Aqueous cream may be associated with skin reactions (stinging, burning, itching and redness) when used as a 'leave-on' emollient, often within 20 minutes of application, and especially in children with atopic eczema. See MHRA Drug Safety update March 2013. They can be used to replace lost moisture whenever your skin feels dry or tight. They're very safe and you cannot overuse them. Epimax ®ointment - First line option for severe dry skin as per Notts Emollient Formulary. Comparable to Hydromol ®, Zeroderm ®,Cetraben ®, and Epaderm ®. Medicines that should be initiated by a specialist and prescribed by primary care prescribers only under a shared care protocol, once the patient has been stabilised. Eucerin ®UreaRepair Plus lotion can be used if lotion required however it has been registered as ‘cosmetic’ rather than as medicines which means that it is notavailable on prescription.

It may help to apply an emollient before and after swimming. Leave enough time for it to be absorbed into your skin before you swim. Your skin feels dry, itchy and scaly when the outer layer of skin cells, known as the stratum corneum, loses too much water. The stratum corneum normally contains natural water-holding substances that retain water seeping up from the deeper layers of the skin. Water is also usually kept in the skin by a film of natural oil (sebum) and broken-down skin cells that slow down evaporation of water from the skin surface.Other first line options are Epimax ®ointment and Liquid & white soft paraffin ointment (Fifty:50®). Medicines suitable to be prescribed in primary care / general practice after specialist* recommendation or initiation. By smoothing and softening the skin, moisturisers like emulsifying ointment can improve the absorption of other medicines that are applied to the skin. This is useful in conditions like eczema, because it improves the ability of other medicines, such as corticosteroid creams, to penetrate the skin and reduce inflammation. If you're using a steroid cream or another treatment for your skin condition, wait 20 to 30 minutes between using an emollient and using the other treatment. Ask a doctor which one to use first.

Lotions are good for hairy or damaged areas of skin (such as weeping eczema – where pus is seeping out of damaged areas of skin). This is because lotions are thin and spread easily, but they're not very moisturising. Sprays Any other emollient with low percentage urea can be used for maintenance following the treatment phase. Only for patients unable to use ointment/creams/lotions, or where application without touching skin is required, as per Notts Emollient Formulary.Grey / Non-Formulary (undergoing assessment): Work is ongoing and will be reviewed at a future APC meeting. First line - Balneum ® Plus Cream (100g tube) - also contains lauromacrogols. Use only if emollient alone has not helped itching. If your skin stings after using an emollient wash product and does not settle after rinsing, ask a pharmacist to recommend a different product. Using emollients with other skin treatments You may need to experiment with different emollients or try a combination. For example, you may decide to use a cream during the day and an ointment at night. How to wash with emollients

Aqueous cream should be applied in the direction of hair growth to reduce the risk of folliculitis. Emollients are best applied after washing your hands, taking a bath or showering because this is when the skin most needs moisture.

Use a clean spoon or spatula to remove emollients from a pot or tub. This reduces the risk of infections from contaminated pots. Risk of slipping function e(){var e=document.createElement('script');e.type='text/javascript',e.async=true,e.src='//staticw2.yotpo.com/MCN0waWlSaGnmquVBtpvetg2aznN9nNnQb9m8rPf/widget.js';var t=document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];t.parentNode.insertBefore(e,t)})(); script>