Fiberoptic and conventional phototherapy effects on the skin of premature infants

To evaluate the effects of conventional phototherapy and fiberoptic phototh erapy on trans-epidermal water loss in preterm infants with and without ski n ointment application, 20 infants were randomly assigned to receive conven tional or fiberoptic phototherapy for non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia. lif ter conventional phototherapy, there were no significant differences in tra ns-epidermal water loss between ointment-treated and untreated areas. After fiberoptic phototherapy, trans-epidermal water loss significantly increase d from ointment-treated and untreated areas, but the increase was less in t reated areas.