New Products

Waterproof Bandage with Liquid Indicator, DrySee

The initial wound treatment and bandaging technique used after surgery can be critical to a patient’s recovery. DrySee has created the first waterproof bandage with a liquid indicator. If the seal of the bandage is broken and the wound site gets wet, the gauze at the perimeter of the bandage or the center covering the wound site will turn dark blue indicating it needs to be changed. The bandage is intended to help patients or medical staff to know when a dressing has been compromised and needs to be changed to help reduce rates of infection. The waterproof surgical bandage reduces the likelihood of delays in the healing process as well as unnecessary healthcare expenses by clearly alerting patients to any problems with the bandage. Whether liquid intrusion from the outside or inside the wound area, DrySee provides simple, visual verification of the condition of your waterproof bandages for stitches.

DrySee.com

Silicone Fusion Kit, Dermaclara Beauty

Dermaclara, a skincare brand for stretch marks, scars, and wrinkles, launched a newly improved Enhanced Silicone Fusion™ stretch mark patches and kit. With improvements to size, viscosity, reusability, and breathability, the new patches have an overall increased effectiveness of 40 percent from its original design. Together the new Patch Prep and enhanced backing card are engineered and designed to reactivate adhesive properties in-between treatments. The Patch Prep removes dead skin and oils from the patch, repairing the adhesive. The new enhanced backing card is textured and sprayed with a proprietary formula to re-activate adhesion. Enhanced structural integrity slows down tearing, amplifies stickiness, is easy to travel with and store, and ensures the backing doesn’t lose its shape. With the new Patch Prep and enhanced backing card, the reusability of the patches is increased by 50 percent. Dermaclara guarantees customers get 15 to 30 uses with the new patches, regardless of environment or skin type. Additionally, the new patches have a 60 percent increased surface area from the previous design, providing a larger treatment area for belly, sides, and thighs.

dermaclara.com.

New in My Practice: OTC

With Peter A. Lio, MD

In each issue, Practical Dermatology® magazine spotlights a new over-the-counter or prescription medication that dermatologists are recommending to patients. This month, Peter A. Lio, MD, a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a partner at Medical Dermatology Associates of Chicago, discusses Theraplex AIM, an anti-itch moisturizer that he helped to develop to fill an unmet need in atopic dermatitis (AD).

What is Theraplex AIM?

Peter A. Lio, MD: Theraplex AIM is a new product that is designed to be a rich, soothing anti-itch moisturizer, hence the “AIM.” It was formulated to be incredibly gentle and supportive to dry, irritated, and itchy skin and to help balance the skin flora while calming inflammation with 1% hydrocortisone.

How do you suggest AD patients use Theraplex AIM?

Dr. Lio: Applying Theraplex AIM twice daily to any dry, itchy, or inflamed areas is recommended. It is safe and gentle enough for the face and folds. Like all topical steroids, however, it should not be used indefinitely. I think using it for up to a week or two at a time and then taking an equally long break is a safe way to use topical steroids in general, and of course, it is important to contact one’s healthcare provider if things are not improving or worsening at any time.

Why did you get into product development?

Dr. Lio: I love learning about new products for AD and strongly believe that finding the right combination for a given patient can make a huge difference. I don’t think that “any moisturizer is fine” for most of my patients, and I take it very seriously to find the ingredients, the formulations, and the tactile elegance that encourage use and improvement. This area, while very crowded, did not have the combination I was looking for and Theraplex approached me about helping to develop something to meet one of my clinical needs. It took several years and numerous formulations, but I can say I’m thrilled by the final product and have been extremely impressed by it thus far.

How does Theraplex AIM compare with other products in this category?

Dr. Lio: We really sought to bring the best of several worlds together. We wanted something incredibly soothing and non-stinging. We wanted a very protective occlusive, and we wanted it to be pleasing to the touch and not greasy. At the same time, we wanted to make sure that it had the power of hydrocortisone to soothe inflammation and an overall formulation that is supportive of the skin flora...I couldn’t find a product quite like this so wanted to help develop it!

Why use this type of product in AD care and prevention?

Dr. Lio: My main focus is AD and, as we know, patients with AD tend to have incredibly sensitive skin. This product was designed for them from the beginning to avoid irritants, common allergens, and aspects that would not be ideal.

What types of results are your patients seeing?

Dr. Lio: Despite it being a very gentle formulation, I have seen impressive results, at times sparing the need for more powerful prescription therapies. I have found that it has not caused stinging and burning even in some of my most sensitive patients, and that many patients have asked for a non-steroidal version that they could use as their daily moisturizer; we’re working on that!