The authors of this article discuss the uncertainties surrounding the use of bath emollients as part of the treatment of atopic eczema, which the NHS in England spent around £15.5m on in 2008.

They were unable to identify any published RCTs assessing the clinical efficacy of bath emollients in atopic eczema from a search of the literature.   In addition they state that they are not aware of any longstanding clinical experience of benefit from bath emollients to match that for directly applied emollients, and that the quantities of emollient deposited on the skin during bathing are likely to be far lower than with directly applied emollients.  They conclude that “based on current evidence, bath emollients could be offering little or no benefit. If so, people who use them in place of directly applied emollients are unknowingly receiving substandard emollient therapy.”

The authors say that research on the clinical efficacy of bath emollients in atopic eczema are feasible and such robust data could reassure patients that they are worth using or, alternatively, show that money spent on these products by the NHS could be put to better use.  No such studies appear to be in progress at this time.