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Dermatitis - contact - Management
Which emollient should I prescribe?
- The choice of emollient should be determined by:
- The dryness of the skin.
- The type of skin to which the emollient is to be applied.
- The individual's preference, determined by the product's tolerability and convenience of use.
- Dryness of skin:
- Less to moderately dry skin is most acceptably treated with a cream.
- Moderately dry to very dry skin requires a higher intensity of treatment with an ointment to restore the skin to normal.
- Weeping dermatitis is best treated with a water-soluble cream, as ointments will tend to slide off, becoming unacceptably messy.
- The tolerability and convenience of a product can only be determined by a trial of treatment:
- Creams are generally better tolerated but will need to be applied more frequently and generously to have the same effect as a single application of ointment.
- The individual will need to balance the tolerability of a product against the convenience of its use and its effectiveness.
- More than one type of product may be required. Different products may be preferred at different times, depending on the intensity of treatment required and the area of skin to be treated (e.g. a cream may be preferable for application to the hands).
In depth
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