Noninvasive study of structural and functional features of neonatal skin

Abstract

In the present paper, we describe the first complex multifocal noninvasive morphological and functional study that enabled us to define specific qualitative and quantitative features of neonatal skin. A complex morphofunctional examination of 10 infants aging from 1 to 28 days was performed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) device with a flexible probe at the wavelength of 920 nm with longitudinal resolution of 20 μm and transverse resolution of 25 μm with simultaneous measurement of skin functional parameters. The OCT images of neonatal thin skin have organized layered structure with four horizontally oriented layers. Thick skin of newborns has no structure typical for adult skin and no clear transition from the papillary to the cellular dermis. Thus, we show for the first time to our knowledge that neonatal thick skin differs structurally and functionally from adult skin. Structurally, it differs by a loose arrangement of stratum corneum squamae and thinner epidermis and papillary layer of dermis. The functional differences are lower transepidermal water loss, localization-dependent humidity, higher erythema level, and lower pigmentation. The principal structural differences between neonatal and adult skin show that skin structure formation is not completed by the moment of birth.

Keywords

• Optical coherence tomography
• skin
• skin barrier
• neonate