If you’re eczema-prone, or you just suffer from dry, itchy skin, you’ll know that it’s a real pain – quite literally.

Uncomfortable, irritating, not to mention, utterly inconvenient (because flare-ups always happen when you least want them), problematic skin is no laughing matter. However, here’s something that might make you smile. Suvex Soothe, with its 100% natural ingredients, has been proven to hydrate and soothe dry, red and eczema-prone skin.

A recent skin test study* on people with eczema-prone skin, using Suvex Soothe twice daily for just two weeks, saw significant improvements in the condition of their skin. The therapeutic ingredients in Suvex Soothe helped to increase skin hydration levels, reduce redness and even improve the skin barrier function to help prevent future irritation developing.

What makes Suvex Soothe so effective? It’s all about the ingredients. Developed in conjunction with a Harley Street Cosmetic Scientist using a unique combination of ethically-sourced ingredients, it’s made from a soothing blend of natural plant butters, oils and extracts.

Cupuacu Butter comes from the Cupuacu fruit in the rain forests of Brazil, and is hailed as the new superfruit. Cupuacu Butter is a natural skin emollient known for its high capacity to absorb water to help hydrate the skin.

Brown Kelp is another key ingredient in Suvex Soothe that helps to maintain the skin’s pH balance, which can help prevent skin irritation. Other nourishing and moisturising ingredients include Rice Bran Oil, which is rich in vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Rosehip Oil, Shea Butter and Olive Extract all combine to create an all-natural and petrochemical-free emollient cream that is gentle yet effective for problematic skin. What’s more, it is so kind to skin it is perfect for young children and babies.

Girl applying dermatology cream on skin, eczema and skin allergy treatment.

So, the next time you feel a skin flare-up developing, forget the petrochemical and cortisone creams; help soothe your skin the natural way with Suvex Soothe.

*In Press with the Journal of Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, Dove Medical

Suvex Soothe is available in Health Stores, Pharmacies and Online.

When choosing a skincare cream or intensive moisturiser, we want it to do exactly what it says on the package, care for and moisturise our skin. Frustratingly, many skin care creams can make skin conditions worse by drying, irritating and reddening our skin, aggravating the very conditions that we are using the cream to prevent. Sound familiar?

The next time you are choosing a skin care cream or emollient (non-cosmetic moisturiser) have a closer look at the ingredients list on the package. There are a few known skin irritants to watch out for, which surprisingly are still key ingredients in skin care creams even those which say suitable for sensitive skins, eczema and babies!

1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a detergent, which means it is good at breaking up oil and grease, however it also breaks up the natural oils protecting our skin, which in turn causes irritation. SLS is a main ingredient in many Skincare staples such as Aqueous Cream and Silcocks Base. Check the ingredients before use!

2. Paraffin / Petroleum: Petroleum Jelly was originally found coating the bottom of oil rigs in the mid-1800s, a waste product of the oil industry. It’s water-repellent and seals the skin barrier so that moisture does not leave the skin. So while you might feel a softened skin surface, you’re actually drying out your pores by keeping out air and moisture.

3. Parabens: An industrially produced and naturally occurring ester. Used as a preservative, Parabens go by a long list of chemical pseudonyms, check for anything with paraben or parahydroxybenzoic in it.

4. Fragrance/ Perfume: Just because a product is “Suitable for Sensitive Skin” or “Dermatalogoically Tested” does not automatically mean it is fragrance free. Fragrance allergens are found in just about any cosmetic product that doesn't carry a "fragrance-free" label.

So now you know they key ingredients to avoid, do some research to find a skincare cream that will truly care for and protect your skin. A quality emollient cream is your first line defense in protecting skin and helping to prevent irritations from developing in adults, children and babies; saving you upset, time and money in the long run. An effective, irritant free emollient can soften and moisturise the skin, repair the skin barrier and help to prevent further irritation. Invest in the best one you can find and your skin will never look back.

Suvex Soothe is a 100% natural intensive emollient cream made from a soothing blend of plant butters, oils and extracts. It does not contain any skin irritants. In a recent skin test study on people with eczema prone skin it was revealed that regular use of Suvex Soothe increased skin hydration and smoothness significantly in just two
weeks!

Suvex Soothe is available in Health Stores, Pharmacies and Online.

