Selected aspects of neonatal dermatology.

Evaluation of the skin may give the astute physician the opportunity for an early diagnosis of many transient or life-threatening disorders. This detailed cutaneous examination must include the hair, nails, oral mucosa and genital mucosa. Strict attention to the location, distribution, color and configuration of the lesions is necessary to establish the clinical diagnosis. The correct recognition of transient cutaneous lesions is important because there is no need for aggressive therapy.