AproDerm® Ointment is an intensely moisturising emollient that protects, moisturises and soothes skin that is affected by moderate to severe eczema, psoriasis and other very dry skin conditions. Being suitable from birth, AproDerm® Ointment helps prevent skin damage and provides intense moisturisation to help control skin flare ups due to eczema or dermatitis. According to NICE guidelines/ta81, “the greasier the preparation the better the effect1”. Application of AproDerm® Ointment forms a barrier layer that keeps moisture in, whilst keeping infections and irritants out2. AproDerm® Ointment protects and provides symptomatic relief for dry, red, inflamed, damaged and raw areas of skin and can also be used as a pre-bathing emollient to prevent the skin from drying out further.
Developed with the patient in mind, AproDerm® Ointment is:
- The most occlusive emollient in the AproDerm® Range
- Suitable from Birth
- Provides long-lasting hydration due to its high oil content
- Protects and enhances the skin barrier
- Particularly great for overnight use and for hand eczema
- Up to 40%3 more cost-effective than similar brands
- Completely free from sensitisers and irritants
- Contains no preservatives
- Suitable for Vegans
- Not tested on animals
- Dermatologically tested
- AproDerm® Ointment was developed to be suitable for sensitive skin and the formulation is free from the following potential skin irritants and sensitisers; SLS, Parabens, Cetostearyl Alcohol, Fragrance and Colours. These such excipients are recognised potential irritants and sensitisers as listed by MIMS4 . Irritants and sensitisers can aggravate already sensitive skin which is why such excipients are absent from AproDerm® Ointment so it can be considered that the risk of a reaction to a patient will be greatly reduced thus aiding compliance.
An irritant is a substance that causes inflammation to the body in a non-immune way and can affect anyone who comes into contact with sufficient amounts of it for long enough, however those with atopic eczema are more sensitive to irritants. The skin can react straight away (immediate response) or after a period of repeated exposure. Irritants remove moisture (by affecting Natural Moisturising Factor) and oils from the outer skin layer allowing pathogens, irritants and allergens to enter the skin causing inflammation and further damage.
A skin sensitiser is a chemical that will cause an allergic reaction when exposed to the skin and, unlike an irritant, it will only affect those who are allergic to it. The initial exposure will not cause a reaction but continued exposure can and once a person has been sensitised to a product, contact with even a small amount of it will cause a reaction. The two conditions allergic and irritant dermatitis may coexist.
Symptoms typically seen include skin which can be red, swollen, blistered, dry, thickened, intensely itchy and cracked depending on whether the reaction is acute or chronic.
For a full list of potential sensitisers found in emollients click here
| Product | Suitable from Birth |
SLS Free | Parabens Free | Cetostearyl Alcohol Free |
Fragrance Free | Colour Free | Pack Size | Price3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AproDerm® Ointment | 
|
|
|
|
|
|
500g | £3.95 |
| Epaderm® Ointment | |
|
|
 |
|
|
500g | £6.58 |
| Diprobase® Ointment | On the advice of a HCP |
|
|
|
|
|
500g | £5.99 |
| Cetraben® Ointment | < 1 year use under medical supervision |
|
|
|
|
|
450g | £5.39 |
| Hydromol® Ointment | |
|
|
|
|
|
500g | £4.96 |
| Zeroderm® Ointment | < 1 year use under medical supervision |
|
|
|
|
|
500g | £4.10 |
Table 1: Comparison of AproDerm® Ointment against similar brands on the market
- Up to 40%3 more cost-effective than similar brands
- Suitable from Birth
- Provides exogenous lipids that protect and enhance the skin barrier5
- A highly occlusive emollient, due to its high oil content, that helps to reduce transepidermal water loss and provides long-lasting hydration
- A pre-bathing emollient which can help alleviate the drying effects of bathing
- Can be applied as often as necessary
- Completely free from sensitisers and irritants
- Contains no preservatives
- Suitable for Vegans
- Not tested on animals
- Dermatologically tested
AproDerm® Ointment:
- Is suitable from Birth
- The most hydrating emollient in the AproDerm® Range
- Soothes, moisturises and protects those suffering from moderate to severe Eczema, Psoriasis and other very Dry Skin Conditions
- A pre-bathing emollient which can help alleviate the drying effects of bathing
- Provides symptomatic relief for dry, red, inflamed or damaged skin
- Ideal for hand eczema
- Can be used at anytime of the day, however, if a patient finds the greasy formulation less cosmetically acceptable during the day it can be applied at night time and complemented with another emollient cream or gel during the day
- Can be used by those sensitive to SLS, benzyl alcohol, cetostearyl alcohol, fragrances, colours and preservatives
- Suitable for those with parabens sensitisation
- Protects raw areas of skin
The AproDerm® Ointment Range:
| Product | Pack Size | PIP Code | Price3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AproDerm® Ointment | 50g | 406-5348 | £1.45 |
| AproDerm® Ointment | 500g | 404-9995 | £3.95 |
Patient compliance is crucial to successful emollient therapy and studies have shown that educating patients (and parents or carers of children) about the causes of their condition and correct emollient application improves outcomes significantly. In addition to this, NICE Clinical Guideline 57 “Management of atopic eczema in children from birth up to the age of 12 years” also advises that they (patient and parent or carer) be educated by healthcare professionals on quantity and frequency of use of treatments, flare-ups and their management (using the stepped approach plan) and the recognition and treatment of infections.
