Calmmé cream helps COVID hands, says northern beaches chemist Daphne Kapetas

A cream developed on the northern beaches to soothe chafing in athletes has been adopted by nurses and other frontline staff during COVID.

Nurses use a northern beaches cream to protect their hands from dermatitis during COVID. Picture: Supplied.

Sales of a cream developed on the northern beaches to stop athletes chafing have taken off during COVID after people discovered it does wonders for dermatitis caused by using hand sanitiser.

The product Calmmé, which was developed by two northern beaches chemists and is manufactured in Hornsby, was originally marketed at helping prevent and soothe chafing among athletes and others who suffer.

Calmme cream developed on the northern beaches can help soothe irritated skin caused by excessive washing or using hand sanitiser. Picture: Supplied.

Northern beaches nurses are using the cream to protect and soothe their hands from dermatitis during COVID. Picture: Supplied.

It was successfully trialled and tested on the bottoms of rowers at Long Reef Surf Lifesaving Club.

Rowing is known to cause chafing in unfortunate areas.

But now the $25 product is being lauded for also helping those with eczema and dermatitis which has dramatically increased during COVID.

Frequent hand washing strips the skin of healthy fats and oils and hand sanitisers kill both good and bad bacteria. The result can be dry, itchy red and irritated skin.

Nurses at Northern Beaches Hospital, as well as nusing staff on COVID wards in other states, say they love Calmmé which has come to their rescue during the pandemic. It’s also been adopted by other frontline staff including teachers.

Daphne Kapetas, 54, from Frenchs Forest, who helped develop the cream, said sales of Calmmé jumped 25 per cent during COVID after the message spread online that it worked wonders for people suffering from skin irritations.

“People who have never had eczema or dermatitis before developed it during COVID,” Ms Kapetas said.

“I think people thought, ‘I’ve got this, let’s try it’ and it has worked.

“I know one doctor in Queensland who has been promoting it for skin irritations.”

Ms Kapetas, a keen athlete and lifesaver herself, said she decided to create a product which could help her mum, who suffered from chafing. She also saw that many sports people suffer too.

It was developed by Ray Townsend, of Collaroy, who is a top formulating chemist who also works for multinationals, and launched in 2017.

Daphne Kapetas, owner and founder of a cream Calmmé, which is said to work wonders on people with dermatitis and eczema caused by hand sanitiser. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Kapetas said it was an unexpected bonus that Calmmé is also helping people with other skin conditions too.

As it contains no known nasties or no potential allergens and is completely safe to use, even on broken skin, she said she has no problems recommending it to anyone.

Mum and primary school teacher Kris Fuchs, of Freshwater, said she developed dermatitis last winter because of hand washing during the pandemic.

She has been using the cream for chafing during exercise for a couple of years and gave it a go on her hands.

“I’ve never had eczema or dermatitis before,” Ms Fuchs said.

“I thought I’d use it and it helped.

“I still use a moisturiser, but this helps create a barrier, but what I like about it is that you don’t know you are wearing it.”

Ms Kapetas said that during a pandemic people must continue to wash their hands often with soap and water or hand sanitiser and wet wipes when water if not available.

The product can be bought online at lajoieskin.com or at selected pharmacies.