The study of 198 collodion babies, 29 personal cases and 169 from the literature was undertaken. The collodion membrane with spontaneously desquamate between the 15th day and 3rd month of life. During the neonatal period one third of the infants die due to pulmonary complications or infection. The collodion membrane seems to have an increased permeability. The desquamation is followed by a relapse which leads to different keratinization disorders, most frequently nonbullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma.