There are 3 key ingredients that need to be in a cream to effectively repair the skin barrier. Ceramides, Cholesterol and Fatty Acids. Not only does it need all of these but they also need to be in the right proportions, being a 1:1:3 ratio.
So why does the skin of an eczema sufferer have so much trouble repairing itself?
Well it all comes down to genetics. Eczema sufferers have a mutation in the gene called Filaggrin. Filaggrin provides moisture and is an essential component of restoring the skin barrier. Eczema sufferers only have one copy of this gene, instead of two.
Dr Su (Royal Children’s Hospital – Melbourne) was involved with ground breaking research on eczema. Dr Su discovered that a defective skin barrier was the primary cause of eczema. Eczema sufferers have tiny cracks in the skin barrier that predisposes some people to eczema, allowing irritants to penetrate and set off an inflammatory cascade.
People prone to eczema have a much thinner skin barrier than people with normal skin and this can be seen under a microscope, even if they do not have obvious eczema lesions. This is why daily application of a moisturiser containing the 3 key ingredients is vital, because genetically eczema sufferers won’t be able to completely fix their skin but with the right products sufferers will be able to manage their skin!
Our Roccoco Botanicals CPR, Intense CPR or Rescue Balm are the perfect creams for treating eczema and are available in salon or online.
