OVERVIEW

Itchy skin is one of the most frustrating and annoying sensations you can have. Just thinking about a persistent itch is enough to drive you mad. Many people have itchy skin, often due to various common skin conditions, such as eczema (atopic dermatitis), psoriasis, or hives (urticaria), which impacts on the quality of everyday life. The worst thing about an itch is that scratching makes it worse, and people with eczema feel it more than most people, so they are getting a double assault on the body. Dr Tey Hong Liang, runs the Itch Clinic at the National Skin Centre in Singapore, a regional centre of excellence in skin disorders. Recognising that existing moisturisers and creams were not adequately treating his patients’ itchy dry skin, Dr Tey decided to create a solution. Dr Tey combined the natural itch relieving and cooling power of menthol, with a high concentration of a ceramide based moisturiser, which restores the natural skin barrier. Menthol works within minutes to relieve the itch, while its cooling effect also encourages frequent application, which is essential to allow the ceramides to repair the skin barrier. After two years of research and positive feedback from his patients, Dr Tey looked for a partner to help make his product available around the world. The partner he chose was Good Pharma Dermatology, a company set up by Dr John O’Shea and Jason Humphries. John is a medical doctor from Ireland, with experience of managing skin issues in general practice, and Jason a marketing expert who specialises in pharmaceutical products. Together, they saw the importance of making Dr Tey’s product available to people globally. They conducted a study at the National Skin Centre to prove its safety and efficacy. The study demonstrated a 56% reduction in itch for people with eczema. Further studies have shown that over 90% of people start to get relief from itch within minutes of applying the product.