Tenderness itself: the main features of children's skin

Children's skin has a high regenerative capacity, and therefore any damage to it heals quickly and without a trace.

However, also children's skin is much more sensitive to external and internal provoking factors. The reaction of a child's skin can be completely unpredictable, and therefore knowledge of its physiological characteristics allows the doctor to understand what is normal and what lesions require immediate treatment.

Read more about the normal structure and functions of baby skin on estet-portal.com in this article.

Anatomical features of the structure of children's skin

Newborns from the first days of life have anatomically mature skin. Histologically, it also has five main layers. In newborns, the skin has a rough and loose texture, which becomes more uniform and smooth by the end of the first month of life. It is this feature that causes the increased reactivity of children's skin.

Melanocytes produce less melanin, making baby's skin more sensitive to UV rays.

Up to two years, the stratum corneum of the epidermis in children is much thinner than in adults, as a result of which it is more vulnerable and sensitive.

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Children's skin: main functional features

The skin has a wide range of functions, including regulating body temperature and protecting against physical, chemical and biological influences. In newborns, despite the fact that the skin is histologically formed, it remains functionally immature.

The function of thermoregulation in infants is not sufficiently pronounced, because despite the presence of fully formed eccrine sweat glands, their activity is not sufficiently pronounced. In addition, poor thermoregulation is associated with a relatively large body surface, as well as an intensive blood supply to the skin.

The resorption capacity of children's skin is extremely high, which is also due to the thinness of the stratum corneum and intensive blood circulation. In this regard, any external therapy must be used with extreme caution.

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Basic biophysical parameters of children's skin

Such biophysical parameters as skin acidity, transepidermal water loss (TDL), skin hydration in children also have their differences.

Transepidermal fluid loss characterizes the loss of moisture through the epidermis by evaporation. It depends on:

•    skin temperature;

•    thickness of the stratum corneum;

•    blood supply to the skin.

In children, increased transepidermal water loss is associated with immature epidermal barrier function and underactive sweat glands. As a result, skin hydration decreases.

The sebaceous glands also play an important role in maintaining the optimal level of skin hydration by secreting lipid-rich sebum.

As for acidity, in newborns it is closer to neutral, however, during the first month, the pH becomes slightly acidic. It is thanks to this "acid mantle" that the protective function of the skin is realized.  

Thus, it is important for a dermatologist to remember that any dermatological disease can manifest itself on the skin of a child in a completely different way than in an adult. At the same time, even the most harmless diseases can have a severe course.

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