ABSTRACT
The importance of infant cleansing to maintain good hygiene and skin health is well recognized; however, the pediatric and dermatological communities have not reached a consensus on what constitutes appropriate cleansing practice. For example, sponge bathing or wiping gently with a soft, moistened washcloth is often recommended for the term newborn until his or her umbilical cord drops off (1,2). Others suggest that immersion bathing can begin immediately after birth (3-5). Henningsson et al. (4) and Hyle´n et al. (5) compared cleansing by immersion bathing to wiping with a moistened washcloth following the first few days after birth. Both authors reported no impact of cleansing method on the rate of clinical infection or bacterial colonization but noted that infants cleansed by immersion bathing had less heat loss and cried less, i.e., immersion bathing increased the infants’ comfort. Immersion bathing might also provide other benefits, e.g., better cleansing efficiency and increased stratum corneum hydration (6,7). Viewpoints also differ on the appropriate frequency for infant bathing. Recommendations for infrequent bathing remain common (7,8). However, several studies have shown that infants’ skin will tolerate, and might benefit from, daily bathing (9-11). Finally, there is the question of whether to cleanse with water only or to use a personal cleansing product and, if the latter, which product to use.
