On July 23, a study on this was published in JAMA Dermatology.

To explore the preventive effect of moisturizers, Hywel Williams' team from the University of Nottingham in the UK recruited more than 1,200 parents of infants who had not developed eczema in the United States to participate in the study. These infants were between 0 and 8 weeks old, and half of them had immediate family members with eczema, thus potentially having a higher genetic risk.

Researchers randomly assigned about half of the parents to apply any one of five over-the-counter moisturizers all over their infants' bodies every day, with the freedom to switch products; the remaining parents were asked not to use moisturizers unless necessary (such as when the infant's skin was obviously dry). Over half of the parents in this group used moisturizers no more than once a week.

Analysis after two years showed that the eczema diagnosis rate was 43% for infants who did not use moisturizers, compared with 36% for those in the using group. Michael Cork from the University of Sheffield in the UK pointed out that "this reduction is quite significant". But further analysis found that moisturizers only had a protective effect on infants without a family history of eczema. This is consistent with the conclusion of earlier studies - moisturizers have no preventive effect on infants at high genetic risk.

Researchers speculate that eczema in infants at low genetic risk may be more induced by environmental factors such as air pollution. Moisturizers can prevent irritants from invading and causing inflammatory reactions by filling the gaps between skin cells. However, people at high genetic risk may already have a persistent inflammatory state in their bodies, and moisturizers are ineffective in this regard.

Since the study did not track parents' switching of moisturizer brands, it cannot determine which product works best. Carsten Flohr from King's College London pointed out that follow-up studies are needed to verify whether the conclusion applies to people in other countries with different levels of triggers such as air pollution.