The clinical and microscopic data from previously published cases of lamellar exfoliation of the newborn (collodion baby) have been summarized, and four new cases of the entity with follow-up observations and kinetic studies have been presented.
The clinical, histopathological, genetic, and kinetic features of our cases after desquamation of the membrane, are identical to those of lamellar ichthyosis (nonbullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma). We think that lamellar exfoliation of the newborn in indistinguishable from lamellar ichthyosis and represents an unusual initial manifestation of this dermatosis. It should be emphasized, however, that lamellar ichthyosis presents more commonly without this preceding collodion-baby stage.
By considering these dermatoses in this manner, the terms lamellar exfoliation of the newborn and lamellar ichthyosis are nicely linked together as different stages of the same disease.