8 steps to control eczema. Plus: ingredients old and new, and how Skin Actives can help
What is atopic dermatitis? It’s a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by skin barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and itch.
Steps to control eczema and atopic dermatitis
- Patch-up skin barrier disruption with topical occlusive products
- Keep the skin well hydrated.
- Avoid further disruption: avoid bubble baths, alcohol, abrasion, and prevent scratching at all costs
- Avoid ingredients that are allergenic like some fragrances and tea tree oil. Unfortunately, some “natural” products supposedly formulated for sensitive skin, contain allergenic ingredients, practically ensuring that eczema will develop or worsen.
- Avoid UV: this type of radiation promotes inflammation and production of ROS* (reactive oxygen species)
- Control opportunistic allergens like Malassezia with antifungals and pre-biotics (bee defensin, hops extract)
- Keep skin pH mildly acidic to prevent fungal growth
- Use plant extracts and pure chemicals that are known to interfere with the different steps in the development of AD
See also https://hannahsivak.com/blog/eczema-atopic-dermatitis-update-2022/ )
Medication options (over-the-counter and prescription)
Please note that most of the following have side effects and can’t be used long-term, hence the need for alternatives.
• Immunosuppressive drugs like glucocorticoids, work but have side effects
• Jak inhibitors oral JAK inhibitors (tofacitinib, abrocitinib, upadacitinib) may increase the risk of serious infections, major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke), cancer (lymphoma, lung cancer), thrombosis, and death.
• Calcineurin inhibitors
• Allergen immunotherapy: not very effective for AD
• Oral anti-allergics (Allegra, Zyrtec, etc.)
Some topical ingredients that can help control AD by activity
I don’t have statistics to offer, but it seems that atopic dermatitis is a modern affliction. There are theories that contend that, as hygiene improved and our interactions with nature decreased, we became more prone to allergies, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis, problems related to the immune system.
Still, there are plant extracts that have been used for centuries to help with skin problems related to atopic dermatitis. Please take into account that some plants will worsen atopic dermatitis, skin inflammation, and itch. Other ingredients have been found to help and, slowly, the mechanism of action is being elucidated. We don’t need to wait to find out how they work in order to use them, but it’s nice to know.
Ingredients by activity:
Anti-inflammatory: Matricaria recutita (apigenin), Camellia sinensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, Glycyrrhiza glabra liquorice (dipotassium glycyrrhizate), rosehip oil, niacinamide, Polypodium leucotomos, kaempferol, oleanolic acid. Phloretin, proanthocyanidins, phytosterols, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, farnesol.
Wound healing: Centella asiatica
Anti-allergic: Andrographis paniculata
Anti-yeast (Malassezia): oleanolic acid, acidification
Pre-biotic: xylitol
Skin barrier “substitutes”: petrolatum, mineral oil, lanolin. Silicones are not as good but they can help.
Immunomodulator: yeast beta glucan
Anti-itch, anti-pruritus: niacinamide (vitamin B3), CBD
Sunscreen: UV will promote inflammation and production of ROS*
Antioxidants: The chronically inflamed skin of patients with atopic dermatitis plays a role in the pathogenesis of this disease, with the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS*). Myeloperoxidases and paraoxonase 1 (remove harmful oxidized lipids, destroying the bacterial signalling molecules that cause gram negative bacteria to invade human tissue and form colonies, thus PON1 contributes to the bodies innate immunity)
Various: Melatonin, Vitamin D
Skin Actives presents new ingredients to address A.D.:
Kefir bioferment: pre-biotic, anti-itch, anti-inflammatory.
Xanthohumol: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, prebiotic
Antibacterial and antifungal proteins: bee defemsin and granulysin
Skin Actives products to get
References
Lee, JH., Zhou, H.Y., Cho, S.Y. et al. Anti-inflammatory mechanisms of apigenin: inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 expression, adhesion of monocytes to human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and expression of cellular adhesion molecules. Arch. Pharm. Res. 30, 1318–1327 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02980273
Huang, C. H., Kuo, P. L., Hsu, Y. L., Chang, T. T., Tseng, H. I., Chu, Y. T., … & Hung, C. H. (2010). The natural flavonoid apigenin suppresses Th1-and Th2-related chemokine production by human monocyte THP-1 cells through mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Journal of medicinal food, 13(2), 391-398.
Simonetti, O., Bacchetti, T., Ferretti, G., Molinelli, E., Rizzetto, G., Bellachioma, L., & Offidani, A. (2021). Oxidative Stress and Alterations of Paraoxonases in Atopic Dermatitis. Antioxidants, 10(5), 697. doi:10.3390/antiox10050697
Chang YS, Lin MH, Lee JH, Lee PL, Dai YS, Chu KH, Sun C, Lin YT, Wang LC, Yu HH, Yang YH, Chen CA, Wan KS, Chiang BL. Melatonin Supplementation for Children With Atopic Dermatitis and Sleep Disturbance: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2016 Jan;170(1):35-42. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.3092. PMID: 26569624.
Kim G, Bae JH. Vitamin D and atopic dermatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition. 2016 Sep;32(9):913-20. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2016.01.023. Epub 2016 Feb 18. PMID: 27061361.
Chen W, Becker T, Qian F, Ring J. Beer and beer compounds: physiological effects on skin health. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2014 Feb;28(2):142-50. doi: 10.1111/jdv.12204.
Gerhäuser C. Broad spectrum anti-infective potential of xanthohumol from hop (Humulus lupulus L.) in comparison with activities of other hop constituents and xanthohumol metabolites. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2005 Sep;49(9):827-31. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200500091.
Hartkorn A, Hoffmann F, Ajamieh H, Vogel S, Heilmann J, Gerbes AL, Vollmar AM, Zahler S. Antioxidant effects of xanthohumol and functional impact on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. J Nat Prod. 2009 Oct;72(10):1741-7. doi: 10.1021/np900230p. PMID: 19757857.
Vinderola, G. Perdigon, J. Duarte, D. Thangavel, E. Farnworth, C. Matar (2006) Effects of kefir fractions on innate immunity Immunobiology., 211:149-156
Garrote, G.L., A.G. Abraham, G.L. De Antoni. (2010) Microbial interactions in Kefir: a natural probiotic drink. Biotechnology of Lactic Acid Bacteria: Novel Applications, p. 327
Bourrie, B.C., B.P. Willing, P.D. Cotter (2026) The microbiota and health promoting characteristics of the fermented beverage kefir Front. Microbiol., 7: 647
Rodrigues, K.L., L.R.G. Caputo, J.C.T. Carvalho, J. Evangelista, J.M. Schneedorf. (2005) Antimicrobial and healing activity of kefir and kefiran extract. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents, 25: 404-408
Medrano, M., P.F. Pérez, A.G. Abraham. (2008) Kefiran antagonizes cytopathic effects of Bacillus cereus extracellular factors. Int. J. Food Microbiol., 122: 1-7
Rodrigues, K., J. Carvalho, J. Schneedorf. (2005) Anti-inflammatory properties of kefir and its polysaccharide extract. Inflammopharmacology., 13:485-492
DISCLAIMER: These claims have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease.