Initially, I was a little thrown off when I heard Douxo® was changing their main active ingredient from phytosphingosine to ophytrium. Why change it now? But, as I learned more about the upgrades that were being made to the new Douxo® S3 line, I was really excited hear about the thought and innovation that went into upgrading this line.
On episode 84 of The Derm Vet podcast, I got to talk to two amazing ladies from Ceva Animal Health: Dr. Christine Mullins (veterinary services manager) and Jacqueline Hodges (associate key account manager). They walk though the steps to this upgrade to assessing its effect on new canine skin models, a human skin model (to assure safety for owners) and in real canine patients. Not only were the ingredients considered but the user experience with the bottle, smell and lather.
Ophytrium is a natural ingredient extracted from the root of the Japanese mondo grass plant (Ophiopogon japonicus). It helps to maintain the mechanical skin barrier and preserves the microbial flora. The S3 stands for Safe Skincare Selection as a nod to the extensive research done to look at safety and efficacy for the skin barrier.
A new protocol was developed to test safety on skin conditions, assess the owner experience and clinical studies to validate efficacy on the skin barrier. The new protocol includes bathing on the first day and then using the mousse three times weekly for the next three weeks. This allows owners to bathe less if this is difficult for their lifestyle at home or pet is not cooperative.
There are four different topical lines in the new Douxo® S3 line: PYO (antibacterial/antifungal), SEB (seborrhea), CALM (allergies/itch) and CARE (everyday grooming). The PYO, SEB and CALM all had clinical studies using the new protocol showing similar results to bathing weekly and using mousse).
But, even if we believe the ingredients in a particular topical work well, it doesn’t mean much if the client doesn’t enjoy using it. Douxo® S3 kept this in mind providing a lovely coconut + vanilla scent, better lathering and easier to use bottles. Controversial ingredients were also excluded such as soaps, sulfates and parabens.
The goal of Douxo® S3 is to provide the research for veterinarians, a great experience for owners using the products and to really help the health of the pet through an easier protocol and upgraded ingredients. You can contact your local Ceva rep or go to www.douxo.com for more information.
This episode of the podcast was sponsored by Ceva Animal Health.
