Optiderm

Optiderm is a German line of treatments for dry and itchy skin, marketed by Almirall Hermal GmbH, the Reinbek-based subsidiary of the Spanish pharmaceutical group Almirall [8]. Unlike most skincare brands, Optiderm is not sold as a cosmetic: its cream, lotion and rich "Fettcreme" are licensed medicines, available only through pharmacies. Each combines two active ingredients, the itch-relieving agent polidocanol and the moisture-binding substance urea, in a fat-containing base.

The brand positions itself as a cortisone-free form of basic skin therapy, intended to support the treatment of conditions such as atopic eczema, psoriasis and other forms of eczema rather than to replace the treatment of their underlying causes. It reached Almirall in 2007, when the Spanish company bought the dermatology firm Hermal and its established skin-care brands [8]. Optiderm remains active, with a maintained German website and patient material dated December 2025.

The early history of Optiderm is closely tied to Hermal, a dermatology company based in Reinbek in northern Germany. The year the brand was first launched is not publicly documented, and its founders are not named in available sources. What is documented is the turning point of 2007, when Almirall acquired Hermal. German Wikipedia describes the deal as the purchase of Hermal's established dermatological brands, naming Optiderm, described as a product for dry and itchy skin, alongside Aknemycin for acne, Balneum Hermal for dry skin, Jacutin for lice and Tannosynt for inflammatory skin conditions [8].

After the acquisition, the former Hermal business continued under the name Almirall Hermal as a subsidiary of the Almirall group, and Optiderm stayed within that German operation. The brand's mandatory product notices list revision dates of October 2020 for Optiderm Creme, June 2021 for Optiderm Lotion and July 2021 for Optiderm Fettcreme, showing that the range has continued to be maintained as regulated medicines.

Optiderm is owned by Almirall S.A., a publicly listed pharmaceutical company headquartered in Barcelona and founded in 1943. According to German Wikipedia, Almirall concentrates on medicines for respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin diseases as well as autoimmune conditions, is directly present in 12 countries and sells its products in 70. Dermatology is its largest field, accounting for 59 percent of sales, and the company is described as a European market leader in medicines for skin inflammation. The Gallardo family controls roughly 66 percent of the group, and Jorge Gallardo Ballart chairs its board [8].

Day-to-day responsibility for Optiderm lies with Almirall Hermal GmbH, which publishes the brand's website from Scholtzstraße 3 in Reinbek and is registered at the district court of Lübeck [3]. Within the Almirall group, Optiderm sits beside other skin brands such as Akneroxid.

Optiderm's central message is captured in its tagline, "Optiderm – Juckreiz effektiv lindern", which translates roughly as "effectively relieving itching". The company frames its products as a "medical basic therapy": a regular, everyday treatment that cares for irritated skin while actively reducing the urge to scratch. On its eczema pages, the brand explains that such creams form part of the basic therapy for atopic eczema, and that the choice of a suitable cream depends on the stage of the condition.

A large part of the brand's communication is built around the cycle that itching can set off. As the company describes it, a damaged skin barrier leads to dryness and itching; scratching then irritates the skin further, allows germs to enter through small wounds and can trigger infections and flare-ups that slow the healing of chronic skin disease. Optiderm presents its products as a way to break this cycle by restoring fats and moisture to the skin while calming the itch itself.

Freedom from cortisone is a recurring theme. Optiderm describes itself as a cortisone-free alternative for itching and dry skin, and contrasts this with treatments based on corticosteroids. The brand also stresses tolerability: according to Optiderm, the products are free from fragrances and dyes, and the Fettcreme is additionally free from preservatives.

The brand's audience is described broadly. Beyond people with atopic eczema, psoriasis or eczema, Optiderm says that those with very sensitive skin or age-related dryness can benefit from a regulating basic care. Its website opens its section on itchy skin with the claim that one in five Germans suffers from itchy skin, usually as a result of sensitive, dry skin, though it notes that itching can also be a symptom of internal illnesses such as kidney disorders or diabetes.

The range consists of three formats, each matched by the company to a particular area or degree of dryness:

- Optiderm Creme, which the brand recommends for smaller itchy areas such as the face and hands. - Optiderm Lotion, intended for larger areas such as the legs and body, and for skin covered with hair. - Optiderm Fettcreme, a richer cream with a high lipid content for very dry skin.

The defining feature of all three is the pairing of polidocanol and urea. According to the official product information, the cream and the lotion each contain 5 percent urea and 3 percent polidocanol [10]. Optiderm says it is the only medicine for itchy dry skin that contains both of these active ingredients [1].

Polidocanol, chemically a macrogol lauryl ether, is a surface anaesthetic. The brand explains that it acts locally on the nerve fibres in the skin that transmit itch and pain, numbing them, and notes that dermatologists frequently use the substance for its itch-relieving properties. When applied externally, polidocanol relieves itching; the same group of substances is also used as emulsifiers in cosmetics and medicines [9]. Optiderm says its formula uses a polidocanol with optimised properties.

Urea is a substance the body produces itself and one of the skin's natural moisturising factors. Optiderm counts it among the best moisture-binding agents for helping the skin hold water, and points out that skin affected by dryness, atopic eczema, psoriasis or diabetes contains noticeably less urea than healthy skin. By topping up this deficit, the company says, the skin regains its moisture and becomes smoother and more supple. Glycerin is included as a supporting ingredient to keep the skin soft and strengthen its barrier, while the lipid-containing base supplies fats and, according to the brand, absorbs quickly.

The company makes strong claims for the combination's effect. It states that Optiderm noticeably or even completely reduces itching within a short time, and that symptoms of itchy skin are relieved and often gone within one week [6]. These are the brand's own statements.

Officially, the products are approved to regulate the moisture of the skin's outer layer, to replenish fats and to stop itching as a supporting treatment for skin conditions with dry or itchy skin, such as atopic eczema and eczema caused by drying out from detergents and similar exposure, and for follow-up care [3]. The standard directions are to apply a thin layer twice a day; treatment typically lasts around three weeks, but the product may be used for longer when dryness persists. The product information advises against use on acutely inflamed, weeping or infected skin, and notes that urea-containing products can cause brief burning when used on children. The cream and lotion contain benzyl alcohol, and the Fettcreme contains cetyl alcohol, both flagged as warnings in the brand's mandatory notices.

Optiderm is sold exclusively through pharmacies, both in physical stores and through online mail-order pharmacies [2]. It does not require a prescription. In Germany, the company states that statutory health insurance covers the cost for children up to the age of 12. Optiderm is marketed in Germany and Austria [9].

Alongside its products, the brand publishes patient education material. Its website carries guides on itchy skin, dry skin and atopic eczema, a downloadable guide to itching, and practical tips, including instructions for building a "scratching block": a small wooden block covered with chamois leather that a person can scratch instead of their own skin. The site also points readers to a separate portal on atopic eczema for further information.

Optiderm is an active brand. Its website carries a 2026 copyright notice from Almirall and links to an itch guide dated December 2025 [5]. The site continues to link to online pharmacies stocking the products, and the brand remains part of Almirall Hermal's dermatology portfolio. No awards, press coverage or controversies are documented for the brand.