Twice-daily moisturization is recommended by international guidelines as the bedrock of the management of atopic dermatitis (AD). Moisturizers should be selected based on proven clinical effectiveness in improving the skin barrier and improving the symptoms of AD.

A new article published in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology aimed to assess the efficacy of daily moisturization for the treatment of AD.

The present review searched PubMed database for clinical trials assessing daily moisturization for the treatment of AD published between 2006 and 2019.

The findings revealed that moisturization, typically twice daily, significantly improves the skin barrier in adults and children with AD. Longer-term flare studies showed that daily moisturization reduces the incidence of flares and extends the time between flares. Proactive moisturization of infants at high risk of developing AD may reduce its manifestation. Therapeutic moisturizers for AD are specifically formulated with ingredients that target symptoms of AD, such as itch, inflammation or compromised skin barrier. The US FDA requires that any moisturizer claiming to treat AD must contain colloidal oatmeal.

In inference, it was stated that healthcare providers can maximize compliance and outcomes by educating patients on the benefits of liberally applying a therapeutic moisturizer twice daily to support the skin barrier and help reduce the incidence of flares. Specific recommendations should be for clinically tested moisturizers evaluated using objective, validated skin assessments.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. Hebert, A.A., Rippke, F., Weber, T.M. et al. vol 21, 641–655 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-020-00529-9