Finding a suitable product to treat and maintain eczema-prone skin can be challenging. The Ducray Dexyane dermo cosmetic line offers a solution.
Eczema (or atopic dermatitis) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by dryness, itchiness, skin sensitivity and inflammatory lesions on different areas of the body. More prevalent today than ever before, eczema affects about 15% to 20% of the population. It can occur at any age, and tends to come in peaks (flareups), followed by periods of remission. Though relatively benign, eczema can have a profound impact on a person’s quality of life.
Irritants or allergens are able to enter [into the skin barrier]. This triggers an inflammatory reaction in the skin. This results in itchy red plaques located mainly in skin folds – Doctor Isabelle Gardinal-Galera.
Finding suitable products to treat flareups can be challenging for people living with eczema. “Because their skin is so sensitive and reactive, they need to use products that don’t burn or sting,” says Maxine Ryan, Senior Educational Trainer for Pierre Fabre an international pharmaceutical and dermo-cosmetics company. Cortisone-based products prescribed by a dermatologist are one effective way, but accessing a dermatologist is not always easy, and many people wish to avoid the side effects of cortisone.
The Dexyane Med Solution
Ducray has been partnering with pharmacists and physicians for 90 years, providing medical-based solutions for a range of skin conditions, such as acne, psoriasis, hair loss, dandruff, and seborrheic dermatitis, as well as eczema. The Ducray Dexyane product line – just recently launched in Canada – offers a cortisone-free, over-the-counter way to treat eczema flares and maintain the skin in between. “This is the first time in Canada that we have a dermatological product available in the dermocosmetics section that can be used on flareup skin,” says Ryan.
The Dexyane Med Soothing Repair Cream is formulated to treat flareups of atopic eczema, contact eczema, and chronic hands eczema, while the Dexyane Med Palpebral is designed to treat eyelid eczema. These two Dexyane Med products can be used alone or in combination with topical corticosteroids and may be used on patients as young as three months.
In one clinical study, the Dexyane Med Soothing Repair Cream, showed a 25% decrease in overall eczema symptoms after three days of use, and 73% less pain after 8 days. In another study of 54 patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis using combination therapy, the same product showed a reduction in relapse rate by 83% after 15 days.
In a monotherapy tolerance study on eczema on the hands, 40 adults with mild to moderate chronic hand eczema used Dexyane Med Soothing Repair Cream twice a day for three weeks. At the end of the test period, all 40 patients reported good to excellent tolerance.
Eczema Treatment Using the Dexyane Routine
The seven products that make up the Dexyane family can be customized to one’s own eczema routine and skin type.
Aside from the two Dexyane Med products for treating flares, the other five products can be adapted to everyday maintenance. The Dexyane Protective Cleansing Oil, for example, is well suited to people with drier skin, while the Dexyane Ultra Rich Cleaning Gel is for people who prefer the foaminess of a gel. This is perfect for newborns because it can be used on hair. The Anti-Scratching Emollient Cream and Anti-Scratching Emollient Balm can be applied to the face and body once a day during periods of remission. Finally, the Insulating Barrier Cream is suitable for maintenance and prevention therapy, it creates a protection on the skin, it reinforces the skin barrier.
A bonus factor of the Dexyane MeD Palpebral and the Dexyane Med Soothing Repair Cream is the polysaturated mesh texture. This acts like a protective bandage to prevent the growth of staphylococcus aureus, a naturally occurring bacterium that lives on human skin, but which can proliferate and cause infection during eczema flares.
