Dermatologist Review of La Roche-Posay

France is a country of geographically defined traditions. In viticulture, for example, there is Bordeaux – the place and the wines. Similarly, in skin care there is La Roche-Posay – the place, the spa, the water and the products. La Roche Posay (La Station Thermale de la Peau) is a well known village dating back to the 12th century. Today La Roche Posay is host to the largest spa resort in Europe specializing in skin care. The village is located in west-central France on the TGV line midway between Paris and Bordeaux.

La Roche-Posay has been known since the 16th century for its soothing, healing and softening ‘velvet water’ with clinically documented dermatologic properties. The water seeps slowly through chalky beds from the Turonian period and is drawn up from 100 to 260 feet below the town. It has a low mineral content and contains calcium bicarbonate, silicates and selenium. Multiple clinical studies support the observations that this water possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-itch, healing and anti free-radical properties.

The La Roche-Posay spa is devoted to skin disorders and welcomes around 10,000 visitors each year. The spa has a therapeutic team composed of dermatologists that treats patients with disorders such as psoriasis, rosacea, eczema, itch and scars. The philosophy of the spa is that some disorders which do not respond well to traditional medical therapy will respond to the effects of La Roche-Posay’s therapeutic waters.

The therapeutic thermal water and the resultant dermatological skin care center served as the initial foundation of La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Pharmaceutique. In 1989 this pharmaceutical laboratory became part of L’Oréal Group. This union promoted a synergy of new formulations with La Roche-Posay’s therapeutic water and L’Oréal’s world class research and development resources.

Today La Roche-Posay is the number one skin care brand recommended by dermatologists in Europe. La Roche-Posay distributes approximately thirty French manufactured products in the United States and also co-markets the American-made Biomedic skin care line which shares packaging and branding elements. Many of La Roche-Posay’s regimen suggestions for various skin types or conditions contain elements of both brands within the overall daily regimen.

La Roche-Posay products are focused upon a variety of dermatologic conditions and concerns. The two original product lines, Toleriane and Lipikar, are directed towards intolerant (sensitive) skin and lipid depleted (dry) skin respectively. These products are very effective and pleasant for daily use. Lipikar products, however, do contain a prominent fragrance so consider sampling the products if fragrances might be an issue.

A major breakthrough product for La Roche-Posay is Mexoryl SX (ecamsule), the first new sunscreen approved by the FDA in 18 years. Mexoryl is not a physical block like titanium and zinc but rather a stable sun filter that works very effectively against short UVA rays. The United States FDA has approved Mexoryl SX products with SPF 15 for sale in the United States but has not allowed higher SPF formulations. La Roche-Posay’s USA product is called Anthelios SX and is receiving considerable publicity. The product is particularly useful as a protective moisturizing agent prior to application of mineral makeup or mineral powder sunscreen.

La Roche-Posay in recent years has brought to market therapies targeted at a variety of other dermatologic disorders including rosacea related redness (Rosaliac), mild melasma-like pigmentation (Mela-D), acne (Effaclar K), and photoaging (Redermic and Active C). Redermic contains the key ingredient madecassoside that is reported to possess regenerative and protective functions on dermal structural proteins. Madecassoside is new on the anti-aging skin care radar and La Roche-Posay says it was first purified in 2003. Active C products have been around for much longer and contain 5% active and stable l-ascorbic acid in a base containing La Roche-Posay spring water.

La Roche-Posay is a very reputable skin care company and their products represent a unique and useful way of addressing various common skin care needs and concerns. The products are extensively clinically tested for efficacy and safety. The product lines have the breadth necessary to cater to individual skin care needs within the general parameters of each specific product line focus. The popularity of these products amongst European dermatologists for many years and more recently amongst American dermatologists speaks volumes regarding the value of La Roche-Posay products for general skin care and specific skin care needs.