While there are many effective options for most patients with atopic dermatitis, many come with increased risks. While high dose topical steroids are effective for some patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, the risk of using such neat or single-agent steroids on the skin includes systemic absorption, thinning of the skin, atrophy of the skin, telangiectasis (increased appearance of the underlining blood vessels), striae (stretch marks), and bruising of the skin. Given that atopic dermatitis is a chronic medical skin condition with no available cure, the use of such high dose, undiluted topically applied steroids is not advisable given the increased likelihood of such side effects mentioned.
The Aron Regimen® is different! While the Aron Regimen® does include a topical steroid, the potency of this steroid is diluted by a factor of 10-17 depending on the level of the compound the patient is given as determined by the physician. This dilution is accomplished by the use of large amounts of topical moisturizer and the addition of a topical antibiotic in the finished combined compound- both working to lessen the potency of the steroid.
A great example of what dilution means is to visualize two bottles that contain an equal amount of ink in them. One bottle has 1 ounce of undiluted and pure ink in the bottle- nothing else is in the bottle- thus the ink is found in its full strength or potency. The other bottle has the same amount of ink (1 ounce) but also includes 9 ounces of water. The ink in the second bottle is not as potent as the ink in the first bottle because it has been watered down and is thus weaker than the ink in the first bottle.
A great question would be to ask if the solution in the second bottle could be more effective than the undiluted ink in the first bottle. The answer would be yes, if we substituted an additional ingredient in place of the water in the bottle that would make the new solution more effective while still maintaining the diluted down version of the ink.
Such a scenario exists when using the Aron Compound- a diluted down topical steroid that is more effective than the same undiluted topical steroid by itself.
When a patient is using the Aron Compound, we are mixing in a greater amount of moisturizer and topical antibiotic to the standing amount of topical steroid- thus, we dilute the steroid with the other ingredients. While this diluting effect would act to lessen the effectiveness of the topical steroid, this negative effect is more than overcome by the synergistic addition of the topical steroid and moisturizer that is also found in the compound. The topical antibiotic makes the compound work more effectively than if you only used the topical steroid by itself. The reason this is still effective is that most, if not all, cases of atopic dermatitis are complicated by the overlying infection of the skin with a bacteria called Staph Aureus. This bacteria, when present on the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis, tends to aggravate and promote the inflammation that is already present. Second, the infection tends to make the topical steroid less effective by inducing steroid resistance. Third, the infection tends to just aggravate the skin via an irritant effect. These 3 negative effects of the infection are important reasons why traditional therapies sometimes do not work in patients with moderate to severe eczema- they do not address the overlying staph infection.
The Aron Regimen® recognizes this deficiency and addresses it by including a very effective topical antibiotic in the compound. By decreasing the presence of the staph on the skin, we eliminate an aggravating factor seen in most patients with atopic dermatitis. By doing this, we are also able to use diluted amounts of topical steroids and still get better results. This makes for a safer therapy compared to if we were only using neat, undiluted steroids on the skin.
The Aron Regimen® is a balanced treatment that addresses the inflammation, infection, and dry skin that is seen in almost all patients that have atopic dermatitis. It is the only readily available treatment that combines the proper amounts of steroids, antibiotics, and moisturizer that optimally addresses the major aspects of atopic dermatitis.
In sum, the Aron Regimen® is a relatively safe option for the treatment of atopic dermatitis compared to traditional eczema treatments that only use single-agent steroid or non-steroid agents. The Aron Regimen® is an easy-to-use, safe, and economical treatment strategy that has helped thousands of patients overcome the misery of atopic dermatitis. If interested, please visit us at www.EczemaSpecialist.com to learn more about how we can help you find freedom from your eczema.
