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- Dehydrated hands
- Impaired skin barrier
- Aging skin on hands
- Pigmentation and sunspots
- Volume loss on hands
SKIN BARRIER COMPONENTS:
- Ceramides
- Cholesterol
- Free Fatty Acids
- Lipid Bilayer Technology
HUMECTANTS:
- Hyaluronic acid
- d-Panthenol
- Glycerin
- Lipid Bilayer Technology
OCCLUSIVES:
- Medilan™
- Liquid paraffin
EMOLLIENTS:
- Ceramides
- Stearic acid
- Cetomacrogol
- Lipid Bilayer Technology
SUPPORTIVE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
- Niacinamide
FULL INGREDIENT LIST:
Aqua, white soft paraffin, extra pure lanolin, emulsifying wax, glycerin, stearic acid, ceramides, cholesterol, liquid paraffin, niacinamide, cetyl alcohol, cetomacrogol, isostearyl isostearate, potassium cetyl phosphate, cetyl stearate, stearic acid, ethyl hexyl glycerin, phenoxyethanol, carbomer, d-panthenol, sodium hyaluronate, C12-17 alkane, triethanolamine.
Firsthand™ contains an intelligent moisturising complex to revitalise, brighten and soothe dehydrated hands. Specifically formulated to increase collagen, prevent loss of elasticity and repair skin barrier.
This antioxidant-enriched formulation ensures smoother skin texture and corrects uneven skin tone and sunspots.
The emollient-rich treatment absorbs quickly, leaving hands younger, stronger and healthier.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DRY SKIN
- Skin that feels and looks rough
- Dull skin tone
- Aging skin on the hands
- A feeling of skin tightness
- Itchiness (pruritus)
WHAT IS DRY SKIN?
- Dry skin is characterised by the lack of moisture in the stratum corneum (SC). This is the outermost skin layer.
- Water is the major softener of the skin, and when levels are low, cracks and fissures occur.
- For the skin to appear and feel normal, the water content of the SC must be greater than 10%.
- A disruption or defect in the skin's permeability barrier, allows excessive water to be lost from within the skin into the atmosphere. Referred to as transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
- When skin becomes too dry, the outer skin layers stiffen and may develop cracks. The cracks become fissures in the skin that become irritated, inflamed, and itchy.
DRY / AGING HANDS TREATMENT OBJECTIVES
Physiological Barrier Repair with Lipid-based, Ceramide-dominant therapy.
Increase the moisture content of the epidermis with Humectants.
Fill the gaps between skin cells and replace missing lipids with Emollients.
Create a protective layer on top of the skin to prevent water loss and “seal” in moisture with Occlucives.
Increase cellular turnover by hydrating skin with Emollients.
Reduce melanin (pigment) transfer to skin cells with Melanin Transfer Inhibitor.
SKIN BARRIER FUNCTION
The 2 PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF THE skin barrier
PERMEABILITY BARRIER
Creating a barrier against electrolytes- and moisture loss (TEWL - Trans-epidermal Water loss).
This function protects the skin against becoming dry.
ANTIMICROBIAL BARRIER
Creating a barrier against the entry of unwanted micro-organisms such as allergens and irritants.
This function protects the skin against irritant dermatitis and skin infections.
PERMEABILITY BARRIER
Creating a barrier against electrolytes- and moisture loss
(TEWL - Trans-epidermal Water loss).
This function protects the skin against becoming dry.
ANTIMICROBIAL BARRIER
Creating a barrier against the entry of unwanted microorganisms
such as allergens and irritants.
This function protects the skin against irritant dermatitis and skin infections.
Both of these barriers are localised primarily to the stratum corneum layer of the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin).
When these barrier functions are impaired, the result is: DRY SKIN
When these barrier functions are impaired, the result is:
DRY SKIN
Both of these barriers are localised primarily to the stratum corneum layer of the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin).
When these barrier functions are impaired, the result is: DRY SKIN
When these skin barrier functions are impaired, the result is:
DRY SKINFIRSTHAND™ MOISTURISER CLASSES MODE OF ACTION
TRIPLE PHYSIOLOGIC LIPID-BASED BARRIER REPAIR THERAPY
- Unlike moisturisers, topical ceramide-dominant, triple-lipid products amplify lipid production and replenish the lamellar bilayers that are critical for normal barrier function and antimicrobial defence.
