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Infant skin is sensitive, becoming easily irritated by harsh chemicals and textures. As parents become more aware of the importance of the cutaneous microbiome for their child’s health, the greater demand for a range of safe & effective brands that work to strengthen & support infant skin. Many microbiome-based solutions have emerged for the effective treatment of neonatal conditions and maintenance of a healthy skin microbiome.
What we know:
The infant skin microbiota is as diverse and complex as adults. These communities work to protect the skin from infection and maintain healthy function, yet can still be influenced by external factors like mode of delivery/feeding, home environment and skin care products (Murphy et al 2023).
The infant is first heavily colonised by Streptococcus & Acinetobacter, while the population of C. acnes & Malassezia remains quite low until sebaceous gland maturation takes place for them to feed from. These species may contribute to skin acidification following birth through lactic acid production, with this acid mantle forming an additional protective layer over the skin (Murphy et al 2023)
Studies have shown skin microbiome dysbiosis in infants can influence skin health, shifts towards Pseudomonas & gut-derived Enterococcus observed in infants with diaper dermatitis (DD) - likely the result of the moist & anaerobic diaper microenvironment, alongside its proximity to the intestinal tract (Zheng et al 2019)
Other factors of DD include faecal exposure, sweat, friction and skin pH that can promote selective growth of intestinal microbes and pathogens that thrive in these environments. Besides bacteria, this also includes fungi like Candida & Cladosporium that trigger rashes & inflammation (Teufel et al 2021)
Erythema toxicum neonatorum is a neonatal skin condition that may be influenced by the establishment of the infant skin microbiome. Usually involving penetration of bacteria into the hair canal, triggering the immune system into producing an inflammatory response. Some studies have reported various species of Staphylococcus bacteria being present in these lesions (Marchini et al 2005)
Industry impact & potential:
A Tapir's Tale's child-friendly skin care brand makes use of natural plant-derived ingredients to offer gentle products suitable for infants with sensitive & atopic skin conditions. Kiss Kiss Goodnight’s plant-based yellow star prebiotic jelly-to-milk cleanser contains prebiotics supporting the infant microbiome in the diaper area to nourish & protect skin from irritation & diaper rash.
Our solution:
Here at Sequential we care about providing the best invivo testing for your brand, especially when considering something as delicate as an infant’s skin. Our detailed clinical microbiome reports allow us to characterise your formulation with great precision to support with delivering on its promise.
References:
Marchini G, Nelson A, Edner J, Lonne-Rahm S, Stavréus-Evers A, Hultenby K. Erythema toxicum neonatorum is an innate immune response to commensal microbes penetrated into the skin of the newborn infant. Pediatr Res. 2005 Sep;58(3):613-6. doi: 10.1203/01.pdr.0000176836.27156.32. PMID: 16148082.
Murphy B, Hoptroff M, Arnold D, Cawley A, Smith E, Adams SE, Mitchell A, Horsburgh MJ, Hunt J, Dasgupta B, Ghatlia N, Samaras S, MacGuire-Flanagan A, Sharma K. Compositional Variations between Adult and Infant Skin Microbiome: An Update. Microorganisms. 2023 Jun 2;11(6):1484. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11061484. PMID: 37374986; PMCID: PMC10304506.
Teufel A, Howard B, Hu P, Carr AN. Characterization of the microbiome in the infant diapered area: Insights from healthy and damaged skin. Exp Dermatol. 2021 Oct;30(10):1409-1417. doi: 10.1111/exd.14198. Epub 2020 Oct 13. PMID: 32974911; PMCID: PMC8518357.
Zheng Y, Wang Q, Ma L, Chen Y, Gao Y, Zhang G, Cui S, Liang H, Song L, He C. Shifts in the skin microbiome associated with diaper dermatitis and emollient treatment amongst infants and toddlers in China. Exp Dermatol. 2019 Nov;28(11):1289-1297. doi: 10.1111/exd.14028. Epub 2019 Sep 16. PMID: 31472099.
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