Overview

Emollients and how to use them

Emollient is the medical word for moisturiser. Emollients help to soothe the skin, and relieve it from itching and dryness. They can be used to help conditions like eczema from flaring up.

How emollients work

Emollients work by trapping moisture in the skin. They form a protective oily layer on the skin’s surface, which helps it repair and improves skin hydration.

You can use different emollients at different times of day, depending on what your condition needs. For example, you could use a cream in the morning and an ointment overnight.

Types of emollients

The type of emollient you need depends on the dryness of your skin, the area of skin involved, and what is comfortable for you.

Soap alternatives

Regular soap can make your skin dry. If you have a dry-skin condition, you should not use soap.

You can use emollient cleansers (except white soft paraffin) to wash your skin instead, as they don’t remove your natural oils.

Leave-on emollients

These emollients are put directly on the skin and left to soak in. You don’t need to wash them off. You should ask your doctor how much leave-on emollient to use.

As a general guide, if you need to treat your whole body, you should use 600g each week for an adult, and 250g to 500g each week for a child.

Ointments

Ointments have a greasy texture. They are usually made of white soft paraffin or liquid paraffin, and are ideal for very dry or thickened skin, and night-time application. You can add a tablespoon of any ointment to hot water and add to your bath water. Take care as this can make the bath more slippery.

They do not usually contain preservatives and are so are less likely to cause skin reactions.

50:50 ointments are half liquid paraffin, and half white soft paraffin. It should not be added to your bath water.

Creams

Creams have a mixture of oil and water, and are less greasy, which make them easier to spread on your skin than ointments. They must be used frequently and applied generously to prevent the skin from drying out.

Creams usually come in a container with a pump dispenser and are good for day-time application.

Lotions

Lotions have the least oil and most water so are the least effective at moisturising the skin. They normally contain preservatives so can cause skin irritation. Lotions are useful for hairy areas such as scalps, and areas of weepy skin.

How to apply emollients

Wash your hands to remove any dirt and bacteria.
If your emollient is in a tub, place some emollient onto a clean plate using a spoon (if your emollient is in a pump bottle, you don’t need to do this). Do not use your fingers to scoop out emollient as this can add bacteria to the tub.
Apply the emollient to your skin in the direction of hair growth.
Leave a thin layer of emollient to soak in for about 10 minutes.

If you are having ultraviolet light treatment or radiotherapy, ask your doctor for specific guidance on emollient use. This is because it might be different to how you’d normally take them.

You can also watch our video about how to use emollients.

Things to remember when using emollients

Do

apply emollients as regularly and as often as you can
carry emollients with you wherever you go
keep your fingernails short and smooth to prevent scratching your skin

Don't

do not rub emollients into your skin, Smooth them instead
do not put your fingers in the emollient tub, use a spoon instead
do not smoke or go near flames after applying paraffin-based emollients
do not use an emollient if it’s making your skin itchy or sore (you might be allergic to an ingredient)

How often to apply emollients

You should apply emollients whenever your skin feels dry and as often as you need. This could be 2 to 4 times a day or more.

You might need to apply emollients more in the winter. Cold weather can dry your skin out more, so you can use emollients to create a barrier from the cold.

You should also try to:

apply emollients to dry skin straight after washing or bathing
continue using emollients even if your skin condition has cleared and your doctor or nurse has advised you to

Topical corticosteroids

Some people might need to use topical corticosteroids for their skin condition. This means the corticosteroid is applied directly to the skin. However, using emollients frequently can reduce the need for topical steroids. You should generally use much more emollient than topical steroid.

If you need a topical steroid, you should apply your emollient at least 30 minutes before or after you apply the steroid.