Benefits of an emollient body wash for patients with chronic winter dry skin

This randomized 5-week study assessed the clinical benefits of a high-emollient body wash versus a regular bar cleanser in terms of improving chronic winter dry skin condition. After 4 weeks, subjects who washed daily with a high-emollient body wash exhibited a significant reduction in all dermatologist-assessed dry skin attributes and improvements in self-evaluated skin condition when compared with baseline measures. Those subjects who washed with a regular bar cleanser experienced a minimal to marked increase in dermatologist-assessed and self-assessed dry skin attributes when compared with baseline. These findings suggested that bathing with a high-emollient body wash, as opposed to a regular bar cleanser, can reduce xerosis symptoms and improve skin health and appearance without the additional use of a moisturizer.