Emollients are among the most frequently dispensed and purchased products in community pharmacy. They are the foundation of treatment for eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, and dozens of other dermatological conditions. Yet many patients — and some pharmacy teams — are unaware of a serious safety issue that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has highlighted repeatedly: emollients that contain paraffin can soak into clothing and bedding, creating a fabric that ignites more easily and burns more fiercely.

The scale of the risk

The MHRA's Drug Safety Update has documented fatal incidents in the UK linked to emollient-soaked clothing or bedding catching fire. The risk is not theoretical. Coroners have recorded verdicts in cases where patients using paraffin-based emollients died in fires that started from cigarettes, candles, gas hobs, or electric heaters.

The mechanism is straightforward: soft white paraffin, liquid paraffin, and other petroleum-derived ingredients are absorbed into fabric fibres over time. Standard washing does not fully remove the residue. The contaminated fabric has a lower ignition point and burns faster than untreated material.

Importantly, the MHRA has extended this warning beyond paraffin-containing products. In its updated guidance, the agency noted that paraffin-free emollients may also present a fire hazard when they build up in fabric over time, though the evidence base is strongest for paraffin-containing formulations.

Which products are affected?

Any emollient containing white soft paraffin, yellow soft paraffin, liquid paraffin, or mineral oil carries this risk. Common examples include:

This is not an exhaustive list. The MHRA advises that the fire risk warning applies to all emollients, with particular caution for those with high paraffin concentrations.

What pharmacy teams should tell patients

Every patient collecting or purchasing a paraffin-containing emollient should receive fire safety counselling. The key messages are:

1. Keep away from naked flames. Do not smoke while wearing clothing or sitting on bedding that may have emollient residue. Avoid candles, gas hobs, open fires, and portable heaters while emollient is on the skin or absorbed into clothing.

2. Washing reduces but does not eliminate the risk. Paraffin residue builds up in fabric with repeated use. Even freshly laundered clothing and bedding may carry enough residue to be a fire hazard if the product has been used for weeks or months.

3. Change clothing and bedding regularly. Patients who apply large quantities of emollient should change nightwear and bed linen frequently and wash at the highest temperature the fabric allows.

4. Consider the patient's environment. Patients who smoke, who use electric blankets, or who live alone with reduced mobility are at higher risk. A conversation about fire safety in the home may be appropriate, and referral to the local fire and rescue service's home safety check scheme (available free across England) can be life-saving.

5. The emollient should not be stopped. The fire risk is managed through behavioural precautions, not by discontinuing essential skin treatment. Untreated eczema or psoriasis carries its own significant health burden.

The pharmacy counter conversation

The challenge for pharmacy teams is delivering this message without alarming patients to the point where they stop using their emollient. A balanced approach works best:

"This cream contains paraffin, which can build up in clothing and bedding over time and make the fabric catch fire more easily. It is important to keep away from naked flames — cigarettes, candles, gas cookers — while you are using it. Washing your clothes and bedsheets regularly helps, but it does not completely remove the residue. The cream itself is safe on your skin; it is the fabric contact that matters."

For patients on repeat prescriptions, this conversation should happen at least once a year, or whenever a new emollient is initiated.

Alternatives to paraffin-based emollients

For patients who are particularly concerned about fire risk — or who have environmental risk factors such as smoking or open fires — pharmacists can discuss alternatives with the prescriber. Non-paraffin emollients include glycerol-based products, some aqueous cream formulations (though aqueous cream has its own irritancy concerns), and newer emollient technologies. However, the MHRA's warning that even paraffin-free products may accumulate in fabric means that behavioural fire safety advice applies regardless of the specific product.

PharmSee's pharmacy finder can help patients locate their nearest community pharmacy for emollient counselling and skin care advice.

Key points

• Paraffin-based emollients soak into clothing and bedding, increasing fire risk
• The MHRA has documented fatal incidents linked to emollient-contaminated fabric
• Standard washing reduces but does not eliminate paraffin residue from fabric
• Patients should avoid naked flames, change bedding and clothing frequently, and never stop their emollient
• Pharmacy teams should counsel every patient receiving a paraffin-containing emollient at least once a year

Sources: MHRA Drug Safety Update (Emollients and fire risk), NICE CKS, NHS (Emollients). Article reflects guidance current as of April 2026.