Treatments Used in Ichthyosis Some people are searching for treatment options and may encounter items not being prescribed, or removed from their prescription. We hope the following helps explain things: The British National Formulary (BNF) is a national formulary in the UK which is updated every 6-12 months and available on-line for prescribers. Local and regional formularies exist throughout the UK which are developed and up-dated by the local and regional Drugs and Therapeutics Committees. These committees select products from the BNF and place them on an agreed local/regional formulary for prescribers to follow. A medical and non-medical independent prescriber has a qualification to be able to prescribe products listed in the British National Formulary (BNF) that is within their scope of practice. It is expected that prescribers follow the recommendations of the local formulary ensuring efficacy and cost optimisation wherever possible. For example, 80% of medicines prescribed should be on the approved local/regional formulary. Deviation from the local formulary (i.e. 20% Off-formulary products) is at the discretion of the independent prescriber and individual clinical situation. The most efficacious and cost effective emollient are the ones patients will apply regularly. It is not cost effective or clinically efficacious to prescribe products that the patients dislike or are reluctant to apply. Many people with ichthyosis ask us about products containing urea. Current Urea containing products listed in BNF are: Source: BNF (last accessed 15 April 2025) Product % Urea Company Cost 500gm NHS Balneum Plus cream 5% Almirall Ltd £14.99 E45 Itch Relief cream 5% Karo Healthcare UK Ltd £17.77 Aquadrate cream 10% Alliance Pharmaceuticals (100g x5) £23.30 Eucerin Urea Repair Plus foot cream 10% Beiersdorf UK Ltd (100ml x5) £28.75 Flexitol 10% Urea cream 10% Thornton & Ross Ltd £12.54 Hydromol Intensive 10% cream 10% Alliance Pharmaceuticals Ltd (100gx5) £23.30 Udrate Cream (Urea/Lactic Acid) 10%/5% Ennogen Healthcare International Ltd (100g x5) £64.45 Flexitol Heel Balm cream 25% Thornton & Ross Ltd £15.77 Some products available for use in treating ichthyosis are as follows: Moisturisers Largest Product Size Available Manufacturer Aqueous Cream 500g Proprietary Aveeno Cream 100ml Kenvue UK Ltd Cetraben range 500g Thornton and Ross Dermol range 500ml Dermal Dexeryl 250g Pierre Fabre Diprobase Cream 500g Dendron Brands Ltd Doublebase range 500ml Dermal E45 Cream 500g Karo Healthcare UK Ltd Emollin (Spray) 250ml CD Medical Epaderm range 500g Molnlycke Healthcare Epimax range 500g Aspire Pharma UK Lipobase Cream 50g Karo Healthcare UK Ltd Neutrogena Dermatological Cream 100g Johnson & Johnson Oilatum Cream 500ml Thornton & Ross QV range 500g Ego Pharmaceuticals Ultrabase Cream 500g Derma UK Unguentum M Cream 500g Almirall Vaseline Dermacare Cream 150ml Elida Faberge White Soft Paraffin/ Liquid Paraffin (50/50) 500g Proprietary Bath Oils Largest Product Size Available Manufacturer Alpha Keri 480ml Westwood Aveeno Bath Emollient 250ml Johnson and Johnson Aveeno Collodial Sachets Kenvue Balneum Bath Oil 500ml Almirall Balneum Plus Bath Oil 500ml Almirall Dermol 500ml Dermal Diprobath 500ml Schering-Plough E45 Bath Oil 500ml Crookes Healthcare Emulsiderm 1L Dermal Epimax 500ml Aspire Hydromol 1L Alliance Imuderm* 250ml Clinisupplies Infaderm 250ml Ceuta Oilatum range 500ml Thornton and Ross QV range 500ml Ego Pharmaceuticals Scalp Treatments Largest Product Size Available Manufacturer Capasal 250ml Dermal Cocois* 100g UCB Dermax* 250ml Dermal Nizoral Shampoo 120ml Thornton & Ross Olive Oil Readily available Polytar range 500ml Thornton & Ross Salicylic acid preparations Consult your doctor Sebco* 100g Derma UK How Greasy are the Products? Very Greasy Greasy Less Greasy Mild White Soft Paraffin/ Ungeuntum Aveeno Cream Aqueous Cream Liquid Paraffin (50/50) Merck Cream Dermol Lotion Hydrous Ointment Neutrogena Diprobase Cream Diprobase Ointment Dermatogical E45 Cream Dermamist Spray* Cream Ultrabase Cream Epaderm Oilatum Cream Lipobase Cream Hydromol cream Cetraben Cream Vaseline Alcoderm Cream/lotion Dermacare Doublebase Cream Please note the products denoted with a * contain nut oil/s. Sunscreens Always use a high factor sunscreen product e.g. 25,25, 50. Those formulated for children and for sensitive skin are more suited for more ‘fragile’ skin. You should always patch test a product – ask the chemist if they have any samples you could try before purchasing a sunscreen product. A small number of the companies listed in this leaflet produce sunscreen products. Some brands are available on prescription e.g. E45 or Uvistat. As with any products, moisturisers, bath oils etc are discontinued and new products manufactured constantly and this list is not an exhaustive list of all the products used in the treatment of ichthyosis. Product licences change resulting in different companies manufacturing and/or distributing products. Please ask your pharmacist about the range of products available. This information is for advice only, please consult your doctor before altering any treatments. Download The Treatments Used in Ichthyosis Factsheet To find out more about the ISG or become a member please get in touch in one of the following ways: By Phone 0800 368 9621 By Email: [email protected] Facebook: facebook.com/ichthyosissupportgroup Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isgcharity Twitter: twitter.com/ISG_Charity Manage Cookie Preferences