Atopic dermatitis how to moisturize the skin

Softening and moisturizing the skin with dermatitis is the most important component of therapy. Regular caring procedures are especially important for seborrheic (oily and dry) and atopic forms of the disease.

Proper care ensures long periods of remission. The patient forgets about the external manifestations of the disease for a long time, which improves his physical and moral condition.

Why is it important to moisturize your skin?

The epidermal membrane consists of the following cell layers:

1. basal;
2. spinous cell;
3. grainy;
4. brilliant;
5. horny.

Dermatitis causes excessive dryness of the surface layer of the epithelium - horny cells. Along with this, the protective function of the skin is greatly reduced. As a result, the disease progresses and the frequency of relapses increases.

The insufficiency of the protective barrier provokes changes in the lipid composition of the skin, as well as a disturbance in the structure of the arrangement of lipids in the surface layer of the epithelium. In areas of increased disease activity, the barrier function is much more reduced: here the skin is most vulnerable to external irritants.

Normally, the epidermal membrane is perfectly restored and renewed. The basal layer of the epithelium constantly produces new cells: gradually moving to the surface, they become the stratum corneum.

With the help of caring procedures, you can enhance skin renewal and protect the epidermal membrane from the effects of external adverse factors, thereby supporting the natural recovery process.

In this case, the skin care program will include 2 areas:

1. direct hydration;
2. preventing moisture loss.

How moisturizers work

Treatment of atopic, seborrheic and allergic dermatitis includes the use of care products that help restore the protective function of the skin.

Moisturizing ointments and creams act in several stages:

1. Manifestation of occlusive properties: instant reduction of moisture loss.
2. Absorption into the surface layer of the epidermis and replenishment of lipid reserves occurs 5-7 hours after using the product.
3. Introduction of active substances into the lower layers of the epidermis, inclusion in the pamillary bodies and stimulation of secretion in the upper epidermal layers: granular, horny. This is only possible if the product contains lipids identical in composition to human skin lipids.

Exit strategy

Proper care includes several components:

1. gentle cleansing of the skin from impurities;
2. active hydration - saturation of cells with water;
3. restoration of missing lipids, preventing drying of the stratum corneum;
4. protecting the skin from adverse external factors;
5. proper hair care when the disease is localized in hairy areas (for example, with seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp).

Personal hygiene rules

Patients need to take special care to keep their skin clean..

Patients are prescribed daily water procedures lasting up to 20 minutes. A cool or lukewarm shower is best. This stimulates hydration, and cleansing of impurities prevents infection in vulnerable areas of the skin.

The water temperature should not exceed 35 degrees. Before using it, it is advisable to leave it for several hours: this will reduce the chlorine content.

Personal hygiene tips for dermatitis:

1. Do not injure irritated skin by rubbing with washcloths.. This is especially important for the delicate skin of a child. Soft massaging movements are acceptable.
2. Detergents must have a neutral pH value of 5.5. Shampoos, gels, mousses, and highly purified foams are more expensive than conventional products that contain aggressive components and wash away the precious lipid layer along with the dirt.
3. For daily care, you can use regular baby wipes, oil wipes, and cleansing oil.
4. Emollient care products should be applied to damp skin, slightly dried with a towel (under no circumstances should you rub it until it becomes red, only patting movements are permissible).

Products for moisturizing and softening the skin

Drug therapy for dermatitis involves the use of different drugs for periods of exacerbations and remissions.

Professional cosmetics for moisturizing the skin and restoring the water-lipid epidermal layer can be used both in combination with the main treatment and on its own. Ordinary cosmetics are not suitable for these purposes.

Products that restore the lipid layer of the epidermis:

1. Lipikar and cicaplast: drugs from the La Roche-Posay line;
2. Trixer;
3. Atopalm;
4. Uryazh;
5. Topicrem;
6. Exomega;
7. Atopra.

These products have the following advantages:

1. Restores the skin's protective barrier.
2. Improves the skin's ability to absorb and retain moisture in the surface epithelial layer.
3. Stimulates deep penetration of active components.
4. Easy to apply without forming a greasy film. Products that leave an oily sheen on the skin should not be purchased. Contrary to popular belief, they do not retain moisture in the stratum corneum, but simply clog the pores, preventing natural respiration and creating a favorable environment for various types of fungi.

To treat excessive dryness of the epithelium, ointments and creams such as Bepanten, Panthenol and Pantoderm are used. These products show excellent results for dermatitis of various etymologies, in addition, they can be used to prevent dry skin of the face and hands. Bepanten is often used to treat diaper dermatitis and care for the delicate skin of an infant.

You need to apply the cream several times a day: every time you feel a feeling of dryness and tightness, and also without fail in the morning and at night.

Features of moisturizing in winter

In winter, the skin needs enhanced care. Wind and severe cold additionally dry it out: it is during the cold season that dermatitis often enters the acute stage.

Before each exit outside, it is necessary to apply a protective nourishing cream to all exposed areas of the body, for example:

1. cream from Clinique - Comfort On Call;
2. Forte Vitale from Swiss Line;
3. Winter balm from Argo;
4. Morozko remedy;
5. Delight Rich Cream from Delarom;
6. Aquasource from Biotherm.

If itching occurs, you can use Delaskin from Dermapharm. It relieves discomfort well, prevents inflammation and protects the epithelium.

The key to success in the process of moisturizing and restoring the skin's natural protective barrier is consistency and consistency. Since atopic dermatitis is not completely cured, the patient must adhere to these recommendations throughout his life.

Moisturizing children's skin with atopic dermatitis is an integral part of the treatment of this common disease. The procedure uses drugs and cosmetics with the addition of special components. For those parents who do not want to resort to “chemistry,” an alternative solution to the problem is traditional medicine recipes - medicinal herbal baths, homemade lotions and ointments.