- Topically applied physiologic lipids, in contrast to moisturisers, do not form an occlusive layer on the SC surface. Instead, they are quickly absorbed into the underlying nucleated cell layers, where they incorporate into lamellar bodies.
- This Barrier Repair Therapy furthermore reduce inflammation by several mechanisms.
- This leads to a smoother surface with less friction and greater light refraction.
Physiologically replenish the lipid bilayers that are critical for normal barrier function and antimicrobial defence.
EMOLLIENTS
- Emollients soften and smooth the skin.
- They function by filling the gaps between skin cells and replace missing lipids.
- Emollients flatten the curled edges of the individual skin cells (corneocytes).
- This leads to a smoother surface with less friction and greater light refraction.
Fill the gaps between skin cells and replace missing lipids.
HUMECTANTS
- Humectants are water-soluble materials with high water absorption capabilities.
- Draw moisture from the air into the skin and/or draw moisture from the dermis into the epidermis.
- The attract water from the atmosphere and from the underlying dermis into the epidermis (outer skin layer).
- Although humectants may draw water from the environment to help hydrate the skin, in low-humidity conditions they may take water from the deeper epidermis and dermis resulting in increased skin dryness. For this reason, they work better when combined with occlusives.
Draw moisture from the air into the skin and/or draw moisture from the underlying dermis into the epidermis.
OCCLUSIVES
- Occlusives create a protective layer on top of the skin that prevent water loss and “seal” in moisture.
- Occlusives coat the stratum corner (outermost skin layer) to retard transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
- Occlusives is one of the best choices to treat dry skin because it provides an emollient effect as well as decreases TEWL.
- Occlusive agents are only effective while present on the skin; once removed, TEWL returns to the previous level.
Creates a protective layer on top of the skin that prevents water loss and “seals” in moisture.
Firsthand™ BENEFITS BEYOND MOISTURISATION
Barrier Repair and Eczema treatment:
- Niacinamide increases barrier layer proteins such as involucrin, filaggrin and keratin. Filaggrin is critical in the formation of natural skin moisturising factors.
- Niacinamide provides long-lasting protection against the invasion of bacteria by activating an AMP (Antimicrobial Peptide) response.
- Stimulates the synthesis of ceramides and other intercellular lipids, decreasing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and strengthening the skin's barrier against irritants and allergens.
- Aquaporin 3 is a gene that encodes water-permeable channels. The upregulation of aquaporin 3 is associated with Atopic Dermatitis / Eczema (AD), which leads to water loss through the skin. Niacinamide prevents the upregulation of aquaporin 3, thereby decreasing water permeability and water loss.
- Eczema/Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin condition. Niacinamide has anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting PARP-1 and the associated expression of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules and inflammatory mediators.
- Increased cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) phosphodiesterase (PDE) contributes to increased histamine and IgE levels in Atopic Dermatitis.
Niacinamide inhibits cAMP PDE and stabilises mast cells, thereby reversing the increased histamine and IgE levels in Atopic Dermatitis.
Inhibit hyperpigmentation:
- Prevents DNA damage through antioxidant activity.
- Prevent melanosome transfer from melanocytes to surrounding skin cells.
Treating inflammatory skin conditions:
- Reduce the inflammatory response by inhibiting inflammatory messengers.
- Provides long-lasting protection against bacteria through activation of anti-microbial peptides
Treating and preventing premature skin aging and improving skin barrier function:
- Stimulate collagen synthesis and significantly increase skin elasticity.
- Prevents the breakdown of collagen and elastin through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
- Prevents DNA damage through antioxidant activity.
- Increases production of ceramides as well as other stratum corneum lipids to improve skin barrier funtion.
- Niacinamide boosts cellular energy and may enhance energy-dependent cellular processes such as DNA repair.
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring biopolymer possessing numerous functions within the body, including wound repair, cell migration, and cell signalling.
With age, hyaluronic acid in the skin decreases sharply, resulting in a loss of hydration, volume and plumpness. Lines and wrinkles also appear, leaving skin looking dull and lacklustre.
Many people don’t realise that hyaluronic acid comes in various molecular sizes. Larger molecules stay on the surface and give the skin a ‘dewy’ look, while smaller molecules penetrate deeper into the skin to deliver their hydration and plumping benefits.