Some key points to cover with your patient during consultation are:
- Information on eczema, psoriasis and other dry skin conditions. View or print Eczema, Psoriasis and other Dry Skin Conditions PDFs for patients.
- AproDerm® Ointment should not be prescribed if the patient has a known allergy or sensitivity to any of the listed ingredients
- As with all emollients, before applying AproDerm® Ointment for the first time, patients should test it on a small area of skin and leave for 48 hours. If there is no reaction or irritation they can then apply all over the affected area. This limits any potential reaction to a small area.
- To apply, use a clean spoon to scoop out the required amount, this avoids contamination of the ointment. AproDerm® Ointment should be applied regularly, liberally and frequently to the affected area, using gentle, downward strokes, following the direction of hair growth. Rubbing should be avoided as this can cause further irritation and itching (by generating heat) and can also cause folliculitis (as a result of blocking the hair follicles and causing their inflammation).
- Frequency of application will be determined by severity of the condition and whether more than one emollient is being used. As a general guide, it is recommended that AproDerm® Ointment is applied as often as required as well as being used as a pre-bathing emollient to help alleviate the drying effects of bathing. Patients should take caution when using ointment before bathing as bathroom surfaces can become slippery. AproDerm® Ointment should also be applied after bathing to skin that is almost dry.
- Because of the greasiness of ointments, some patients may deem them cosmetically unacceptable and be reluctant to use them, however according to NICE guidelines/ta81, the “greasier the emollient the better”1. To increase compliance, encourage your patients to use the ointment at night time and complement this with an emollient cream or gel during the day.
- Patients should also be reminded to continue applying AproDerm® Ointment once their skin has improved to prevent the risk of flare-ups.
- Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is unlikely to have any ill effects when the product is used as directed.
For further information on emollient application please visit our How To Apply page. Other useful information for your patients can be found in our printable Tips and Advice section.
AproDerm® Ointment contains:
Active Ingredients: White Soft Paraffin 95%, Liquid Paraffin 5%
Storage:
Store below 25°C. Do not refrigerate or freeze.
Please note: Emollients containing paraffin can be easily ignited with a naked flame. If the product comes into contact with dressings and clothes they can be more easily ignited with a naked flame. Remind patients that they should keep away from fire when using these types of emollients. For further information visit the Gov.uk website
AproDerm® Ointment is for external use only, if your patient accidentally swallows some of it they should seek medical advice immediately.
1 Nice.org.uk. (2004). Frequency of application of topical corticosteroids for atopic eczema | Guidance and guidelines | NICE. [online] Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta81/chapter/2-Clinical-need-and-practice [Accessed on 23 April 2019]. | 2 Croney (2016). Treating itchy skin conditions: know your emollients. [online] Independentnurse.co.uk. Available at: http://www.independentnurse.co.uk/clinical-article/treating-itchy-skin-conditions-know-your-emollients/148308/ [Accessed 8 Mar. 2018]. | 3 Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (DM+D) February 2019 [Accessed on 13 February 2019] | 4 Mims.co.uk (2019) Emollients, Potential Skin Sensitisers as Ingredients. [Online] Available at https://www.mims.co.uk/emollients-potential-skin-sentisitisers-ingredients/dermatology/article/882437 [Accessed on 19 February 2019] | 5 Simpson, E., Chalmers, J., Hanifin, J., Thomas, K., Cork, M., McLean, W., Brown, S., Chen, Z., Chen, Y. and Williams, H. (2014). Emollient enhancement of the skin barrier from birth offers effective atopic dermatitis prevention. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 134(4), pp.818-823. | 6 Data on file.