Basic skin care in atopic dermatitis - new and established treatment options.

ABSTRACT

Basic skin care (basic therapy) is a mainstay in the treatment of atopic dermatitis, irrespective of disease severity and current disease activity. Consistent application of basic skin care plays a key role in restoring skin barrier function and reducing xerosis as well as pruritus. Moreover, it has been shown that concurrent basic therapy has steroid-sparing effects in acute disease flares. In long-term atopic dermatitis management, the use of basic skin care is associated with prolonged recurrence-free intervals. Recent studies have also demonstrated that early initiation of basic skin therapy has protective effects in infants at risk of developing atopic dermatitis. The present review addresses these topics with a focus on established treatments and new developments.