Are the new moisturizers more effective?

The authors discuss the role of moisturizers in the daily skin care regimen of healthy skin and in atopic dermatitis, as well as the efficacy of newer products.

Recent findings have shown that the affected skin of atopic individuals is deficient in ceramides, an integral lipid component of the stratum corneum. Several manufacturers have developed topical products with ceramides in an attempt to replace the missing molecules. These products, though more expensive, have shown moderate efficacy improvements over traditional moisturizers.

Moisturizers are recommended to nearly every atopic patient, and should be part of the daily skin care of these patients, as they have the potential to reduce the quantity of topical steroids necessary to keep disease quiescent. The vast array of choices available to consumers is overwhelming, and most patients would like their physicians to recommend specific products. We attempt to provide a review of the newer products available, with special emphasis on those products that contain ceramides.