Indication
Eczema dermatitis
RAG rating
n/a
Document type
Patient information
Place
Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB
Output type
Pharmacy / Prescribing
Information leaflet
Silk Garments – Information for Patients

Silk Garments

Silk Garments – Information for Patients

NHS guidance states that some items should not routinely be prescribed. This is because the items are:

  •  Not as safe as other items OR
  •  Not as good (effective) as other items OR
  •  More expensive than other items that do the same thing.

One of these items is silk garments.

This document will explain why the changes are happening and where you can get more information and support.

Changes to prescribing of silk garments

NHS guidance states that silk garments should not routinely be prescribed because there isn’t enough reliable evidence to show that silk garments for skin conditions such as eczema and atopic dermatitis are beneficial.

These products do not provide good value to the NHS and a trial of 300 children showed no difference in the severity of their eczema from using silk garments.

What options are available instead?

It is likely that you will already be using other treatments for your skin condition, including an emollient as a moisturiser and soap substitute, and you should continue with these. If these aren’t working well for you, you can talk to your prescriber about the different options available. If you would still like to use silk garments despite the lack of evidence showing they are beneficial, you can buy them for yourself.

Where can I find more information and support?

 

Find out more about the medicines that are being stopped or reduced: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/items-which-should-not-routinely-be-prescribed-in-primary-care-policy-guidance/
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