Atopic dermatitis: causes and symptoms

Childhood atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory disease of the skin. The disease is of an allergic nature. The insidiousness of the disease is that, having first appeared in a person in infancy, it can remind itself later, until the end of life. It is important to recognize the symptoms of dermatitis in time and provide proper care for your baby’s atopic skin.

Doctors distinguish three forms of the disease: infant (up to 2 years), children (2-12 years), adult (12-18 years). They differ in external symptoms, locations of skin lesions and specific treatment.

There is a whole complex of factors that, both in combination and individually, can act as causes of atopic dermatitis in childhood. These include:

1. Complications accompanying the mother's pregnancy, as well as smoking and other abuse during this period.
2. Food allergy in a child caused by artificial feeding; incorrect scheme for introducing complementary foods; allergens that enter the child’s body through mother’s milk. It is not uncommon for atopic dermatitis to become a consequence of a viral infection suffered by an infant.
3. Gastrointestinal disorders of the child’s body: dysbacteriosis, gastritis, helminthiasis, etc.

Characteristic signs of atopic dermatitis are hyperemic formations on the surface of the epidermis and noticeable, often unbearable itching. Often these symptoms are accompanied by a rash, dry and weeping, and the appearance of a scab in the area of ​​​​the bursting watery blisters.

An important sign of the disease is its recurrent course in a chronic form and a clear seasonal dependence. In winter, stages of relapse and exacerbation are noted, when the child’s irritated atopic dermis especially requires treatment with both pharmaceutical and folk remedies.

Principles of treatment

Treatment of atopic dermatitis is focused on several goals:

1. complete elimination or partial relief of itching;
2. healing inflamed areas of the dermis, restoring its structure;
3. therapy of concomitant pathologies;
4. preventing further development of the disease.

Effective therapy is based on the principle of an integrated approach, which includes a hypoallergenic diet, systemic pharmacotherapy (taking various drugs, primarily antihistamines) and local treatment, which also includes the process of moisturizing the skin. If atopic dermatitis in children is accompanied by a secondary infection, antibiotics are also prescribed.

Pharmacy preparations for moisturizing baby's skin

With symptoms of atopic dermatitis, a tendency to allergenic irritations and increased dryness, the child’s skin requires regular care with emollients. These are pharmaceutical products of pharmacology and medical cosmetology that help restore the disturbed lipid balance at the cellular level and protect against the influence of pathogenic microorganisms on vulnerable children's skin.

Based on expert opinions, many years of experience of doctors and parents, the most effective and popular pharmaceutical moisturizers were identified. These include:

1. Mustela (Mustela). Emulsion-cream, the direct purpose of which is to moisturize the baby’s skin from the first day of life. The product is part of the most popular line of Laboratoires Expanscience (France), consisting of four products for bathing and external use. All of them have a composition specially designed to replenish lipids in very dry dermis with signs of atopy. For seborrheic hair in infants, which also indicates atopic dermatitis in a child, a special shampoo is presented in the series.
2. LIPIKAR (Lipikar). The balm is characterized as lipid-restoring, antipruritic, and moisturizing. It is also a product of French pharmacology: developed in the Laroche-Posay laboratory. It has proven itself to be one of the best and safest pharmaceutical remedies for atopic dermatitis.
3. Emolium is a medicinal cosmetic product produced by Sanofi. The cream is known under the trade name Radevit Active. It is distinguished by a high content of retinol palmitate, which, together with other components, provides a softening and moisturizing effect.
4. Topicrem is another leader in emollient products from France (it is produced by Nigi Charlier). Topicrem AD Emollient Balm is suitable for combating childhood atopic dermatitis: it has a good anti-inflammatory and moisturizing effect. A high ability to exfoliate drying crusts of atopic rash was noted. To prevent dryness, the ideal choice would be “My 1st Ultra-Moisturizing Milk”.
5. La-cree is a cream or emulsion with ingredients of natural origin (hypoallergenic herbal extracts, soothing oils). In addition to the moisturizing effect, rapid elimination of inflammatory processes and a high ability to renew skin cells were noted.

Hormonal preparations such as Advantan cream and AkriDerm ointment are no longer considered moisturizers, but serious medications that can only be used with the advice of a dermatologist (we recommend reading: what Akriderm ointment helps children with: instructions for use). Alternative medicine - decoctions for bathing and lotions, ointments made from natural products can be safely used, but consultation with a doctor will not hurt either.

Folk remedies for moisturizing the skin

To relieve acute symptoms of the disease, you can use the following options:

1. Wellness bath with young birch leaves or buds. 100 grams of raw materials are brewed with 2 liters of boiling water and allowed to stand on fire for 5 minutes. Based on this decoction, pre-strained, a bath is made at a comfortable temperature. After bathing, pat your child's skin dry and apply a pharmaceutical product. Instead of birch buds, you can use herbal preparations - string, chamomile, sage, and oak bark.
2. Lotions made from decoctions of pear leaves, aloe juice, and wormwood. Abundantly moistened cotton swabs should be applied to rashes on atopic skin in children.
3. Potato compress. Starch has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. When caring for atopic skin in children, you can make night compresses from grated raw potatoes, up to three sessions per week. The pulp should be wrapped in 1-2 layers of gauze and applied to the affected area of ​​the skin.
4. Dressings with glycerin ointment. Recipe: mix glycerin, fresh milk and rice starch until smooth in equal parts (1 tablespoon each). Apply the ointment at night, securing it with a bandage for safety.

The greatest effect from folk remedies for moisturizing children's skin will be achieved when used in combination. Together with basic treatment and a hypoallergenic diet, alternative medicine recipes will help combat this disease.

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