If you or your children need to use an emollient regularly, it's a good idea to keep some in small pots or tubes at home, school or work. How to use emollients How to use emollients on your skin They help prevent patches of inflammation and flare-ups of these conditions. Types of emollients Lotions

Dermacool Menthol in Aqueous Cream 5% 100g cools & soothes dry, irritated and very itchy skin often associated with several medical conditions, especially in the elderly. an overheating, burning sensation or stinging that does not settle after a few days of treatment – usually caused by a reaction to a certain ingredient in the emollient 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 An audit of children attending a paediatric dermatology clinic recorded the proportion of immediate cutaneous reactions to emollients (defined as one or more of burning, stinging, itching and redness developing within 20 minutes of application). Aqueous cream was the emollient used by most (71%), which was associated with an immediate cutaneous reaction in 56% of exposures, compared with 18% with other emollients used (details of the other emollients were not reported; n = 100). Emollients are moisturising treatments applied directly to the skin to soothe and hydrate it. They cover the skin with a protective film to trap in moisture.You can buy emollients from a pharmacy without a prescription. If the skin condition is severe, talk to a GP, nurse or health visitor, as you may need a stronger treatment. Your doctor or pharmacist will talk to you about which type of emollient will work best for your skin condition. It is specially formulated for those with irritated skin and differs from other aqueous creams thanks to its 2% menthol content.

Emollients can be applied as often as you like to keep the skin well moisturised and in good condition. Ideally, this should be done at least 3 or 4 times a day. 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 Emulsifying ointment (contains emulsifying wax which itself contains cetostearyl alcohol and sodium lauryl sulfate) 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. Smoking Cessation Local stop smoking services are free, friendly and can massively boost your chances of quitting for good. These services staffed by expert advisers provide a range of proven methods to help you quit. They’ll give you accurate information and advice, as well as professional support, during the first few months you stop smoking. They also make it easy and affordable for you to get stop smoking treatments, such as: * Varenicline (Champix) * Bupropion (Zyban) * nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches and gum One-to-one and group stop smoking sessions You’ll normally be offered a one-to-one appointment with an adviser, but many areas also offer group and drop-in services as well. Depending on where you live, the venue could be a local GP surgery, pharmacy, high-street shop, or even a mobile bus clinic. Jennifer Percival, who trains stop smoking advisers, says that using both treatment and specialist support is proven to give you the best chance of stopping smoking. “The majority of people who see an adviser will get through the first month after quitting without smoking a cigarette. “Overall, you’re up to 4 times more likely to stop smoking for good if you use a combination of stop smoking…Be careful not to slip when using emollients in a bath or shower, or on a tiled floor. Protect the floor with a non-slip mat, towel or sheet. Wear protective gloves, wash your bath or shower afterwards with hot water and washing-up liquid, then dry with a kitchen towel. Skin irritation from aqueous cream Anti Malaria Malaria is a serious tropical disease spread by mosquitoes. If it isn’t diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be fatal. A single mosquito bite is all it takes for someone to become infected. Symptoms of malaria It’s important to be aware of the symptoms of malaria if you’re travelling to areas where there’s a high risk of the disease. Symptoms include: 1. A high temperature of 38C or above 2. Feeling hot and shivery 3. Headaches 4. Vomiting 5. Muscle pains 6. Diarrhoea Symptoms usually appear between 7 and 18 days after becoming infected, but in some cases the symptoms may not appear for up to a year, or occasionally even longer. When to seek medical attention Seek medical help immediately if you develop symptoms of malaria during or after a visit to an area where the disease is found. You should still seek medical help even if it’s several weeks, months or a year after you return from travelling. If there’s a possibility you have malaria, a blood test will be carried out to confirm whether or not you’re infected. You should receive the results of your blood test on the same day. If you have malaria, treatment will… Treatments Find every kind of best treatment near you, We British Chemist UK online pharmacy retailer and registered pharmacy with the MHRA and GPhC. Aqua (Water), Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Menthol, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol. It's especially important to regularly apply an emollient to your hands and face, as they're exposed to the elements more than any other part of your body.