HA can exist across a wide range of molecular weights, with the cellular and physiological effects directly depending on the molecular weight of HA present. Therefore, the selection of HA weight is of critical importance.
High molecular weight HA does not penetrate the epithelium.
Very low molecular weight HA, which does penetrate the skin efficiently, can induce a pro-inflammatory response.
Recent data indicates that solutions of low molecular weight HA [50 kDa] can penetrate into the skin well but do not cause inflammation.
Hydration:
- Hyaluronic acid can bind water up to 1000 times its volume and contributes to cellular growth, adhesion, and membrane receptor function.
- Hyaluronic acid reinforces the intercellular structures and produces the elastoviscous fluid matrix that firmly envelops collagen and elastin fibres.
- Hyaluronic acid holds moisture and provides firmness and radiance to the skin.
Anti-aging:
- Hyaluronic acid increases pro-collagen I synthesis and reduce skin roughness.
- Hyaluronic acid has an important role in skin aging. Cells lose their ability to produce Hyaluronic acid with aging. The skin becomes drier, thinner, and looser, leading to wrinkling, among other significant changes.
- Skin aging is also associated with a decrease of skin moisture. Hyaluronic acid has a unique capacity to link and retain water molecules. Hyaluronic acid is a natural component that is present in the whole body. It is naturally and constantly renewed because of its rapid degradation, but its renewal tends to slow with age and external aggressions. Therefore it is necessary to act very early, sustaining an optimal hyaluronic acid turnover, similar to that of young skin, in order to prevent the signs of aging.
- In relation to its biological effects at the skin level, it is known that hyaluronic acid is actively involved in skin cell signalling (by binding the CD44 and LYVE-1 receptors) and thus influences the extracellular matrix (ECM) stability.
- Hyaluronic acid has an impact on the growth of keratinocytes (skin cells) which protect the epidermis from aging and promotes elasticity.
Panthenol stimulates the proliferation of dermal fibroblasts and can accelerate cell turnover.
Promotes wound healing
- D-Panthenol is part of medical wound-healing formulations for its ability to help treat skin injuries, burns, and sunburn.
- D-Panthenol is also beneficial after medical and cosmetic surgeries for its wound healing properties.
- It treats superficial and deep wounds by increasing cell turnover and fibroblast proliferation.
- A 2020 review on the role of d-panthenol on wound healing states that it is excellent for post-procedural wounds, especially when used immediately after skin damage.
Boosts skin barrier function
- Panthenol promotes skin barrier repair by enhancing lipid synthesis and epidermal differentiation. This helps hydrate the outermost layer of the skin and locks in moisture.
Source - A 2016 study also found that d-panthenol increases the mobility of proteins and lipids in dehydrated skin, improving its elasticity and hydration. It also retains or increases molecular fluidity to compensate for reduced hydration.
Source
Soothes and reduces inflammation:
- Panthenol’s moisturizing properties also contribute to its anti-inflammatory nature.
- Keeping the skin moisturized can help prevent it from becoming sensitive and easily irritated. As such, panthenol can help improve the roughness, dryness, itching, redness, and scaling associated with conditions such as eczema, contact dermatitis, and psoriasis.
- A 2019 study adds that panthenol may alleviate facial redness resulting from winter xerosis in people with sensitive skin.
Source
REVIEWS ON DERMEXCEL™ MOISTURISERS
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"I recommend DermExcel to all my patients. Not only is it formulated by the best pharmacologists in the industry, it's also the best value for money skin care range available" .
Dr. Y Lamberts
"DermExcel brings a whole new dimension to the science-based, medical practitioner powered skincare we recommend to our patients. It's also the skincare range I personally use every day."
Dr. C Giezing
"I see impressive results with DermExcel in my practice. My patients are amazed by the results".
Dr. N Msizi
DERMEXCEL™
Medical-grade skin care products formulated according to pharmaceutical standards of purity, potency, and stability. All active ingredients, and the concentrations and dosing protocols in which they are used, are supported by data published in the peer-reviewed medical literature.
DermExcel™ takes an easy, effective and affordable approach to evaluating and treating the skin. Targeted treatments to improve skin conditions and maintain skin health.
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