How I Use Dermadr8 and NatureDr8 in Eczema Care
There are many ways to approach eczema.
It is a little like making chicken curry. There is no single recipe!
Different cooks use different ingredients and methods, and sometimes the recipe needs to be adjusted depending on who is eating it.
Eczema can be much the same.
By the time some patients come to see me, they have already tried many different creams and treatment approaches.
Some have helped, some have not, and some worked for a while before the skin became dry or irritated again.
So rather than giving every patient exactly the same skincare routine, I look at what their skin needs and use different products as individual tools that can complement one another.
In my practice, Dermadr8 and NatureDr8 are two such tools.
They are not replacements for conventional eczema treatment, but are incorporated into an overall skincare routine.
Dermadr8: A Hydrating Serum
Dermadr8 is a water-based hydrating serum containing hyaluronic acid (HA).
I mainly use it:
- As a hydrating serum for the face
- For patients who dislike heavy or greasy moisturizers
- As an additional hydration layer for dry, eczema-prone skin
- Together with the patient’s regular skincare
One important point: Dermadr8 alone is not sufficient as maintenance treatment for eczema.
It provides hydration, but eczema also requires attention to the skin barrier. A suitable moisturizer remains an important part of ongoing eczema care.
A simple way to think about it:
Dermadr8 = hydration
Moisturizer = barrier support
[Click here: Why I created DermaDr8]
Why Dermadr8 goes first
Because Dermadr8 is a water-based serum, I apply it before the other skincare products.
This allows the serum to be applied directly to the skin before heavier moisturizing layers are placed over it.
My usual sequence is:
Dermadr8 → moisturizer → other topical products as appropriate
I would not normally apply the serum over an oil or heavier moisturizer, as the heavier layer can interfere with the serum making direct contact with the skin.
So my simple rule is:
Serum first. Moisturizer after.
NatureDr8: A Richer Moisturizing Option
NatureDr8 has a richer, oil-based texture, so I generally find it more suitable for the body than the face.
Some patients actually love it for their face, so preference does matter.
I particularly use it for patients with:
- Very dry eczema-prone skin
- Skin that needs more frequent moisturization
- Skin that stings or burns with some conventional moisturizers
- Areas that need additional or “top-up” moisturization
- Dry skin that becomes uncomfortable or easily excoriated from scratching
For very dry skin, one combination I commonly use is:
Dermadr8 → NatureDr8
The Dermadr8 provides the hydrating layer first, followed by NatureDr8 as the richer moisturizing layer.
They do not always need to be used together. I use them as individual tools depending on what the patient’s skin needs.
NatureDr8 as a Top-Up Moisturizer
A patient may already be using their regular moisturizer twice a day but notice that certain areas occasionally become dry.
Rather than changing the entire skincare routine, I may simply suggest:
Use NatureDr8 on those areas as needed.
This allows patients to give additional attention to the areas that need it without changing everything else.
My Usual Day and Night Approach
For many patients with eczema, I use a ceramide-dominant moisturizer in cream format during the day and NatureDr8 at night.
The ceramide-dominant cream has a 3:1:1 ratio, supporting the skin barrier.
At night, NatureDr8 provides a richer moisturizing layer.
This combination has worked well for many of my patients.
However, some prefer to reverse the order:
NatureDr8 during the day → ceramide-dominant cream at night
Some patients find NatureDr8 easier and faster to apply during the day and feel that the moisturizing effect lasts longer.
For me, patient preference and adherence are important.
A complicated skincare routine that a patient finds inconvenient and does not like will lead to poor adherence.
So I do not make the day-and-night regimen overly rigid.
I adjust it according to the patient’s skin, lifestyle and preference.
For Skin That Becomes Easily Scratched or Excoriated
I particularly like NatureDr8 in patients whose very dry eczema-prone skin becomes easily excoriated from scratching.
Keeping the skin well moisturized can make it more comfortable and help break the cycle of dryness and scratching.
The prebiotic component is intended to support a healthy skin microbiome.
However, I regard this as supportive skincare, not treatment for infection.
If there are signs of an active skin infection — such as increasing pain, warmth, swelling, pus or oozing, rapidly spreading redness, or fever — the infection should be assessed and treated appropriately.
Moisturizers alone are not a treatment for an active infection.
[Click here: Why NatureDr8 Was Born From Eczema Frustrations]
What If I Am Also Using Eczema Medication?
Moisturizers are only one part of eczema treatment.
When eczema is actively inflamed, patients may also need topical anti-inflammatory treatment such as a topical corticosteroid or topical calcineurin inhibitor, depending on the situation.
When I use Dermadr8 as part of this regimen, my practical sequence is:
Dermadr8 serum
↓
Moisturizer of choice or NatureDr8
↓
Topical medication
In simple terms:
Hydrate → moisturize → treat the inflammation
Dermadr8 and NatureDr8 are adjuncts to eczema treatment, not replacements for appropriate anti-inflammatory treatment when there is active inflammation.
There Is No Single Eczema Recipe
I use Dermadr8 and NatureDr8 as individual tools that can complement each other, depending on what the patient’s skin needs.
They can also be used alongside other skincare products and conventional eczema treatments.
One patient may use their usual ceramide-dominant cream moisturizer and add Dermadr8 for additional hydration. Another may use NatureDr8 as a richer moisturizer or as a top-up for particularly dry areas.
Someone with active eczema may use these skincare products alongside their prescribed topical treatment.
So I don’t think of this as a fixed protocol.
I use each product as an individual tool and combine them according to what the patient’s skin needs.
By the time many patients come to see me, they have already tried many different things.
Sometimes the answer is not another complicated regimen.
First, I identify what they are currently using that may be irritating or aggravating the skin, and simplify or stop it where appropriate.
Next is finding the right combination of treatment and skincare that works for that particular person’s skin.
And one that they can continue using consistently.
There isn’t one perfect recipe for everyone.
Sometimes, the key is finding the combination that works for your skin.
[Click here for: Moisturizing Tips From An Allergist]
