(product photo courtesy of www.exederm.com)
2 oz./56g $12.99
I suffer from atopic dermatitis that flares up in the spring and summer, or when I use certain skincare products (strong AHAs or retinoids). Usually I get one when the temperature and humidity outside start to go up and the weather gets hotter outside. It started a few years ago one summer when I went to Greece, and it developed into a nasty rash on my neck. The rash developed from the extreme heat, where it is primarily 105℉ in the summer. Now whenever the seasons change my neck (on the left side only) starts to change to a red, itchy rash that I have to deal with before it starts to scale up. Very few things actually help it but I have found one thing that has helped it this year.
I tried Exederm Flare Control Cream. It is a 1% hydrocortisone cream that has been specifically developed for eczema and dermatitis. Currently it is the only paraben-free hydrocortisone cream available in the US. It is also the first and only one to receive the National Eczema Association's coveted Seal of Acceptance with a perfect 5 out of 5 score. Exederm helps heal eczema and dermatitis flare-ups. It is fast, soothing relief of itchy, inflamed red skin. A 1% hydrocortisone cream is the highest percentage available without a prescription. Exederm Flare Control Cream is allergist recommend because it does not contain any fragrance, dyes, parabens, cocamidopropyl or propylene glycol. This product is best for adults and children over the age of 2 years old. Exederm does contain one botanical extract that is quite soothing for the skin though, and that is chamomile flower extract. Chamomile is known to be an anti-inflammatory. It helps to treat rashes, inflammation and skin irritations.
Why is Exederm unique? Often the 'base' cream/ointment to which the active ingredient is added differs from brand to brand. Too many times this 'base' contains potential irritants such as parabens, preservatives or unnecessary botanical additives. Also, most mass market products are formulated for the average person with insect bites, stings or poison ivy type skin rashes. Not for those with sensitive skin. At Exederm they believe that eczema, dermatitis and sensitive skin sufferers are different. Eczema sufferers have very sensitive, itchy skin and need to avoid even the most mild irritants whenever possible. They believe that putting a "Gold Standard" ingredient into a "Gold Standard" base simply doesn't make any sense. Exederm is so different and better for eczema and dermatitis because their product doesn't contain anything that should upset sensitive skin. It just treats the flare-up without any worries about causing additional irritation.
Exederm works well for atopic dermatitis flare-ups, I can speak from experience on this. Recently I had one and used it for this very purpose. I applied the Exederm Flare Control Cream to my neck 3-4 times per day as directed until the redness and itching were gone. It took about 3 days for the redness to completely disappear but I used it for 6 days to control the itchiness. The product is not meant to be used more than 7 days. Directions recommend applying Exederm Flare Control Cream 3-4 times per day to the affected area for not more than 7 days. If redness, itching or rash persists, see a physician. Exederm is specifically made to be used for minor skin irritations, inflammation, rashes, atopic dermatitis, eczema and contact dermatitis. It relieves itching, redness, rashes and inflammation. These can arise from soaps, detergents, cosmetics, psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis. Because this product is hydrocortisone cream, it could also be used to relieve the itching and redness associated with insect bites, stings or poison ivy if needed.
Here are two pictures showing the flare-up I had with my neck (this is how it predominately starts if I catch it in time) and how it looked afterwards (after three days), when the flare-up had healed from the use of the Exederm Flare Control Cream:
From the photo top photo above you can see where my neck is red and inflamed. After just a few days the redness is gone, and you can see just barely where it was. I pretty much have a slight redness to my neck all the time showing where I get inflammation from my atopic dermatitis all the time, this is nothing new for me. However, the Exederm works great as a flare-up cream because it is specifically made for someone with dermatitis and doesn't have anything extraneous in its formula. I have found that other hydrocortisone creams don't work well for my atopic dermatitis. This one worked extremely well and worked within 3 days to boot. To be honest I did catch the flare-up before it got really bad. During the summer a flare-up can get bad really fast, going from nothing to a large rash by the end of the day on a very hot, humid day. But if this can control a minor flare-up so well, I am confident that it will be able to control a major flare-up too.
Exederm Flare Control Cream retails for $12.99 and can be purchased online at www.exederm.com or at Walgreens, Rite-Aid and CVS nationwide. Exederm also makes an intensive moisturizer, eczema lotion, eczema wash, eczema shampoo, eczema conditioner, baby cream, baby lotion and baby wash.
Until Next Time~
Marie Papachatzis
(This was sent for consideration)
I know with steroids, if you stop using them, the eczema flare ups come back. Did you have any problems with this product??
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