Emollients

Dr George Moncrieff , FRCP , FRCGP and past chair of the Dermatology Council for England , presents his personal recommendations for emollient choices

Key

• Avoid completely

• Not recommended

• Recommended

Simple emollients ( creams and gels )

Name Price / 500g Delivery Comments

• AproDerm cream £ 4.95	Pump	Licensed from birth . 100 % recyclable container using 25 % less plastic than other pump dispensers . Only 5 % wastage in container
• AproDerm gel £ 3.99	Pump	Licensed from birth . Contains glycerol – an excellent humectant . 100 % recyclable container using 25 % less plastic than other pump dispensers . Only 5 % wastage in container
• AproDerm Starter Pack £ 6.99	Tubes	The only product of its kind . Enables patient to try full range of AproDerm emollients before choosing the emollient they like
• Aquamax £ 3.99	Tub	Avoid as comes in a tub , which risks contamination

• Aqueous cream

Not on NHS tariff

• Cetraben £ 6.29 Pump Contains glycerol as a humectant

Tub Avoid completely as contains 1 % SLS , an irritant even to normal skin , and comes in a tub

• Diprobase Advanced cream £ 7.01	Pump	Reformulation of Diprobase cream ( no longer available ) – chlorocresol and cetostearyl alcohol removed
• Doublebase gel £ 5.83	Pump	Contains glycerol as a humectant . Minimal wastage
• Doublebase Once £ 6.99	Pump	Pump has high concentration of humectants that provide at least 24 hours TEWL . Feels like gel formulation but has ointment properties
• E45 £ 5.99	Pump
• Enopen £ 5.99	Pump	Described as mimicking Cetraben ( same price )
• Epaderm £ 7.01	Pump	Contains chlorocresol , which some patients complain smells ‘ chemical ’

• Epimax Original £ 2.49 Squeeze bottle

• ExCetra £ 2.95 Squeeze bottle

Adequate only as an inexpensive soap substitute (‘ similar ’ to Diprobase ). Significant wastage in tube . Squeeze bottle is not airtight so needs high alcohol content – this stings

Described as mimicking Cetraben , but comes in a squeeze bottle

• ExmaQS £ 2.95 Tub Marginally different formulation of paraffins to Enopen , but cheaper . Avoid as comes in a tub

• Exmabase gel £ 2.85 Pump Weak pump system with high wastage

• Exmaben £ 4.25	Pump	Same as Enopen . Weak pump system with high wastage
• Exmalatum £ 4.45	Pump	Marginally different formulations of paraffins to Cetraben
• Hypobase gel £ 5.83	Pump	Weak pump system with high wastage

• Isomol £ 2.92 Squeeze bottle

Described as mimicking Doublebase gel , but performs differently and is in a squeeze bottle , greater wastage

• Lipobase £ 14.60	Tube	Expensive . Only available as 50g tubes (£ 1.46 / 50g )
• Myribase gel £ 4.66	Pump	Weak pump system with high wastage

• QV £ 5.96 Pump

• Soffen £ 4.79	Tub	Identical formulation to Cetraben , but avoid as comes in a tub
• Unguentum M £ 8.48	Tub	Avoid as there are less expensive alternatives and it comes in a tub

• Ultrabase £ 8.01 Tub

• ZeroAQS £ 3.29	Tub	Mimics Aqueous cream – but no SLS . Contains chlorocresol , which can smell ‘ chemical ’. Avoid as comes in a tub
• Zerobase £ 5.58	Pump	Described as mimicking Diprobase cream ( less white soft paraffin ). Also contains chlorocresol , which can smell ‘ chemical ’
• Zerocream £ 5.14	Pump	Described as mimicking E45
• Zerodouble Gel £ 5.14	Pump	Described as mimicking Doublebase gel ( glycerin , not glycerol ), but different formulation

• Zeroguent £ 6.99 Pump Described as mimicking Unguentum M

Simple emollients ( ointments )

These all come in tubs , as they are too thick to be dispensed via a pump , so care must be taken to prevent contamination – see cautions

Name Price Comments

• AproDerm £ 3.95	Includes spatula in lid to prevent contamination from fingers . 100 % recyclable container
• Cetraben £ 6.30	Comes in 125g and 450g tubs (£ 5.67 per 450g )

• Emelpin £ 3.97

Nursing in Practice Autumn 2022 issue | Page 31

Emollients