The routine
How to Use Dermagic
Five steps, applied consistently. The full walk-through from first bath through complete coat recovery — including what to expect week by week.
Step-by-step
The five-step routine
Do it in order. Skip nothing. Consistency matters more than intensity — daily application at a modest amount beats occasional over-use.
Step 1
Cleanse — bath with the shampoo
Wet the coat thoroughly with lukewarm water. Work Dermagic Shampoo (or the Certified Organic Shampoo Bar) into a lather, focusing on the affected areas but covering the whole coat. Leave the lather on for two to three minutes so the botanical ingredients have time to work. Rinse until the water runs clear.
Tip. Never use a human shampoo on a dog — the pH is wrong and it strips protective oils. Skip conditioner during active treatment.
Step 2
Rescue — daily Skin Rescue Lotion
Once the coat is dry, apply Skin Rescue Lotion directly to affected areas. Massage gently into the skin — you're aiming for absorption, not surface coverage. Treat it like a hand cream: a small amount to start, more if the area is bigger. Apply once daily during active recovery.
Tip. If skin is red or reactive, drop to every other day — it's okay to slow the treatment, not okay to quit.
Step 3
Target — Hot Spot Salve on stubborn patches
For bare, persistent or crusted areas the lotion isn't quite reaching, follow with Hot Spot Salve. Its higher lanolin content makes it cling to bare skin. A pea-sized amount goes a long way — massage gently, don't lay it on thick.
Tip. The Skin Rescue Lotion and Hot Spot Salve pair up well: lotion for coverage, salve for the difficult spots.
Step 4
Cover — the t-shirt trick
For the first hour after application, cover the treated area with a light t-shirt (body) or a baby sock (paw). Every Dermagic product is safe if licked, but products work far faster from the outside in. The cover keeps the routine on the skin instead of on your dog's tongue.
Tip. A soft, worn t-shirt that fits the dog snugly is perfect — no need for anything specialised.
Step 5
Restore — Cell Restoration Crème as recovery progresses
Once the skin has calmed and new fur is coming through, transition from Skin Rescue Lotion to Cell Restoration Crème. It supports the skin barrier and encourages coat regrowth in the cleared areas. Continue until the coat is fully restored.
Tip. Don't rush to the Crème — if the skin is still red or reactive, stay on Skin Rescue Lotion.
What to expect
The recovery arc, honestly
Dermagic works over weeks and months, not days. This is the trajectory most owners report — with the caveat that every dog is different.
First fortnight
Itching should start to ease. Some dogs show visible improvement in the first week; others take longer. Occasional flakiness or short-term worsening is common as the routine draws out old infected skin.
Weeks 3–6
New fur starts to come through in cleared areas. Skin colour begins returning to a healthy pink. This is the stretch where owners often lose faith — the visible change is slow. Stay consistent.
Months 2–4
Coat fills in. Underlying skin is stable. Time to consider switching from Skin Rescue Lotion to Cell Restoration Crème for the last stretch.
Months 4–6
Full recovery for most cases. Some severe cases take longer — six months isn't unusual for advanced yeast overgrowth or Black Skin Disease.
Common questions
Four things owners ask us most
How much product should I apply?
Treat it like a hand cream — start with a small amount, add more until the area is fully covered. There's no exact dose. Massage into the skin, don't leave it sitting on the coat.
How often should I bathe during treatment?
Less often than you might think. Once a week is usually plenty during active treatment — over-bathing strips the coat and irritates already-sensitive skin. Between baths, the Skin Rescue Lotion does the daily work.
Can I use Dermagic alongside vet-prescribed medication?
Yes. Dermagic is a topical skin-care range, not a medicine, and customers regularly run it alongside vet-prescribed antibiotics, antifungals or flea treatments. If your dog is on a specific protocol, mention the routine to your vet so timing of applications can be planned.
What if my dog licks the treated area?
Every Dermagic product is safe if a small amount is ingested. That said, the routine works far faster from the outside in — hence the t-shirt trick for the first hour after application.
Ready to start?
The five-step routine runs off Dermagic Shampoo, Skin Rescue Lotion, Hot Spot Salve and Cell Restoration Crème. Buy them as a system, or add them individually to fit your dog's stage of recovery.