London, March 18: Even months after being in the womb, a baby's skin is unmatched for smoothness, thanks to vernix caseosa (VC), which covers the foetus and the newborn and aids in the growth of skin both before and after birth. Now scientists know why.
VC provides 'waterproofing' in the uterus, allowing skin to grow in wet conditions, while after birth it hydrates and cleanses, even healing when applied to ulcers.
Joke Bouwstra, specialist in the skin barrier and its synthesis at Leiden University, and her colleague Robert Rissmann have now synthesised VC with the same structure and unique properties.
As well as helping pre-term babies develop essential protection against temperature changes, dehydration and infection, artificial VC could also benefit sufferers of skin disease.
Like most moisturising creams, VC is mostly water. Its outstanding properties come from the addition of just 10 percent each of lipid molecules and dead skin cells (corneocytes), so the exact composition of the mixture is important.
Lipid molecules are shaped something like lollipops, with a round end that prefers to be surrounded by water and a stick which prefers to make a raft with other lollipop sticks.
IANS
First Published: Wednesday, March 18, 2009, 00:00