Eczema can’t be cured and its exact cause is unknown; however, with a rise in diagnoses of the chronic skin condition, marketers are offering an increasingly broad range of products to address the symptoms. Jennifer Kingson, writing in the NYTimes.com “Skin Deep” column, examined the push-pull among consumers seeking relief, dermatologists recommending combination OTC and prescription therapy, and product formulators and marketers offering skin protectant and cosmeceutical options.
For example, dimethicone shows up in a new Clinique product that also uses jabara fruit (sourced in Japan and purported to have antihistamine properties) as well as Cosmedicine’s Hydra Healer moisturizer, with added botanicals and emu oil. Other companies are turning to coal tar to soothe the skin or hydrocortisone to address itching and redness.
Such offerings are raising eyebrows at dermatologists’ offices, where the efficacy of the products is questioned, as are the marketing techniques. Instead, they advise turning to regular skin care combined with prescription medications.