Sometimes it’s better to be simple – and one dermatologist has wondered how one simple ingredient could dramatically improve the skin of eczema sufferers.
Content creator Sharon K. Xie took to TikTok to explain that she was suffering from eczema – a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin – and apply Aquaphor, a moisturizing ointment to relieve her symptoms.
However, she claims that after telling her dermatologist that she was using it, she was quickly told to stop.
“I’m currently experiencing an eczema flare-up around my mouth so I asked my doctor what to do and he said to cut it all out and just use Vaseline,” she said in the video, which has been viewed so far . more than 1.3 million times.
Content creator Sharon K. Xie took to TikTok to explain that she was suffering from eczema — a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes dry, itchy, and inflamed skin — and applied Aquaphor, a moisturizing ointment, to ease her symptoms
According to Sharon, her dermatologist told her that Aquaphor contains lanolin, which can trigger eczema flare-ups in some people.
‘[He said] only use petroleum jelly because Aquaphor contains other ingredients like lanolin, which I didn’t know [Aquaphor] It honestly had lanolin in it,” she explained.
“If you have very sensitive skin, you really only need the basic ingredients that will keep your skin hydrated,” she explained.
“Vaseline is 100 percent Vaseline and Aquaphor has a lot of ingredients in it,” she added.
TikTok users chimed in with their own experiences, with others admitting they’d also had problems with lanolin products in the past.
‘I actually became intolerant to lanolin due to overuse of Aquaphor, so I am now effectively allergic. Laney lip masks and summer Fridays don’t have it! Usually natural balms work, not Burts Bees!!” wrote one person.
“I also switched to Vaseline and my eczema has calmed down again,” says another.
Others said they experienced the opposite effect.
‘That’s actually strange, because Vaseline has never helped me. When I bought Aquaphor, it soothed my eczema overnight, especially in my eyebrows and on my eyelid,” one user shared.
Sharon’s dermatologist said Aquaphor contains lanolin, which can trigger eczema flare-ups in some people. Instead, he recommends petroleum jelly, which is 100 percent petroleum jelly.
TikTok users chimed in about their experiences, with others admitting they’d also had problems with lanolin products in the past
Dermatologists often recommend dialing back skin care routines.
In a popular clip on TikTok, Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, based in California, the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to skin care.
In the video, Shirazi warned viewers about using too many different types of products.
“I have to remind them that their skin is an organ, and it’s not designed to be bombarded with so many actives and products,” Shirazi says.
She explained that there are only three skincare products you should really use every day: a cleanser, a moisturizer, and an SPF.
“If you have acne, or want to do something anti-aging, add a treatment step between your cleanser and moisturizer,” she advised.