New formulated moisturizer effective for facial dermatitis

(HealthDay)—Facial moisturizers with specific ingredients may be effective for treating mild-to-moderate dermatitis, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

Waranya Boonchai, M.D., from Mahidol University in Bangkok, and colleagues compared the efficacy of moisturizer containing 4-t-butylcyclohexanol (a sensitivity regulator) and licochalcone A (an anti-inflammatory agent from Glycyrrhiza inflata licorice plant) to 0.02 percent triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for treating facial dermatitis in 80 randomly assigned participants.

The researchers found that compared to baseline assessments, both treatments showed a statistically significant improvement based on physician clinical assessment, skin hydration, transepidermal water loss, and patient-assessed visual analog scale following two and four weeks of treatment. However, better skin hydration was seen with the test facial moisturizer versus topical corticosteroids. Patients' subjective evaluation demonstrated TA more rapidly improved sensation sensitivity.

"The test facial moisturizer was slower than 0.02 percent TA in improving facial dermatitis, but showed greater benefit in erythema control and skin hydration," the authors write.