Study Shows Novel Effects of Eucerin Active Ingredient Complex on Atopic Dermatitis

Dry, flaky, reddened skin with agonizing itchiness – atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disease, which significantly reduces the quality of life of those suffering from it, especially in winter. The course of the disease has phases with acute flares and symptom-free intervals.

Even though no cure has yet been found, regular intensive skin care can help to stabilize skin condition and protect the skin. Dermatologists recommend the use of a special skin care product like the AtopiControl product range. “Through regular use of this product symptoms are reduced”, says Dr. Gitta Neufang, Head of Global Medical Management at Eucerin.

Now Beiersdorf researchers in collaboration with the renowned Dermatological Clinic of the University of Lübeck have shown in a double-blind clinical study that the AtopiControl ingredient complex including licochalcone A from the licorice root and omega-6 fatty acids from evening primrose oil and grape seed oil is much more than just a common basic care product.

“In our clinical study over the course of up to 84 days adult volunteers with a history of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis, who were symptom free at the time, applied to each arm either the AtopiControl lotion or the lotion base without the active ingredients”, says Beiersdorf researcher and physician Dr. Frank Rippke. “Neither the study participants nor the doctors knew which side was treated with the active formulation and which side with the active-free lotion base.” The results are outstanding: “Compared to the lotion base, the AtopiControl lotion led to a significantly longer symptom-free interval until the next acute flare. We were able to prove, for the first time, that the symptom-free interval in cases of atopic dermatitis can be extended by medical skin care actives”, says Dr. Rippke.
“This clinical study impressively shows that AtopiControl with its active ingredient complex can create real relief for atopic dermatitis sufferers”, says Gitta Neufang. “The results emphasize our research competence and increase the credibility of the Eucerin brand immensely, especially with our important multipliers, doctors and pharmacists.”

The study results were presented in October 2015 at the European Dermatological Congress (EADV) in Copenhagen and will also be published in a dermatological journal.

“This study is quite meaningful for health professionals because we were not only able to show a new stabilizing effect of the active ingredients on the atopic skin condition; furthermore, we used a completely new methodology. The challenge was that we couldn’t rely on any previous studies of this kind and so it was difficult to estimate our chance of success in advance”, says Dr. Rippke. “But the results confirmed that we were right.”

Atopic Dermatitis – A Significant Reduction in Quality of Life
Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as atopic eczema is a chronic skin disease the causes of which are not entirely understood. It is the result of a combination of genetic, immunological and environmental factors. The disease usually develops in phases. Frequency, severity, location and length of phases are individually different and dependent on age. The horny layer, which protects the skin from water loss and the invasion of harmful substances is weakened leaving skin extremely dry and itchy. An acute flare can be caused by stress, physical and chemical irritants, sweat, food, bacteria, mold, dust, pollen and animal hair.

Psychological Effects
Globally up to 5 percent of adults and 1 out of 5 to 10 children suffer from atopic dermatitis. 90 percent of the sufferers of this non-communicable disease experience their first break out before the age of five. These numbers say a lot, but far from everything. “Those affected have to deal with not only flaky skin, irritated skin and intense itchiness, but atopic dermatitis also has psychological effects. Many sufferers feel limited, unattractive and outcast. Children especially are often strongly affected by the prejudices and teasing of their peers”, says Dr. Gitta Neufang. The prominent signs of atopic dermatitis are extreme skin sensitivity and intense itchiness, which can rob those affected of their sleep. Moreover, the protective function of the outermost skin layer, the horny layer, is weakened. Eucerin with its AtopiControl product range counteracts this.