Dry skin and skin barrier in early infancy.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) usually begins in infancy, commonly involving the cheeks and extensor surfaces of the extremities. It is associated with a dysfunctional skin barrier, which can be measured as increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in both lesional and non-lesional skin in AD patients. Dry skin, a cardinal sign of AD, is associated with higher TEWL in adult AD patients. The documentation of the prevalence and manifestation of dry skin in infancy and its association to TEWL, is however limited. Therefore, we aimed to determine the prevalence of dry skin in early infancy and to assess if dry skin in general, or more specifically on cheeks and extensor surfaces of the extremities, was associated with dysfunctional skin barrier. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.