For February 2017, we are offering 20% OFF Suvex Soothe Online plus Free Delivery in Ireland.

Looking for a natural, intensive cream for use on dry, itchy skin that’s suitable for all the family? We’ve got just the thing. Soothe Operator!

When it comes to problematic skin (no matter what your age), finding the right intensive cream, and then incorporating a good skincare regime into your daily routine, can prevent certain conditions developing and can even reduce steroid use in those with eczema-prone skin.

Some of us are more susceptible to developing conditions than others due to a lack of filaggrin in our skin. The word filaggrin comes from filament aggregating protein – it’s a barrier protein and works like a layer of cling film for the skin. Without this important layer, skin becomes leaky and protection is lost. So how can you help leaky skin to build and/or restore this protective barrier? With a natural, quality emollient (which is a non-cosmetic moisturiser) you can reduce thenumber of eczema flares, and stop irritants and allergens, which can trigger eczema flares. Also, the correct use of emollients can reduce the need for topical corticosteroids.

Know your ingredients: What do you need to look out for when choosing an emollient? Avoid known irritants and choose as natural a product as possible. You can do this by checking for SLS – Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – plus nut and petroleum-based ingredients, which can irritate the skin further.

DID YOU KNOW?  Applying an emollient to a child’s skin every day in the first year of their life can reduce their chance of developing eczema by up to 50%!

It’s all in the application: Once you’ve found the perfect intensive cream, it’s time to use it correctly. Develop a routine that suits your skin type and condition, and prioritise it as part of your daily skincare regime. Do this with regular application, and invest in a quality, natural emollient, like Suvex Soothe, to prevent conditions developing.

Skin loves Suvex: Suvex Soothe is natural intensive emollient cream, made from plant-sourced ingredients. The naturally soothing and cooling ingredients in Suvex Soothe allow the skin to breathe while intensively moisturising the skin. The 100% plant-sourced ingredients in Suvex Soothe are naturally suitable for dry, itchy and eczema-prone skin and steroid-free. Ethically-sourced Cupuaçu butter, shea butter, rosehip oil, rice bran oil, aloe vera, brown kelp and olive extract combine to help soothe, moisturise and protect problematic skin. In a recent skin test study on people with eczemaprone skin, it was revealed that regular use of Suvex Soothe increased skin hydration and smoothness significantly in just two weeks! Plus, skin redness and roughness were reduced in eczema-prone skin. And 82% of skin test participants would change from their current emollient to Suvex Soothe.

Suvex Soothe is available in Health Stores, Pharmacies and Online.

For February 2017, we are offering 20% OFF Suvex Soothe Online plus Free Delivery in Ireland.

Suvex Soothe® went along to the Irish Skin Foundations “Eczema Expert – Advice for Life” morning in September to learn more about what causes eczema and how to prevent it.  We certainly learned a lot.  Here are five of the key points we picked up from the eczema experts.

1. What causes some of us to develop skin conditions?

Filaggrin is a barrier protein found in skin which we inherit. The word filaggrin comes from filament aggregating protein.  It works like a cling film protection layer for skin, without this protective layer skin becomes leaky.  If you are missing the filaggrin protein you will notice lots of extra lines on the palms of your hands. Those of us who are missing filaggrin protein, about 10% of the population worldwide, are more likely to develop atopic skin conditions.  If both parents are missing this filaggrin protein the chance of their child having an atopic skin condition increases.

2. Can you help to prevent a child from developing eczema?

Dr Grainne O’Regan told us applying an emollient to a child’s skin every day in the first year of their life can reduce their chance of developing eczema by up to 50%.  An amazingly simple but effective method of helping to prevent your child developing eczema.

20% of children in Ireland have an atopic skin condition.  Don’t wait until a skin condition develops to start taking care of a child’s skin, start using a daily emollient on your child as early as possible in life to help prevent skin conditions. Check the emollient ingredients carefully to ensure it does not contain any possible skin irritants.

3. “Switch Off” your atopic skin condition and help to prevent the Atopic March.

As the old saying goes prevention is better than cure, early intervention to treat an atopic skin condition could prevent many other allergic diseases developing later on. The Atopic March, sometime called Allergic March, refers to the natural history or typical progression of allergic diseases that often begin early in life. These include atopic dermatitis (eczema), food allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma.  Early and effective treatment of a skin condition can help prevent your body developing other allergic diseases.

