SNAP UP ECZEMA CREAM FOR HALF THE PRICE

MOST EXPENSIVE: Hc45 cream

£4.75 for 15g tube at

Lloyds Pharmacy

CHEAPEST: Hydrocortisone cream 1%

£1.49 for 15g tube at chemist-4-u.com

SAVINGS PER YEAR: £6.50

ONE Briton in ten who suffer from the common skin condition eczema relies daily on slatherings of a type of thick cream called an emollient, which traps moisture in the skin.

During flare-ups, experts recommend applying both an emollient and a cream containing a drug called hydrocortisone, a type of steroid, which calms inflammation, easing particularly severe red, itchy patches.

The creators of E45 cream have their own steroid cream, Hc45, which is very popular among patients and costs £4.75 for a small tube.

This can add up to eyewatering amounts – one tube can last as little as two weeks, and most patients have at least two flare-ups a year.

Unbranded versions, available from online pharmacies, are nearly four times cheaper.

As for E45 cream, high street and online pharmacies offer their own for at least £1 cheaper.

But beware of E45 lookalikes called aqueous emollient creams, which are often half the price of usual emollients.

They contain an ingredient called sodium lauryl sulphate, which many patients find triggers unpleasant stinging.