The NY Times article on the need for using the right moisturizer
is timely with the onset of autumn when the skin needs more protection. With
the cool air of fall upon most of us and winter’s cold, dry winds approaching,
it’s time to get serious about caring for the stratum corneum, the outermost
layer of skin, the body’s largest organ.
With 64 percent water
content in the skin makes it an essential ingredient. If the stratum corneum
gets too dry, the skin can become itchy, scaly, inflamed, leathery and
unattractive. For most people, whether their skin is dry or oily and especially
if they live in a cold, dry or windy climate, routine use of a moisturizer can
protect the skin’s water supply.
But faced with the dizzying array of choices on store shelves,
how is the consumer to select a moisturizer likely to be effective and unlikely
to cause an unwanted reaction? Do you make a selection based on brand name,
price, a doctor’s or friend’s advice?
Due to overwhelming advertised claims, most of the cosmetic
products are at best loosely regulated, dependent entirely on the integrity of
manufacturers to market a safe, effective product and on consumers to holler
loudly when a product is neither.
Triggering of allergy resulting in itchy, red, inflamed skin is
one prime concern.
Experts recently evaluated 174 best-selling moisturizers across
a price range of 10 cents an ounce to $9.51 an ounce, with special attention to
the presence of allergenic ingredients.
Body lotions were by far the most popular, accounting for 59
percent of moisturizers sold, followed by creams at 13 percent, oils at 12
percent, butters at 8 percent and ointments at 2 percent. Based on the North
American group’s list, the team found that only 12 percent of the best-selling
moisturizers were free of allergens. The three most common allergens were
fragrances, parabens and tocopherol.
Even among products labeled “fragrance-free,” 45 percent had at
least one fragrance-related ingredient, the team reported. It was found that if a company uses an
ingredient that is both a preservative and a fragrance, it can still claim the
product to be “fragrance-free” if preservation is the ingredient’s primary
purpose.
Also, a product labeled “fragrance-free” or “unscented” could
contain a masking agent (a fragrance that counters a chemical odor), a
cross-reactive chemical that acts like a fragrance, or a botanical ingredient
that is an allergen. The experts feel that it’s hard for dermatologists to
guide patients to products that are truly fragrance-free.” Among the 15
products claiming to be hypoallergenic, 83 percent had at least one ingredient
on the allergen list, and 24 products contained five or more such ingredients
An initial mild allergic reaction of itching and redness can
progress to a profound reaction of stinging, burning, swelling and pain, Dr.
Silverberg said. “With each exposure, the reaction gets stronger,” he said.
Thus, the wise consumer with an allergic tendency might consider switching
periodically to a different product and should certainly stop using any
moisturizer that seems to be setting off an untoward reaction.
The American Academy of Dermatology suggests that in choosing a
moisturizer, consumers wishing to avoid common allergic sensitizers pick one
that is free of additives, fragrances and perfumes, though the new study showed
this is clearly a challenge, even for knowledgeable physicians.
Cost is no guarantee of safety or effectiveness, the new study
showed. Products labeled “dermatologist-recommended” are more expensive, but
Dr. Xu said “the label doesn’t mean anything – is it 100 dermatologists, 10
dermatologists or one dermatologist?” The most expensive moisturizer his team
analyzed contained the most allergens – a total of eight on the North American
group’s list.
Health-conscious consumers sometimes turn to products labeled
“organic” or “all-natural” for moisturizing in hopes of avoiding synthetic
chemicals. But these “are not necessarily unlikely to cause a reaction and may
not be very effective,” Dr. Xu said.
Olive oil, for example, increases water evaporation from the
skin, he said, adding that the oils likely to be most protective and free of
allergens are sunflower oil, coconut oil and shea butter.
However, for most people, moisturizing lotions, which contain
more water than creams or ointments, are effective and least expensive. They evaporate
quickly on the skin and do not leave a greasy feeling that many consumers
dislike.
Nonetheless, people with very dry skin might invest in a cream
or ointment, the cost of which is reduced by the need to use less of the
product. Creams contain more water than ointments and offer what the team
called “a middle ground” for people who dislike the greasiness of ointments.
Ultimately, the team concluded, “patient adherence and willingness to use a
moisturizer is more important than a specific formulation.”
Ideally, moisturizers are best applied on damp skin within
minutes of bathing, after patting the skin dry, to lock in moisture. Also
helpful is to bathe or shower in warm, not hot, water.
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