In plain words
Transepidermal water loss is the steady loss of water through the outer layer of the skin. It is higher in premature babies, whose is thinner and more permeable. In full-term newborns the barrier works at birth, but the skin is still adjusting to life in air. Peeling and dryness in the first days are common and are a normal part of that change. The amount of water loss is affected by the environment, such as warm, dry air, and by how often the skin is washed. Most dryness is a normal part of early life. A spreading rash, redness that grows, or skin that cracks with fever or a bad smell is a reason to call your pediatrician the same day.
The deeper version
Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is measured by evaporimetry at the skin surface. It is inversely related to gestational age and is markedly raised in preterm infants, whose stratum corneum is thin and immature. Term infants have a functional barrier at birth, with TEWL close to adult values, while skin surface pH is near 6 and falls toward adult acidity over the early weeks. Elevated TEWL reflects barrier immaturity or damage and is influenced by environmental humidity and bathing frequency. Neonatal skin studies use TEWL as a barrier outcome, and the clinical meaning of specific values in individual infants is not established.
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Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology — Newborn skin care and dryness information