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In a South African study at The Red Cross War Memorial
Hospital in Cape Town, 80 per cent showed improvement
when treated with Vitamin A. And in trials involving
around 2000 patients since the mid-1990s in Japan, more
than 80 per cent of patients with eczema responded
favourably to home care treatment.
The vitamin A products were from the Environ
Skincare range. Patients were asked to stop using
topical steroids before using a moisturising gel or
cream containing vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene and
pro-vitamin B5 (panthenol), or an antioxidant gel
containing tea tree oil.
Environ products are classified as cosmetics only and
can make no claims to treat medical conditions such as
eczema. However, the medical research from Japan has
shown that the vitamin A and antioxidant ingredients
have beneficial effects on damaged or abnormal skin and
may be helpful in easing sensitive skin conditions.
Vitamin A has a normalising effect on the skin
and controls the cells responsible for the skin’s
immunity; it renews the water-proofing barrier and
smoothes the surface layer of the skin.
Topical antioxidant vitamins C, E and
beta-carotene in sufficient amounts help return
skin to normality by neutralising free radicals, which
exacerbate inflammation. Panthenol (pro-vitamin
B5) soothes irritated skin.
The Environ range includes:
-
Original Moisture Gel (50ml) A light
moisturising gel containing the lowest levels of
skin normalising vitamin A in the Environ range,
for the gentle treatment of sensitive skin
conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. Also
includes antioxidant vitamins C, E and
beta-carotene plus a high level of soothing,
hydrating panthenol.
-
Original D颵t Cream (50ml) A gentle
vitamin A cream which is more suitable for drier
eczema conditions as well as dermatitis. Also
includes antioxidant vitamins and panthenol.
-
Intensive Antioxidant Gel (50ml) An
antioxidant gel which soothes, smoothes and
moisturises very dry skin or ultra-sensitive,
unstable, or irritated skin, supplying
beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and pro-vitamin
B5 in high doses to combat the inflammation and
damage caused by free radicals. It also contains
Australian tea tree oil, which is known for its
antioxidant and antiseptic properties.
-
Ionzyme Active Vitamin Treatment The Environ machine-based
treatment, available in beauty salons in the UK,
uses pulsed electrical current to increase
penetration of active vitamin formulations. Doctors
in Japan have used this machine to increase the
success rate in treating eczema patients to 90%,
with results obtained more quickly than with home
care alone.
For UK skincare therapists stocking Environ
Skincare, call 020 8450 2020 or e-mail environuk@aol.com
for recommended products.
The National Eczema Society can be contacted
at: www.eczema.org
 The
causes of eczema are many and varied, and depend on
the particular type that a person has. In atopic
eczema there is an excessive reaction to allergens
in the environment by the immune system, producing
inflamed, irritated and sore skin. The skin can be
aggravated by the chemicals contained in a wide
range of household or personal care products, or by
the ingredients of many everyday foods and
drinks.
You may wish to discuss alternative treatments
with your doctor before trying Environ.
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