The causes
Does your baby have an allergy
and atopic dermatitis risk?
Allergies and the chronic inflammatory skin disease neurodermatitis are widespread in Germany. Around one in three babies has an increased risk of allergies, and one in five children starting school suffers from neurodermatitis. Heredity plays an important role: babies whose parents suffer from allergies are particularly at risk of developing allergic diseases or neurodermatitis themselves.
If one parent has an allergic disease, the risk for the offspring is up to 40%. If both parents have the same allergy, the probability of an illness in the child is up to 80%.
A strong skin barrier offers protection
The good news is that even if there is a predisposition to allergies and neurodermatitis, the disease does not necessarily have to break out. And even if there are signs of these so-called atopic diseases, preventive measures can delay and mitigate the progression. THE right, allergen-free skin care is of crucial importance. It can strengthen the skin barrier and make the delicate baby skin more resistant to harmful influences.
How to strengthen the skin barrier?
Care products that supply the skin with even more of the skin’s own essential components such as ceramide-3, free fatty acids and cholesterol can support the barrier function. Studies have shown that these skin-own components can accumulate in the skin 1. This prevents dehydration of the skin due to a disturbed skin barrier function.
The intact skin barrier offers very good protection against harmful external influences such as allergens and irritants. This can prevent allergies and neurodermatitis, among other things.
Preventing neurodermatitis and allergies – the holistic way
Allergies and neurodermatitis are often closely linked. In addition to genetic factors, hygiene, air pollution and nutrition also play a role in these diseases. Whether the disease breaks out and in what form it progresses depends on the living conditions of the baby, whereby many factors interact.
Parents who have neurodermatitis or allergies themselves can take preventive measures for their allergy-prone children. If they follow certain rules of conduct, an outbreak in the child can possibly be prevented. The best success promises the holistic interaction of various precautions, which can be summarized in 7 categories, which also include allergen-free skin cleansing and care.
* scientific advice: Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Ring,
Dermatologist & Allergist, Technical University of
Munich, 2020 ** STIKO = Ständige Impfkommission des RKI ***Atopics = neurodermatitis sufferers, pollen allergy sufferers, allergic asthmatics
Baby’s skin needs special protection – especially in families with allergies and neurodermatitis.
As wonderfully delicate and soft as a baby’s skin is, it is also sensitive and vulnerable. This is all the more true for children from families with allergies. They tend to have dry and brittle skin that is more permeable to harmful environmental influences. Redness and irritation, itching, allergies and neurodermatitis can be the result.
Prevention with the right care
Special care can counteract dry skin and protect allergy-prone babies from harmful influences. That’s why the Dermifant® Prevent care line was developed especially for babies from allergy-prone families – in particular without natural, plant-based allergens, such as calendula. In addition to particularly mild cleansing and rich care with outstandingly skin-compatible ingredients, it has one goal above all: to strengthen baby’s skin barrier – right from the start.
References:
Fig. 1: Graphic based on Braun-Falco et al, Dermatology and Venereology, Springer Verlage, 2005, 5th edition, 381 and.
https://www.neurodermitisportal.de/neurodermitis-in-zahlen-und-fakten/, 2021
Fig.2 + Fig. 3: based on Elias et al, Drug Dev. Research, 1988, Volume 13, Issue 2-3, 97-105.
1) Wohlrab et al, NDG 2013, Bioavailability of topically applied ceramides in the stratum corneum, unpublished results.