E45 Itch Relief Cream

What is E45 Itch Relief Cream?

E45 anti-itch cream is a unique dual-action, fragrance-free, non-greasy moisturising formula. E45 anti-itch cream leaves your skin feeling hydrated and smooth, as well as providing instant relief from that itchy feeling caused by dry skin.

E45 Itch Relief Cream contains two active ingredients, one of which is urea. Urea is one of the body's naturally occurring products, which acts as a powerful moisturiser, locking water into the skin. Added urea stops fluid loss through the skin, which in turn leaves it feeling intensely hydrated.

E45 Itch Relief Cream also contains the anti-itch ingredient lauromacrogols, which relieves the need to itch and scratch caused by dry skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis, which allows flaky, sore, irritated skin to heal.

What is E45 Itch Relief Cream used for?

E45 Itch Relief Cream can be used by those over one month old and is suitable for the targeted relief of itching caused by eczema, dermatitis, pruritus, as well as other dry skin conditions.

E45 Itch Relief Cream is also suitable to relieve itching caused by dry peeling skin, which is associated with the healing of sunburn and scarring. However, the use of a basic moisturiser may be more appropriate to rehydrate the skin.

E45 Itch Relief Cream is designed to treat itching caused by dry, scaly skin. E45 itch relief cream is, therefore, largely ineffective in the treatment of itching caused by chickenpox, rashes, hives, and insect bites and stings. Eurax HC Cream is more suitable for the relief from the discomfort of itching typical for these conditions and can be used alongside oral antihistamines.

E45 Itch Relief Cream is also not suitable for treating acne, rosacea or nerve itch. Treatment options for acne and rosacea can be found on our Acne and our Rosacea page.

If you are suffering from itching related to dry, flaky skin caused by a jock itch or athlete's foot, your condition is likely to be caused by a fungal infection which will need treatment with appropriate anti-fungal medication. Treatment options are available at The Independent Pharmacy by typing in your condition or treatment into the search box at the top of this page.

Can you use E45 on intimate areas?

E45 anti-itch cream can be used to soothe itching on the external skin of the genitals and anus and can be applied to the breasts, but not immediately before breastfeeding.

If you are suffering from genital or anal itching and are not sure of the cause, you should speak to a doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment for itching with any new medication.

E45 Itch Relief Cream for babies

E45 anti-itch cream is suitable to treat itchy, scaly skin in babies, children and adults from one month of age.

Children are more likely to continue to scratch inflamed skin, which puts them at an increased risk of their skin becoming infected. Make sure to keep the infected skin clean and only apply eczema cream with clean hands. For best results, apply straight away after bathing.

E45 Itch Relief for burns

E45 anti-itch cream, along with other moisturising creams, should not be applied to new burns as this may cause it to worsen.

Once the burnt skin has healed, moisturising creams should be used to promote skin hydration and healing. If you find that your skin is excessively dry, scaly, and itchy and a basic moisturiser is not enough to control the itching, E45 anti-itch cream may be used, but only if the skin is not open or broken down.

Can you put E45 on tattoos?

E45 Itch Relief Cream should not be used to treat itching caused by the healing process of tattoos, as the chemical components of the product may damage the tattoo and delay healing.

E45 anti-itch cream may cause new tattoos to become discoloured if used while the skin is healing.

Can you use E45 Itch Relief on dogs?

E45 products are designed to treat skin conditions in humans, and therefore, it is not recommended that you use any E45 products to treat itching in dogs.

If your dog is currently suffering from dry and itching skin, you should discuss treatment options with your veterinarian.

How does E45 Itch Relief Cream work?

E45 Itch Relief Cream is designed to relieve the sensation of itching while at the same time moisturising the dry, flaking skin, which can worsen the need to scratch for people who suffer from skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis.

The active ingredient lauromacrogols are responsible for relieving itchy, irritated skin. Lauromacrogols, when applied to your skin, work as a form of local anaesthetic, which blocks the messages getting to your brain telling it your skin is itchy.

Reducing your sensation of feeling itchy results in you being less likely to want to itch, rub, or scratch at your skin, giving it time to heal.

E45 Itch Relief Cream also contains urea, which works by locking in moisture under your skin, allowing your dry skin to become more hydrated and unable to dry out further.

To ensure the best results from using E45 anti-itch cream, you should apply it to your skin immediately after washing your skin. Your skin will absorb moisture while you wash, and this will allow for more water to be trapped within your skin.

E45 Itch Relief Cream dosage

For both adults and children over one month, apply E45 anti-itch cream to the affected areas of dry skin 2 times a day.

E45 anti-itch cream is for external use only and should be applied directly to the skin. If you have consumed E45 and feel unwell, you should speak to a doctor for advice.

For best results, E45 Itch Relief Cream should be applied after bathing to retain moisture. It should be gently massaged into the skin following the direction of your hair growth.

E45 Itch Relief Cream ingredients

E45 anti-itch cream contains the active ingredients Lauromacrogols 3.0%w/w and Urea 5.0%w/w.

E45 anti-itch cream also contains the inactive ingredient liquid paraffin and benzyl alcohol.

For a full list of the ingredients contained in E45 anti-itch cream, please see the Patient Information Leaflet. You must read this thoroughly before using this cream.

Side effects of E45 Itch Relief Cream

Side effects are very uncommon when using E45 for itchy skin. However, with all medications, some people may experience some unwanted side effects. Before starting treatment with any medication, you must read the Patient Information Leaflet thoroughly.

If you are concerned about side effects or are experiencing a severe allergic reaction, you should seek medical advice from a doctor immediately.

Some people may experience a burning sensation, redness, itching or pus on the skin where E45 anti-itch cream has been applied. If this occurs and does not subside, you should wash the skin with warm water, stop using the cream and speak to a doctor or pharmacist about other treatment options.

E45 anti-itch cream should not be applied to oozing, infected or inflamed skin as this is likely to increase skin irritation and side effects.

E45 Itch Relief Cream warnings

Make sure that you have read the Patient Information Leaflet thoroughly before using E45 anti-itch cream for the full list of warnings and precautions.

For external use only. Do not use on acutely red, oozed, infected or inflamed skin.

E45 Itch Relief Cream contains liquid paraffin, which is flammable. When using this product, you should, therefore:

• not smoke or going near naked flames to avoid burns
• wash clothes and bedding regularly to avoid a build-up of cream in the fabric

E45 Itch Relief Cream and pregnancy

E45 anti-itch cream is safe to use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. You should, however, avoid applying the cream to the breasts immediately before breastfeeding to prevent your baby from ingesting the product.

Sources

• NICE (2024). Emollients - https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/eczema-atopic/prescribing-information/emollients/
• NHS (2023). Scars - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scars/
• electronic medicines compendium (2022). E45 Cream - https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/6586/smpc
• E45 Anti-Itch Cream, Patient Information Leaflet: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/378/pil