Vernix Caseosa: Formation and Functions

Native vernix is a multifunctional skin cream with properties of skin moisturization/hydration, anti-infective, skin cleansing, skin barrier repair, wound healing, and skin barrier protection against irritants. Vernix facilitates formation of the stratum corneum (SC) in utero through yet to be fully determined mechanisms. It enables development of the SC barrier in the normal, full term infant through a variety of protective and adaptive mechanisms. The findings provide support for the practice keeping vernix on the skin at birth and waiting at least six hours prior to bathing newborn infants.