Paraffin-based bath/shower emollient
Emollient bath and shower products, paraffin-containing
Brand names: Oilatum, Balneum, Hydromol Bath
Adult dose
Dose: Add 1–3 capfuls to bath; mix into water; soak 10–20 min
Route: Topical (bath)
Frequency: Daily / PRN
Clinical pearls
- Adjunct to leave-on emollient in dry skin / eczema
- NICE NG198 / CKS Eczema: not a substitute for leave-on emollient
- MHRA Drug Safety Update 2020: warn patient about flammability of any paraffin-containing emollient
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity
Side effects
- Slip hazard (significant)
- Folliculitis
- Fire risk (MHRA — paraffin-saturated fabric flammable)
Monitoring
- Skin response
- Slip-safety counselling
- Fire-safety counselling
Reference: BNF; NICE CKS Eczema; BAD; MHRA Drug Safety Update; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/emollient-bath-and-shower-products-paraffin-containing/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
- HE-MACS (History and ECG-Based Manchester ACS Risk Score) · ACS Risk Stratification
- Weight-Based Levothyroxine Dose Calculator · Thyroid
- Number Needed to Treat (NNT) / Number Needed to Harm (NNH) · Evidence-Based Medicine
- HIV Opportunistic Infection Risk (CD4-Based) · HIV / Immunodeficiency
- BASDAI — Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index · Spondyloarthritis
- BASDAI (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index) · Axial Spondyloarthropathy
Pathways
- Suspicious Pigmented Lesion — Melanoma Pathway · NICE NG14 2015 / BAD
- Cellulitis and Erysipelas · NICE NG141 2019 / CREST
- Psoriasis — Severity Assessment and Step-Up Therapy · NICE NG153 2019 / BAD
- Atopic Eczema — Assessment and Step-Up Therapy · NICE NG95 2023
- Urticaria and Angioedema · BSACI / EAACI Guidelines 2022
- Acne Vulgaris — Grading and Treatment · NICE NG198 2021 / BAD