Chemderm - The Cosmetic range of soap free cleansers and moisturisers specially formulated for dry or sensitive skin. Your skin is the body's largest organ. When it's healthy your skin contains a high level of moisture. From time to time however, the amount of moisture in your skin decreases resulting in dryness and irritation. In time, the skin becomes rough and itchy, losing its smoothness and healthy glow. As we age the flow of natural oils which help to keep the skin soft, supple and healthy, is reduced and drying can occur. People with dermatitis or eczema can lose water from their skin up to 10 times faster than normal. Babies and children may also have dry skin if the glands producing the oil are not functioning properly. Your skin is built like a brick wall. The top layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, forms a barrier to prevent water being lost. This protective layer of skin is made up of corneocytes (bricks) and lipids (mortar). These bricks and mortar also prevent foreign substances from getting in. When the stratum corneum loses water, the skin becomes dry and flaky. As a result, the bricks shrivel up and cracks open up between them, allowing foreign substances to enter. This can result in further irritation and drying of the skin. Some dry or sensitive skin conditions have medical names such as dermatitis, eczema and infantile eczema. They all result in the skin feeling uncomfortable, rough and itchy and, more often than not, cause the skin to flake, peel or become scaly. Unfortunately most skin disorders are recurring, so if you have dry or sensitive skin, it's important to care for it on an ongoing basis. To effectively care for dry or sensitive skin its important to stop using soap. Most soap has an alkaline pH that strips away your skin's natural layer of protective oils leaving it dry and open to infection. Ordinary soap should be replaced with one of ChemDerm's soap free cleanser's. All the products in the ChemDerm range, have a pH level of 6, which is similar to your skin's own pH, so they are less likely to irritate. They also help to maintain the skin's natural protective properties. Immediately after cleansing with ChemDerm soap free wash or ChemDerm bath oil rehydrate your skin with one of ChemDerm's perfume free, colour free and lanolin free moisturiser's. All products are pH balanced to match that of your skin and are less likely to cause irritation. They not only add moisture, but also seal in your skin's natural moisture by acting as a protective barrier. ChemDerm -The Cosmestic Alternative to QV. CHEM-DERM Pty Ltd © 2005 ABN 15 098 209 557