Selecting a Daily Skin Care Regimen for Today's Female Patients: Clinical and Cosmetic Considerations

This supplement to Skin & Allergy News was supported by an educational grant from Unilever.
Highlights of presentations given at the Skin Disease Education Foundation's 29th Hawaii Dermatology Seminar held March 18-24, 2005, in Maui, Hawaii.

•Contents
•Target Audience
•Educational Needs
•Learning Objectives
•CME Recognition

To view the supplement, click the image above. To take the CME test, download and print out the PDF file, and follow the test instructions on page 16.

Contents

Introduction: Skin Care and Its Relevance in Everyday Dermatology Practice
Howard I. Maibach, MD, Chairman
University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
San Francisco, Calif.
Nothing to disclose.

Integrated Functions of the Stratum Corneum: Implications for an Optimal Skin Care Regimen
Peter M. Elias, MD
University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
UCSF and Dermatology Service, VAMC
San Francisco, Calif.
Received funding for clinical research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US Department of Veterans Affairs; Consultant to and has a financial interest in Osmotics Corporation.

The Role of Cleansing and Moisturizing Regimens in the Management of Patient Skin
Dee Anna Glaser, MD
Saint Louis University, School of Medicine
St. Louis, MO
Received funding for clinical research from Allergan, Inc., and Novartis AG. She is a consultant to Allergan, Dermik, Novartis, and Unilever PLC.

Selecting Daily Regimens for Skin Care After Rejuvenation Procedures
Diane S. Berson, MD
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
New York, N.Y.
Nothing to disclose.

Target Audience

This activity has been developed for physicians and other clinicians who specialize in dermatology.

Educational Needs

Healthy skin starts with a healthy stratum corneum (SC), the outermost layer of skin that serves as a barrier against desiccation and environmental stressors. The primary objective of a daily skin care regimen is to protect the SC barrier and to allow natural repair and recovery processes to maintain its structural and functional integrity. Patients with a variety of skin disorders-ranging from atopic dermatitis and acne to rosacea and photoaged skin-often have compromised skin barriers, as do patients who have recently undergone such cosmetic rejuvenation procedures as glycolic acid peels and laser therapy. SC barrier damage is often associated with sensitive skin, a disorder marked by burning, stinging and itching, and a hyperresponsiveness to environmental signals. Notably, retinoids and other common dermatological treatments have been shown to exacerbate the signs and symptoms associated with a weakened barrier.

Skin care regimens are critical determinants of SC barrier integrity. Harsh surfactants found in soap-based cleansers, for example, often extract vital lipids and proteins, leading to prodound disturbances in homeostatic mechanisms that maintain and repair the barrier. Selecting skin care strategies that minimally perturb the SC barrier-including, for instance, mild moisturizers and non-soap-based syndet cleansers-is thus an essential component of managing patient skin. Since female patients are particularly susceptible to skin barrier insult caused by hormonal changes and their frequent use of cosmetic products, they must take special care to identify a daily regimen best suited for cleansing and moisturizing their skin.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

• Outline the general principles of stratum corneum structure and function, and the relevant factors affecting barrier damage and repair.

• Review the clinical features of sensitive skin and the underlying dermatological conditions and/or cosmetic procedures that can increase skin sensitivity.

• Provide practical skin care recommendations for patients undergoing clinical and cosmetic treatments.

• Describe optimal skin care approaches for female patients.

CME Recognition

The Skin & Allergy News supplement "Selecting a Daily Skin Care Regimen for Today's Female Patients: Clinical and Cosmetic Considerations" is recognized by the American Academy of Dermatology for 1 hour of AAD Category 1 credit and may be used toward the American Academy of Dermatology's Continuing Medical Education Award.

This program was developed in accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education guidelines.

Term of Approval: August 2005-July 31, 2006.

Estimated time to complete this educational activity: 1 hour.

Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc.

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