Main Article Content

Pattern of use of skin care products in children with and without eczematous skin lesions


D.C. Wamalwa
E.M. Wafula
T.M. Munyao
F.V. Murila

Abstract

Objective: To compare the pattern of use of skin care products between children with eczematous skin lesions and those without.

Design: Case control study.

Setting: Two well baby clinics at the Kenyatta National Hospital and the Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi.

Subjects: Eighty nine infants with eczematous skin lesions and 89 age and sex matched controls without skin lesions.

Main outcome measures: Presence and severity of skin lesions related to the type of skin care products used by the child.

Results: Exposure to various products was not significantly different between infants with skin lesions and those without. However, more mothers whose children had a skin rash had made a change in the type of soap and or skin cream used for their child (p<0.0001). The principal reason for changing products was skin rash in the baby and most mothers made changes away from scented baby soap products.
Conclusion: The study found no significant difference between the cases and controls regarding the type of skin care products used.


(East African Medical Journal: 2002 79(12): 645-650)

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