The AVEENO® Brand Joins Forces With the National Eczema Association to Empower and Educate Eczema Sufferers

SKILLMAN, N.J., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The AVEENO® Brand has teamed up with the National Eczema Association to empower and educate sufferers of the common condition in preparation for the cold and dry winter months when dry skin is most common.  Approximately 35 million people in the U.S. suffer from eczema, a chronic skin disorder resulting in intense itching and overall discomfort.  Eczema is also among the top five skin conditions for babies 0 to 36 months, with 10 to 20 percent of all infants experiencing some form of eczema
. AVEENO®, a pioneer in the study of natural ingredients, is introducing the AVEENO® BABY ECZEMA THERAPY MOISTURIZING CREAM, AVEENO® BABY CLEANSING THERAPY MOISTURIZING WASH and AVEENO® ECZEMA THERAPY MOISTURIZING CREAM for adults, to help relieve skin irritation and itching due to mild to moderate eczema.

Like the AVEENO® Brand, the National Eczema Association is committed to educating families on eczema and founded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance for consumers to easily identify products that have been created or intended for use by persons with eczema and that have satisfied strict criteria and testing requirements. The AVEENO® Eczema Therapy collection of products has passed all of the necessary requirements and has been awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance.  The National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance Review Panel, consisting of experts in dermatology, allergy and other medical disciplines, evaluates products based on safety and tolerance on eczemous skin, as well as ingredient and formulation data.  Affixed on the AVEENO® Eczema Therapy products, the Seal enables families of eczema sufferers to easily identify the products' unique formula attributes and to promote improved quality of life with the trust and credibility of the National Eczema Association.

To provide education on living with eczema, the AVEENO® Brand is launching webisodes featuring AVEENO® Eczema experts on the AVEENO® Facebook page, going live on November 18, 2010.  The webisodes will educate users with tips on living with eczema, information on the AVEENO® Eczema Therapy collection formulas and the healthy development of skin.  Learn more about the upcoming webisodes by visiting www.facebook.com/aveeno.

The AVEENO® Eczema Therapy collection for babies and adults was developed in partnership with leading dermatologists using the healing power of oats. "Natural ingredients are exciting because there are so many different benefits, different components," says Warren Wallo, Director, Scientific Affairs, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. for AVEENO® skin care. "Colloidal oatmeal, for example, has a long, safe history of use and is proven to relieve minor skin irritation and itching associated with eczema." Research Fellow, Scientific Affairs, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies for AVEENO® skin care, Glenn Nystrand, notes that "a problem with other products on the market is that they contain certain preservatives that can potentially irritate skin and worsen the condition."

The AVEENO® Eczema Therapy collection provides an over the counter solution with ACTIVE NATURALS® oats that does not contribute to the problem. The AVEENO® Brand has harnessed the naturally soothing power of ACTIVE NATURALS® oatmeal to help care for skin afflicted with eczema.  AVEENO® Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream and AVEENO® Baby Cleansing Therapy Moisturizing Wash have been clinically shown to improve the quality of life for babies with eczema. In a clinical study, over 90 percent of babies who used the products daily showed improvement in multiple symptoms of eczema (roughness, dryness, itchiness, or scaling).  The AVEENO® Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream's breakthrough formula helps relieve and intensely moisturize irritated skin on adults, helping to strengthen the skin's natural barrier function and preventing the recurrence of dry skin.

"Reducing irritation and discomfort for all sufferers of eczema is very important to the AVEENO® Brand, and we take great pride in offering products infused with natural ingredients that help promote a healthy, happy lifestyle," said Michael Marquis, AVEENO® Brand Group Product Director. "Through our partnership with the National Eczema Association, the AVEENO® Brand is able to expand our commitment to healthy skin by helping to improve the quality of life for families suffering from eczema and severe dry skin."

About the AVEENO® Brand:

The AVEENO® Brand is one of the brands of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company, a division of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. AVEENO® Brand, a leader in ACTIVE NATURALS® technologies uses the best of nature to deliver scientifically proven, effective beauty care products.  Recommended by dermatologists and pediatricians for more than 60 years, the Brand is committed to developing breakthrough product formulations with new and existing natural ingredients, many which deliver clinically proven results.  The AVEENO® Brand is the skincare brand most trusted by dermatologists for its use of natural ingredients.  The AVEENO® Line includes beauty care products for face, body, baby, hair and sun protection. For more information about the AVEENO® Brand and its product offerings, visit: www.aveeno.com.

About the National Eczema Association:

The National Eczema Association (NEA) is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization whose mission is to improve the health and quality of life for individuals with eczema through research, support, and education. In the United States alone, over 10% of the population has some form of atopic dermatitis/eczema. The Association was founded in 1988 by a group of patients, medical professionals, and parents who decided they could do something more to make living with this skin disease a great deal easier. Through a variety of educational materials, including a quarterly patient-oriented newsletter, a monthly electronic newsletter, and educational brochures, the Association reaches out to a diverse audience that includes eczema patients, caregivers, medical professionals, and others. The Association also conducts patient conferences and participates in a wide-variety of medical symposiums. As a patient advocacy organization, NEA is active year round to promote eczema awareness and address issues critical to patient care. Advocacy efforts include advancing increases in skin disease research funding through the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) of the National Institutes of Health, as well as increasing public understanding regarding the burden of eczema.  The Association provides a network of support groups, an up-to-date website with the latest research and treatment information, a Seal of Acceptance program for products intended for eczema sufferers, and a research program advancing knowledge and care.  All NEA programs and services are intended to result in benefits for eczema patients, their caregivers, and all other NEA stakeholders. NEA does not endorse specific products. For more information about the National Eczema Association visit www.nationaleczema.org, contact us at [email protected], or call 1-800-818-7546.

(1) Source: The Eczema Survival Guide, National Eczema Association in conjunction with Novartis Pharmaceuticals; Professional Lessons Learned Presentation; 2005 publication by Dr. Adnan Nasir title "Eczema-Free For Life"

SOURCE AVEENO(R) Brand