Abstract

Lamellar ichthyosis, also known as ichthyosis lammellaris and non-bullous congenital ichthyosis, is a rare inherited skin disorder, affecting around 1 in 600,000 people. Affected babies are born in a collodion membrane, a shiny waxy outer layer to the skin. This is shed 10 14 days after birth, revealing the main symptom of the disease, extensive scaling of the skin caused by hyperkeratosis. With increasing age, the scaling tends to be concentrated around joints in areas such as the groin, the armpits, the inside of the elbow and the neck. The scales often cover the skin and may resemble fish scales. In medicine, the term collodion baby applies to newborns that appear to have an extra layer of skin (known as a collodion membrane) that has a collodion -like quality. It is a descriptive term, not a specific diagnosis or disorder (as such, it is a syndrome). Clinically, the collodion babies may encounter dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, temperature malfunction and increasing sepsis risk because of relatively severe skin damage. Therefore, morbidity and mortality rates are fairly high in these cases. Conclusively, these newborns should be monitored carefully in intense care units and appropriate and supportive treatment must be undertaken.