Marcie Mom from EczemaBlues.com interviews Laura, CEO of VMV Hypoallergenics, to find out more about product claims and why they’re important when choosing your skin care…particularly if you or your child have eczema.
Non-Drying
Q: What does “Non-Drying” mean, and is it important in products for the management of eczema?
A: Non-drying should mean just that: will not dry out the skin. This is important in the management of eczema because the skin’s barrier function is already compromised. As well, the skin can develop fissures or small cracks through which microorganisms can enter, potentially causing infections. This is more of a risk the drier the skin.
In addition to making sure those with compromised skin know that our products with this claim will not further dry out their skin, “non-drying” alerts our customers to the fact that skin dryness can be indicative of a mild allergic or irritant reaction. Without irritants or allergens, and with non-drying formulations, we lessen this risk.
Something else to consider: non-comedogenic products sometimes include ingredients that do dry out the skin on purpose. Our products are both non-comedogenic and non-drying. Because some people with dry skin can experience acne, we feel it’s important that we specify this.
A bit of an aside: “non-drying” products can sometimes contain soothing hydrators and emollients that double as anti-inflammatories. Many skin conditions — like psoriasis, eczema, acne, and aging — are caused by, worsened by, or related to inflammation. The more a product can help reduce inflammation the better. Also, the less inflammation that your skin has to counter, the stronger your skin is, and the better able it is (on its own) to ward off infection, reactions, and other problems!
This article was originally published in eczemablues.com as one of a multi-part series focused on understanding and using products for sensitive skin. Inspired by her daughter Marcie who had eczema from two weeks old, Mei (aka MarcieMom) started EczemaBlues.com with the mission to turn eczema blues to bliss. In this series of interviews, MarcieMom interviews Laura, CEO of VMV Hypoallergenics, to learn more about product claims when choosing products to care for skin with eczema.
