Our expertise in neonatal dermatology

Studying infant skin from birth

With over 70 years of dedicated research into infant skin, our research team has accumulated unique and globally renowned expertise in infant skin physiology, starting from the very first day of a baby's birth.

Aren't babies' skin very delicate? Yes, but because it's not fully developed, it's also very fragile... Our EV.EILS research program (focused on assessing the life/skin development of newborns) is a groundbreaking, unprecedented global research project that has identified three major findings in infant skin:

1

An infant's skin barrier is not yet fully developed

An infant's skin barrier function is not yet fully developed and is weaker and more sensitive than an adult's. Therefore, an infant's skin barrier function is not as effective as an adult's in defending against environmental changes and external stimuli, making their skin cell resources (including stem cells) more susceptible to damage from external aggressors. However, these cellular resources are innate, precious, and unique, playing an irreplaceable role in an infant's growth. They possess self-regeneration, skin repair, and the ability to maintain overall skin balance. Therefore, protecting these cellular resources during infancy is crucial, as it protects not only the skin now but also its future. These cellular resources are most vulnerable to damage during the first two years of an infant's life.

2

Infant skin loses moisture quickly

When babies are born, their skin is less able to absorb and retain moisture, so it is more prone to moisture loss and even dehydration than adult skin.

3

4 different types of baby skin

There are four skin types with different characteristics: normal, dry, sensitive, and eczema-prone skin. This discovery allows us to formulate Mustela products using unique active ingredients best suited to the needs of each skin type.

Different skin types

Normal skin

Normal skin refers to the delicate skin unique to infants: smooth, soft, and comfortable. However, it is also easily affected by external irritants such as environmental pollution, bacteria, pollen, and dryness. In the first two years of life, an infant's skin needs continuous moisturizing and protection every day.

Our General Skin Series

dry skin

Eczema or extremely dry skin

Sensitive skin

Mustela has published 84 international scientific research reports on skin and holds 14 patents.

An innovative skin research protocol

Through collaboration with internationally renowned experts, Mustela has developed a patented model to cultivate artificial baby skin—Stelaskin®—that mimics the responses of different skin types.
This groundbreaking invention allows us to conduct research on cells and genes from the outermost to the deepest layers of the skin, understand the effects of every stimulus on the skin, and test all products on this test skin model.