# Dry skin - Category: acute - Review status: reviewed (every claim checked against a document named on this page) - Sources: No labelled dose - emollient applied liberally and as often as needed, to effect · SmPC sections 4.2 and 4.4, https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5453/smpc · Gade A, Matin T, Rubenstein R. Xeroderma. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Bookshelf ID: NBK565884. - Verified date: 2026-08 ## Verified against - SmPC sections 4.2 and 4.4, https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5453/smpc ## Treatment metadata - Liquid paraffin — topical ## Complete treatment card ```text DRY SKIN Sources: No labelled dose - emollient applied liberally and as often as needed, to effect · SmPC sections 4.2 and 4.4, https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5453/smpc · Gade A, Matin T, Rubenstein R. Xeroderma. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Bookshelf ID: NBK565884. Review status: REVIEWED against the source listed above (2026-08) IS IT THIS? - reference only, to read alongside your own examination SYMPTOMS - what the patient reports (8) - Itching, burning, pain and a feeling of tightness in the skin [burning pain · dry skin · itching] - When it itches, it eats badly into quality of life - Ask whether it comes and goes, stays constant, or follows a particular trigger - Ask about allergy, eczema and asthma in the patient or the family - Ask about work exposures, surroundings, diet and what is put on the skin [dry skin] - It grows likelier with age, and hormones matter in pregnancy and after the menopause - Look for kidney failure, thyroid disease, diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease behind it - Diuretics and cholesterol-lowering drugs can be the cause SIGNS - what you find (6) - Lower legs, forearms, hands and feet are the usual sites - Skin is dry, rough and scaly with a slightly grey cast [scaling] - Elasticity is lost, with wrinkling, redness and cracks [redness] - Mild disease: scaling stays within the skin furrows [dry skin · scaling] - Moderate: scaling spreads past the furrows and the skin markings stand out [dry skin · scaling] - Severe: plate-like scales beyond the furrows, with deep splits in the skin [dry skin · scaling] TESTS (5) - History and examination alone are enough to make the diagnosis - Bloods only to chase an underlying cause, such as thyroid hormone and vitamin levels - Skin biopsy only rarely, to separate it from conditions that copy it - Measuring water loss or hydration through the skin belongs to research, not to diagnosis - Dermoscopy brings out fine changes the naked eye misses IF NOT THIS - what else fits (9) - Ichthyosis vulgaris - Atopic eczema - Stasis dermatitis of the lower legs - Contact dermatitis, whether irritant or allergic - Nummular, coin-shaped eczema - Scabies infestation - Ringworm of the body - Psoriasis - Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma Source StatPearls "Xeroderma" - disease-level clinical article Status traced to the source above 1. LIQUID PARAFFIN [1st line] Adult Apply to affected areas as often as required. - long-term continuous maintenance Peds Apply to affected areas as often as required. Warning: fire hazard with paraffin-soaked fabrics. Source SmPC sections 4.2 and 4.4, https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5453/smpc Why Regular emollient use is the standard, safe first-line treatment for xerosis regardless of cause. Caution Severe dryness with cracking and infection risk, or dry skin as a sign of underlying low thyroid function or kidney disease. First-line for dry skin from any cause, worsened here by dry climate and frequent washing. Persistent or worsening dryness, especially with fatigue, weight change, or oedema, should prompt screening for hypothyroidism or chronic kidney disease. Use a soap substitute rather than standard soap, and avoid very hot water. Egypt ADCOCARE CREAM 20 GM ARAB DRUG COM... 12.00 EGP -> ! also contains glyceryl monostearate, propylene glycol, urea DERMOLAN CREAM 50 GM HI-CARE > EMI... 19.00 EGP -> ! also contains allantoin, glycerol, glycolic acid, panthenol, salicylic acid, urea, vitamin c, zinc oxide ADCOCARE CREAM 40 GM ARAB DRUG COM... 21.75 EGP -> ! also contains glyceryl monostearate, propylene glycol, urea CARE MIX PLUS HAIR CREAM 50 GM VITA PHARM > ... 29.50 EGP -> ! also contains cetostearyl alcohol, lanolin, panthenol, wheat protein, white soft paraffin PROPOLIS CREAM 15 ML LUNA FOR PERF... 30.00 EGP -> ! also contains cera alba, glycerin, propolis PROPOLIS CREAM 30 ML LUNA FOR PERF... 55.00 EGP -> ! also contains cera alba, glycerin, propolis HEALTHPOINT NAPPY CREAM 100 GM HEALTHPOINT L... 70.00 EGP -> ! also contains benzyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, lanolin, peg-100 s, water, zinc oxide HERCUL WHITENING CREAM 60 GM LEADER FOR CO... 74.75 EGP -> ! also contains alpha arbutin, diemthicone, glycerin, licorice ext, octyl methoxy, titanium dioxide, vit.c Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy. ``` --- Dawaa Reference is a reference for prescribers, not a medical device, and does not replace clinical judgement. 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