Back to All NewsStudy: All Moisturizer Types Equally Effective
Posted By American Med Spa Association, Thursday, June 2, 2022
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No one type of moisturizer is better than another, according to the Best Emollients for Eczema trial.
This study, the first to directly compare different types of moisturizers, highlights the importance of patient education and choice when deciding which moisturizers to use for children with eczema. The results from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study are published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health and British Journal of General Practice.
In the study, led by the universities of Bristol, Nottingham and Southampton, 550 children with eczema aged under 12 years were randomized to use one of four types of moisturizer (lotion, cream, gel or ointment) as their main moisturizer for 16 weeks. Parents completed diaries about their child's eczema for a year, and some were interviewed to gain an in-depth understanding of how they used the moisturizers and what they thought of them. All children also had an independent examination of their skin.
Used alongside other eczema treatments, there was no difference in effectiveness of the four types of moisturizer used in the study. Skin reactions such as itching or redness were common with all types. Awareness of the different types of moisturizer was low, and users had different preferences based on how the moisturizers look and feel. For example, some people liked how lotions quickly soaked in whereas others preferred the “barrier” provided by ointments.
Read more at Practical Dermatology >>
This study, the first to directly compare different types of moisturizers, highlights the importance of patient education and choice when deciding which moisturizers to use for children with eczema. The results from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study are published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health and British Journal of General Practice.
In the study, led by the universities of Bristol, Nottingham and Southampton, 550 children with eczema aged under 12 years were randomized to use one of four types of moisturizer (lotion, cream, gel or ointment) as their main moisturizer for 16 weeks. Parents completed diaries about their child's eczema for a year, and some were interviewed to gain an in-depth understanding of how they used the moisturizers and what they thought of them. All children also had an independent examination of their skin.
Used alongside other eczema treatments, there was no difference in effectiveness of the four types of moisturizer used in the study. Skin reactions such as itching or redness were common with all types. Awareness of the different types of moisturizer was low, and users had different preferences based on how the moisturizers look and feel. For example, some people liked how lotions quickly soaked in whereas others preferred the “barrier” provided by ointments.
Read more at Practical Dermatology >>
