Saving Grace for Skin

I have been searching for a skin saviour for recent months. For reasons unknown, I have developed what is know as 'hand dermatitis'. Yep, sounds awful and is awful. In fairness, it merely equates to very dry skin on my hands, but the constant washing and baby wiping them is pure torture to my lipid barrier and my hands are screaming out for relief but can't tolerate anything...even water stings at the moment and causes tiny little blisters to erupt. It's Hand Hell.

I've been trying to find a soothing balm to help. The dermatologist I saw recommended Neutrogena non-scented hand cream which he told me to apply 15 (!) times per day, but even that stung like crazy. So did Aveeno, E45, Elave, Allergenics...you name it; I tried it.

I finally got around to trying the new and much lauded cream from La Roche Posay called Lipikar AP with added 'anti-scratching' technology. It worked! It took a few days to take down the flare up I was experiencing last week, but it did and now my hands look normal. It hasn't healed the condition as I can still feel it and the little blisters have been popping up from time to time but they are so much better. Almost un-recognisably better in fact.

Here's the science bit...

Lipikar Baume AP offers an anti-scratch efficacy which breaks the vicious spiral of itching thanks to the addition of a new active ingredient, a high concentration of Niacinamide 4%. Niacinamide stimulates skin's natural defences against irritating factors. It helps to re-build the cutaneous barrier and thereby limits the penetration of irritants and curbs the release of histamines.

Active Ingredients - Lipikar Baume AP boasts a fragrance-free & paraben-free ultra-penetrating texture with the ability to replenish lipids in the most severely dry skin in record time and contains high concentrations of specially selected active ingredients. Lipikar Baume AP contains 20% Shea butter, a reference dermatological active ingredient to restore skin comfort 10% Glycerin to hydrate the skin, 5% Canola oil proven to be naturally resistant to oxidation and anti-inflammatory, and 1% Glycine which is particularly soothing. Lipikar Baume AP also contains La Roche-Posay Thermal Spa water which has been dermatologically proven to be anti-free radical, anti-irritant, healing, soothing and decongesting

The winner of the Friday Freebie is Ria... email me!