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http://cpj.sagepub.com/content/53/9_suppl/14SThe online version of this article can be found at:

 DOI: 10.1177/0009922814540377

2014 53: 14S originally published online 24 June 2014CLIN PEDIATRC. Tucker Helmes, Robert O'Connor, Larry Sawyer and Sharon Young

Disposable Diaper Absorbency: Improvements via Advanced Designs  

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Clinical Pediatrics2014, Vol. 53(9S) 14 S–16S© The Author(s) 2014Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.navDOI: 10.1177/0009922814540377cpj.sagepub.com

Article

Prevention of diaper leaks is a priority for both parents and pediatricians to help avoid irritation and minimize liquid exposure on the skin.

Absorbency effectiveness in diapers has improved significantly in recent years with the advent of new ingredient combinations and advanced design features. With these features, leading products today have an extended duration of activity, in many cases maintaining dryness performance overnight.

A 22- to 37-pound baby produces an average urine load of roughly 180 mL (about three fourths of a cup) over an average of 4 hours per diaper.1

Considering the importance of holding liquid away from the skin, ongoing research in diaper construction focuses on strategies to capture increasing quantities of liquid and help avoid rewetting of infant skin.

Quickly Pull Liquid Away From the Skin

Clinical evidence indicates that use of materials that can keep moisture away from the skin in the diapered area,

thereby helping maintain proper skin hydration and min-imizing irritation, may help contribute to reduced rates of diaper rash.2

Research in Western Europe has documented statisti-cally significant reductions in frequency and severity of diaper dermatitis in users of disposable absorbent dia-pers compared with either cloth or cellulose-only dis-posable diapers (see Figure 1).3

With a focus on reducing skin wetness and helping minimize the effects of irritation, leading diaper manu-facturers have introduced topsheets that quickly absorb the urine and spread it across the core of the diaper. This topsheet feature helps speed the absorption process, and the thick materials under this layer help prevent liquid from leaking back out of the diaper and onto the baby’s skin.

540377 CPJXXX10.1177/0009922814540377Clinical PediatricsHelmes et alresearch-article2014

1Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products, Washington, DC, USA2Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH, USA3Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah, WI, USA

Corresponding Author:Sharon Young, 6280 Center Hill Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45224, USA. Email: young.sa@pg.com

Disposable Diaper Absorbency: Improvements via Advanced Designs

C. Tucker Helmes, PhD1, Robert O’Connor, MS2, Larry Sawyer, PhD3, and Sharon Young, BS, ChE2

AbstractAbsorbency effectiveness in diapers has improved significantly in recent years with the advent of new ingredient combinations and advanced design features. With these features, many leading products maintain their dryness performance overnight. Considering the importance of holding liquid away from the skin, ongoing research in diaper construction focuses on strategies to increase the effectiveness to capture liquid and help avoid rewetting of infant skin. The layout and design of a disposable diaper allows for distribution of absorbency features where they can provide the optimal benefit. Clinical evidence indicates materials can keep moisture away from the skin in the diapered area, helping maintain proper skin hydration, minimizing irritation, and contributing to reduced rates of diaper rash.

Keywordsdisposable diaper absorbency, diaper leaks, dryness performance, skin rewetting, acquisition layer, topsheet, superabsorbent polymers, diaper rash, diaper dermatitis

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Helmes et al 15S

Capture Liquids to Help Avoid Rewetting From the Diaper Core

A valuable element of modern designs is the acquisi-tion layer, a layer containing specially designed fibers embedded beneath the diaper’s topsheet that absorbs the liquid once it has been pulled away from the skin and retains it while it is being absorbed into the dia-per’s deep storage core. The materials in this layer also help prevent the urine from rewetting the baby’s skin.2

As the acquisition layer distributes the liquid, the urine is gradually absorbed into a highly dense layer containing super absorbent polymers (SAPs), which has been commonly used in disposable diapers since the 1980s because of its powerful absorbency features. When dry, SAPs look like small, transparent crystals, but when wet, the structure is unraveled and the crys-tals swell, transforming into a gel-like substance that can absorb up to 30 times its weight in liquid. Despite the high absorbency, SAPs are not water soluble and will not fully break up when wet. As a gel, SAPs are particularly durable and can withstand high pressure to avoid rewetting even when babies are active (see Figure 2).2,4

Maximize Durability and Extend Duration

While the SAPs and cellulose pulp are the primary absorbency features in diapers, leading disposable dia-pers have been designed with a range of layers and fea-tures that contribute to improved durability and absorption. These components help prevent rewetting of the sensitive skin in the diaper region and help maintain proper skin health.2,3

The layout and design of each of the layers allows for distribution of absorbency features where they can pro-vide the optimal benefit. For example, the fasteners, outer backsheets, and stretch features of the diaper are designed to optimize the fit to the infant’s torso and legs and can withstand active moments, such as crawling or walking, to help prevent leaks. The less bulky designs provide flexibility for even the most active babies, while minimizing leaks and irritation.

Each of these important features contributes to better overall skin performance and dryness protection, as well as an improved diaper experience for parents and their babies.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared the following conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Robert O’Connor and Sharon Young are employees of Procter & Gamble. Larry Sawyer is an employee of Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial sup-port for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Financial support from Procter & Gamble.

Topsheet

Tape fasteningzone

Fastener tape

ElasticInner cuff

Topsheet

Backsheet

Backears

FrontearsLotion

Wetness indicator

Umbilical notch

Superabsorbentstorage layer

SAP

Fastening hook

Backsheet

Figure 1. Disposable diapers have multiple absorbency layers.

Figure 2. Modern diaper with a high-performance absorbent core and acquisition system demonstrates reduced rewetting of baby skin (right sample) compared with traditional diaper (left sample).

Figure 3. TEWL measurements moderately wet diapers. Skin wetness measurements by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) comparing absorbent gelling material disposable diapers, conventional disposable diapers, and home-laundered cloth diapers.5

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16S Clinical Pediatrics 53(9S)

References

1. P&G Data on File.2. Odio M, Friedlander S. Diaper dermatitis and advances in

diaper technology. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2000;12:342-346.3. Adam R. Skin care of the diaper area. Pediatr Dermatol.

2008;25:427-433.4. Kosemund K, Schlatter H, Ochsenhirt J, Krause E, Marsman

D, Erasala G. Safety evaluation of superabsorbent baby diapers. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2008;53(2):81-89.

5. Campbell R, Seymour J, Stone L, Milligan M. Clinical studies with disposable diapers containing absorbent gell-ing materials: evaluation of effects on infant skin condi-tion. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1987;17:978-987.

Thomas G. DeWitt, MD, professor of pediatrics, director of general and community pediatrics, associate chair for pediatric education, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

The development of new ingredients and materials is leading to great strategies that improve the absorbency and durability of diapers, with the goal of eliminating the burden of leakages. While there is a clear emphasis on maintaining skin health, the designs are also increasingly better fitted and less bulky, allowing for more activity without compromising dryness.

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