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ALL SKIN TYPES have
one thing in common: a
protective layer called the
acid mantle. This layer
works two ways. “The
barrier it provides locks
in moisture and hydration
on the inside, and the outside of this layer blocks
out bacteria and other
environmental influences,”
explains Alex P. Fazeli,
M.D., Ph.D., president of
Physician Laboratories Inc.
Normal skin is soft,
smooth and resilient,
explains Heinz Maurer,
M.D., founder and creator
of Sebamed. Oily skin has a
telltale shiny appearance
and open pores that usher
in blackheads and acne.
Dry skin is ultra-sensitive,
rough, tight and itchy, says
Maurer. It reddens and
flakes, and when stressed
it’s easily irritated.
SEBAPHARMA GMBH & CO. KG, BOPPARD, GERMAN Y
Combination skin is oily
in some areas, dry in others,
and can be very difficult to
manage. Babies pose a
unique challenge, Maurer
adds, because they haven’t
had time to develop the
protective mantle. Their
skin is extremely delicate.
Maurer adds, “There are
other indications or disorders that can cause problem
skin—psoriasis, acne and
diabetes, where the interfering effect of the diabetes
on metabolism can deteriorate skin function.”—JMD
More
than
skin
deep
Suffering inspires
Sebamed founder
Additional resources:
www.nlm.nih.gov/medline
plus/ skinconditions.html
www.medicinenet.com/
skin/ focus.htm
By Jacqueline M. Duda
BORN IN 1921 in Saarbrücken, Germany, Heinz
Maurer was a firsthand witness to the enormous
swath of human suffering along the embattled
European war front of the 1940s. The experience
stirred his altruistic inclinations to become a doctor
so he could help alleviate the suffering of others.
In 1950, Maurer graduated from the University
of Bonn, where he also worked as assistant doctor
at the dermatological clinic. While at Bonn, he was
drawn into the study of eczema, a condition that
inflames the skin and is accompanied by incessant
itching and burning sensations. Water and soap
(back then, mostly made with lye, a strong chemical, with some animal and vegetable fats mixed in)
were therapeutically banned because bathing only
worsened eczema.
“As a young doctor I saw how patients with
eczema were suffering from the prohibition to
supplier profile
Company: Sebapharma GmbH & Co.
Founded: 1967
Headquarters: Boppard, Germany
Employees: 197
Contact:
www.sebamedusa.com;
info@sebamedusa.com; 1-877-228-4646
Products at Costco: Sebamed Liquid
Face and Body Wash; other Sebamed
products are available on Costco.com
Comments about Costco:
“Costco shares our philosophy that
customers deserve the highest-quality
products without compromise.”
—Heinz Maurer
; 2
s
s
r
health for your
“People have not washed correctly for 2,000
years,” asserts Heinz Maurer (above), who
developed Sebamed to match the skin’s pH.
JANUARY 2011 ;e Costco Connection 51
wash themselves,” says Maurer. But the ban didn’t
improve the situation. It only made the situation
unbearable for everyone, “both patients and medical staff,” he explains.
Maurer began researching a “skin-friendly”
soap alternative and learned of some promising U.S.
trials suggesting the efficacy of tensides, synthetically manufactured detergents that match the skin’s
pH. Inspired, he developed a cleanser based on
these tensides and tested it on the patients at Bonn.
The trial turned out to be a huge success. Nonetheless,
when the clinic director returned from an absence
he was none too pleased that the trial occurred off
his watch. Maurer was transferred, putting an
abrupt end to his university career.
Even more determined, Maurer continued his
quest to improve the lives of people with chronic
skin conditions. In 1967 he founded Sebamat
Chemie GmbH, and in 1968 he introduced the
Sebamed cleansing bar.
“This created a new category—medicinal skin
care—in which Sebamed is still the market leader
after more than 30 years,“ says Maurer, and
the cleansers he worked long and hard to
develop, including Sebamed, gained
wide acceptance from pharmacies
and dermatologists abroad. (Sebamed
is now in more than 85 countries
worldwide.) The invention enabled
the safe yet effective washing of
infected and irritated skin, which
hadn’t been possible before. “It was
then that I made the provocative
statement to the medical profession
care—in which Sebamed is still the market leader
e
s
hadn’t been possible before. “It was
