Cleansing atopic skin

Maintaining and improving barrier function plays a major role in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). The use of moisturizers (creams, lotions) is an effective way to prevent transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and prevent new outbreaks.

Showering can be a double-edged sword for patients with atopic dermatitis, as skin cleansers can contain irritants and allergens. Cleansers can remove lipids from the epidermis, increasing transepidermal water loss and compromising the skin's barrier function. The development of moisturizing and gentle shower cleansers is a very important step for patients with atopic dermatitis. The main purpose of developing these products is to provide effective cleansing without damaging or irritating the skin.

Is daily showering and washing with cleansers desirable for patients with atopic dermatitis?

Daily showers and baths are of course also desirable for atopics, as they remove scales, irritants and allergens from the skin. Soaps, shampoos and classic shower gels should be avoided by atopics, as they irritate and further dry out the skin. Atopics usually produce too little sebum and therefore only need minimal amounts of cleansing agents, as they can remove lipids from the skin's surface.

The only suitable form is oil shower gels, which moisturize the skin and do not remove lipids from the epidermis. Oil gels can have an emollient effect in addition to their cleansing effect. Emollients are the main agents for the treatment of all stages of atopic dermatitis. The normally elastic and protective skin barrier is weakened in atopic patients, and emollients combat skin dryness and transepidermal water loss.

Emollients include lubricants (e.g. glycol, glyceryl stearate, and soy sterols) that soften the skin, occlusives (e.g. petrolatum, dimethicone, and mineral oil) that form a layer to stop water evaporation, and humectants (e.g. urea, glycerol, and lactic acid) that attract and retain water.

Surfactants can be good

Cleansing agents play an indispensable role in removing dirt, sebum, sweat, and microorganisms, but they can cause repeated and subclinical damage to the skin barrier.

Surfactants, due to their amphoteric nature (i.e. the presence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic components in molecules), lower surface tension and thus enable the formation of emulsions. Surfactants have the following effects:

• Cleansing: removing dirt from skin and hair
• Foaming: some types of surfactants have greater foaming power
• Emulsification: the combination of two incompatible liquids, which allows the preparation of emulsions
• Dissolving insoluble substances

However, they can also be bad, especially for people with skin conditions.

Many cosmetic companies market a wide range of cleansing products that they claim have a low allergenic potential and do not irritate the skin. However, numerous studies have shown the negative effects of surfactants on the skin, and people with sensitive skin or skin conditions should be especially careful when using them.

The harmful effects of surfactants on the skin are as follows:

• Alkalization: mainly characteristic of classic soaps, which are made from bases (sodium hydroxide) and cause a very large increase in the pH value of the skin; the pH of soaps is usually between 9.5 and 13, while the skin has a pH between 4.5-6.
• Removing lipids from the skin surface: surfactants have the ability to solubilize membrane lipids (mainly ceramides)
• Skin protein damage: interaction with keratin and induction of denaturation
• Swelling of cell membranes and collagen fibers: the effects result from the damaging effects on skin proteins. During washing, cells and proteins swell, and then water begins to be lost, leading to dry, rough and flaky skin. Swelling of cell membranes is mainly associated with anionic surfactants and their irritant potential.
• Cytotoxicity, expressed by cell lysis, when the skin barrier is damaged and its permeability changes become irreversible

Non-irritating surfactants exist!

Nonionic surfactants are a group of surfactants that are distinguished by the fact that they do not have an electrical charge. Their cleaning and foaming power is quite weak, but as mentioned above, patients with atopic dermatitis do not need strong cleaning agents. In addition, nonionic surfactants have a low potential toxicity and are considered the most gentle.

These include alkyl polyglucosides such as coco glucoside, lauryl glucoside, decyl glucoside and cocamide DEA. Coco glucoside is derived from renewable raw materials and is a combination of coconut-based fatty alcohols and glucose.

So what is very important when choosing cleansers for sensitive skin?

It is important to choose the right types of formulations first. When choosing cleansers, avoid anionic and cationic surfactants and soaps. Try to choose formulations that contain as many emollients and substances that help restore the skin's barrier function as possible. This means that the most suitable choice is oil shower gels that contain emollients and gentle cleansers (non-ionic surfactants) that will help remove dirt from the skin, but without damaging the barrier function.

It is also very important that cleaning products do not contain added perfumes and dyes, which can further irritate the skin. Cleaning products should be natural and contain ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties.

In addition to emollients, omega-3 fatty acids are also desirable in cleansers.

Unsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9, are naturally present in vegetable oils, which have an emollient effect. Vegetable oils rich in omega fatty acids are often used topically, as they reduce transepidermal water loss, help restore lipids in the epidermis and allow the skin barrier function to be restored. Due to their ability to form an impermeable film on the skin, they prevent the penetration of microorganisms, preventing them from accessing open wounds.

One study examined the effect of flaxseed oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, on the healing of open wounds. Omega-3 fatty acids were shown to accelerate the healing of damaged tissue, with new epithelium forming after 14 days and the skin barrier function fully restored. Increased keratin formation and collagen fiber regeneration were also observed in the area treated with omega-3 fatty acids.

That's why we at SkinFairytale have prepared two new skin cleansing products for you. The skin is much more than just a shield for our body.
Let's make it beautiful and healthy again. Because we know how difficult it is to find a good and gentle shower product for sensitive and itchy skin, we prepare gentle, natural and effective products for you. Relieving dry and itchy skin starts with showering.

Shower gel – 200ml

Oil shower gel – 200ml