4.  Are food and nut allergies linked to skin conditions?

Oils or Creams containing nut based ingredients are not recommended for children as they may cause children to develop a peanut allergy subsequently. This can happen if skin comes into contact with the nut as an ingredient in a cream, oil or lotion ingredient before a person ingests the nut as a food.  So the body may then reject the nut as a food causing an allergic reaction.  Managing what we put on our skin can help to prevent food allergies as they are the next step in the Atopic March. So make sure that your emollient cream does not contain any potential allergens such as nut oils.

5.  Summer Drying can affect those with Pollen Allergies.

Pollen is a common irritant for those with eczema. If anyone in your family is allergic to pollen do not dry their bedclothes outside during the pollen season!  Sheets on the line absorb pollen in the air as they dry and pass it on to skin as we sleep, eight hours of continuous contact can cause severe reactions.   So use the dryer during summer to prevent pollen coming into contact with skin on the bedclothes.

To help you learn more about managing eczema The Irish Skin Foundation has produced a new booklet What you need to know about eczema  help you understand your condition, learn about management and find more useful tips for living with eczema.

Suvex Soothe is a natural intensive emollient cream, made from plant sourced ingredients. Regular use of emollient creams can prevent the skin from becoming dry and help to prevent flair ups. The naturally soothing and cooling ingredients in Suvex Soothe allow the skin to breath while intensively moisturising the skin. Find out more about Suvex Soothe here.

Eczema can be tough for an adult or child to cope with. It is estimated that about one in 10 people are affected by eczema at some point in their lives, so it’s worth investigating what treatments are out there. Skin specialist Bernie Fahy, talks eczema and its various treatments.

What is eczema?

An allergic state is the fundamental profile of eczema. Of patients who suffer from asthma, hay fever and food allergies, approximately 70 per cent will report eczema too. Immunoglobulin E antibodies are present in elevated levels in 80 per cent of eczema sufferers. These antibodies stimulate mast cells to release histamine, dissolving healthy skin cells and causing skin to appear infected or injured.

Age profile

Different parts of the body are affected at different ages. Adults present with localized inflammation such as hands, ankles and the backs of feet. Children and adolescents tend to suffer in the folds of the skin where the limbs bend. Infants show weeping, inflamed patches with crusted plaques on the face, neck and groin. These lesions are at risk of infection with staphylococcus aureus. Physicians tend to treat this condition with antihistamines or steroids in severe cases, but prescription drugs risk side-effects.

Interestingly, breastfeeding can play a role. Since the 1930s, scientists found that infant eczema sufferers have a deficiency of essential fatty acids, which in turn leads to an imbalance in the immune system destroying healthy skin cells and stimulating their rapid replacement. Another reason why breast-feeding can be better for babies.

Natural treatments

Eczema can be treated successfully by natural means. Dietary advice would be to include a serving of cold-water fish each week. Dietary supplementation causes good fatty acids to arrive into the linings of skin cells, protecting them from the tissue-destructive cells of the immune system.

Supplements include evening primrose oil. This oil can naturally correct fatty acid profiles in adults, children and infants. Probiotics and prebiotics when taken daily can also have positive effects on eczema sufferers.

One tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily can be beneficial too, while vitamins A and E are recommended in a monitored programme. A clarifying supplement containing vitamins A, C and E is available. It helps reduce inflammation internally and is clinically proven to help the inner defenses.

Herbal remedies also provide a natural option to help calm an eczema flare-up. Burdock and liquorice have proven effective and also have the benefit of being relatively inexpensive with no chemicals that would risk side effects. Burdock is a source of inulin, which provides an immune defence against bacterial infection. Dandelion is also a source of inulin.

Lifestyle

Finally, I’d recommend Suvex Soothe® for this condition as it really reduces the itch which breaks the cycle of the skin being inflamed. It’s soothing natural ingredients will calm and replenish the skin, moisturising, cooling and reducing irritation very quickly. You can order a free sample of  Suvex Soothe online

Bernie Fahy

By following expert guidelines, we really can manage this condition and alleviate the discomfort for sufferers of all ages. So, don’t suffer in silence: show eczema the exit!

Bernie Fahy is a Skin Specialist with over 20 years’ experience. You can contact her at www.skinspecialist.ie. First consultations are free.