Vernix caseosa: what the white coating on your newborn is

Vernix caseosa, usually just called vernix, is the white, cheesy coating that covers many babies at birth. The AAP says your baby's own skin makes it toward the end of pregnancy, from its oil glands. It works as a natural moisturiser and may help protect against bacteria, so there is no need to scrub it off. An NHS guideline says to let it absorb naturally.

What vernix does

Vernix forms late in pregnancy. The AAP describes it as a white cheesy substance made by the sebaceous (oil-producing) glands in your baby's skin. After birth, the AAP says, it acts as a natural moisturiser and may have anti-bacterial properties.

How much your baby has varies. The AAP says a premature baby probably won't have any vernix at birth, because it isn't produced until late in pregnancy. If your baby was born early, read premature birth for what else is different.

Why the first bath waits a day

Hospitals no longer rush to wash babies. The WHO advises wiping your baby dry and clean and waiting at least 24 hours for the first bath. KKH follows this: it says bathing is put off for the first 24 hours of life, in line with the WHO's advice on keeping newborns warm, and your baby is cleaned with wipes and water in the meantime.

The AAP gives the reasons. A bath straight after birth can make a baby cold and more likely to have a drop in blood sugar, and it can interrupt skin-to-skin time and early breastfeeding. Leaving the vernix on also stops delicate skin drying out. Our guide to bathing a newborn covers the first baths at home.

Should you wipe vernix off?

No need. The AAP says it is best to leave vernix on a newborn's skin for a while, and that this matters even more for premature babies, whose skin is easily hurt. An NHS neonatal bathing guideline says vernix should be left to absorb naturally. It adds that a thick build-up in the skin folds may need gentle removal to avoid irritation. Otherwise, let it soak in.

Dry, flaky skin in the first weeks

Once the vernix is gone, many newborns look a bit dry. HealthHub says the top layer of your baby's skin will flake off from the hands and feet for the first couple of weeks, and lists it among the normal things you may notice. HealthHub also says the small white spots some babies have on the face, called milia, are harmless and disappear after a few weeks.

Scaly, greasy patches on the scalp that show up a few weeks later are something else: see cradle cap.

Frequently asked questions

What is vernix caseosa?

It is the white, cheesy coating on a newborn's skin at birth. The AAP says it is made by your baby's own oil glands toward the end of pregnancy.

Should vernix be washed off after birth?

No. The AAP says it is best left on for a while to stop the skin drying out, and an NHS guideline says to let it absorb naturally. The WHO advises waiting at least 24 hours before the first bath.

Why did my baby have no vernix?

It varies from baby to baby. The AAP says vernix isn't made until late in pregnancy, so premature babies often have little or none.

Is vernix the same as cradle cap?

No. Vernix is there at birth. Cradle cap is greasy scaling on the scalp, which the AAP says usually starts between three weeks and two months after birth.

Related terms

• Neonate (Newborn): The medical word for a newborn baby in the first 28 days of life.
• Cradle Cap (Infantile Seborrhoeic Dermatitis): Greasy white or yellow scales on a baby's scalp. Harmless, not caused by poor hygiene, and it clears with time.
• Umbilical Cord Stump: The bit of umbilical cord left on a newborn's belly button. It dries and drops off in about 1 to 2 weeks.
• Preterm (Premature) Birth: A baby born alive before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. In Singapore, about 8.5% of babies arrive this early.
• Meconium: Your newborn's first poo: thick, sticky and black or dark green, passed in the first two to three days.

See every term in the glossary