Understanding the importance of protecting a baby’s delicate skin is essential. From day one and every day after, skin prioritizes maintaining correct (acidic) pH levels which is essential to help protect against irritation and skin breakdown.
What is pH?
pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous substance or solution. pH is measured on a scale ranging from 0-14, with 7 indicating neutral, meaning it is neither acidic nor alkaline (basic). A pH value below 7 indicates more acidic while above 7 means more basic.
Many of our bodies processes are dependent on pH. Having the right pH when it comes to medically related solutions, like blood, or organs, like skin, is important for the body to function in an optimal way.
At birth, a baby’s skin surface pH is near neutral regardless of gestational age, but within days, the acid mantle begins to form and the skin surface pH decreases, becoming slightly acidic.1 Multiple mechanisms within the skin continuously work to establish and maintain a healthy, acidic skin surface (4-6), NOT allowing it to reach a neutral pH.2 The acid mantle provides a lifelong protective layer against microbes and skin infection. Very low birth-weight infants may experience delayed skin acidification, putting them at higher risk for irritation.1
The Importance of pH in the Diapered Area
Skin surface pH is HIGHER in the diapered area than other body sites due to exposure to elevated pH substances like urine and stool.2 It is a common misperception that stool is acidic because the stomach is a highly acidic environment with an average pH of 1-2. However, as our food moves from the stomach to the small and large intestine, the pH shifts toward alkaline. For example, the pH in the duodenum is 6.1, increases further to 7.5 in the small intestine, and is around 7 in the large intestine, a neutral pH.3 Our bodies digestive enzymes (e.g., trypsin, lipase) are designed to work well at this neutral pH. However, when these same enzymes, contained in the stool, contact baby’s skin these digestive enzymes break down the proteins and lipids of the skin barrier leading to damage and diaper dermatitis.4,5 This is why changing the diaper and cleansing soon after a stooling event is critical to help prevent skin breakdown.
Maintaining Healthy Skin
Skin cleansing methods can play an important role in maintaining healthy skin. Wiping with water does not restore skin surface pH to optimal acidic levels. Recall, water is neutral pH. Wipes with low-pH buffering systems — like those in Pampers Sensitive™ and Pampers® Aqua Pure™ Wipes — can help maintain healthy baby skin surface pH and create an environment that suppresses harmful enzyme activity from stools and urine. Fecal enzyme activity on the skin surface is DECREASED when low pH is restored.6
Peer-reviewed publications have documented the clinical benefits of pH-buffering wipes versus washcloth and water. A randomized, double-blinded, parallel-design, on-baby study found that Pampers® Sensitive™ Wipes maintained skin pH at healthy levels, while washcloth and water actually raised skin pH.7 Another study with NICU patients found that using Pampers® Wipes lowered pH and reduced skin redness compared to cloth and water.8
Diapering Solutions
Using the right diapers can play an important role in keeping skin healthy. For example, Pampers® Preemie Swaddlers offer:
- A core that pulls urine and runny stools away from skin
- Breathable layers for skin dryness
- A reversible design for easier changes in any position
- Soft fabric that’s gentle on premature skin
Protecting From Day 1
Caring for a baby’s sensitive skin goes beyond basic hygiene — it’s about maintaining the delicate balance of skin pH to provide optimal protection against breakdown of the skin barrier and resulting irritation. The term “pH balanced” does not mean neutral when it comes to skin. Healthy skin surface pH for both infants and adults is slightly acidic. With the right products, like pH-buffering wipes and advanced, high performing diapers, parents and caregivers can help create a healthy skin environment from the start. Prioritizing skin care that maintains a baby’s natural acidic barrier will not only keep a baby’s skin looking healthy but will also contribute to overall comfort during the critical early stages of life.
References
1Fox, et al., Journal of Perinatology, 1998, 18(4): 272-275.
2Visscher MO, et al. Pediatric Dermatology 2000; 17: 45– 51.
3Yamamura R, et al. Front. Microbiomes 2023; 2:1192316.
4Andersen PH, et al. Contact Dermatitis 1994; 30(3): 152-8.
5Odio M, Thaman L. Pediatric Dermatology 2014; 31(Suppl 1): 9-14.
6Gustin, et al., Pediatr Dermatol. 2020. Jul;37(4):626-631.
7Adam, R. (2009): Pediatric Dermatology Vol. 26 No. 5 506–513.
8Visscher, M., Odio, M., Taylor, T, et al., Neonatology, 2009, 96: 226.
