Emollient / Cerumenolytic

Almond Oil

Brand names: Cerumol (with other ingredients), Earex

Adult dose

Dose: Ear: 2–3 drops instilled into ear canal; Skin: apply liberally as required

Route: Topical (ear drops or skin application)

Frequency: Ear: 2–3 times daily for up to 5 days; Skin: as required

Clinical pearls

Used as a cerumenolytic (earwax softener) to facilitate ear syringing
NICE CKS recommends cerumenolytics (including almond oil, olive oil) as first-line before ear irrigation
As a skin emollient, used in dry skin conditions and as a bath additive
Olive oil equally effective and widely available as alternative cerumenolytic
Warm the drops to body temperature before use to improve comfort
Peanut allergy does not necessarily preclude use but exercise caution in tree-nut-allergic patients

Contraindications

Known allergy to almonds or tree nuts (risk of peanut/tree nut allergy cross-reactivity — use with caution)
Perforated tympanic membrane (ear drops)

Side effects

Skin: generally well tolerated; occasional contact sensitisation
Ear: temporary hearing reduction while in ear canal

Interactions

No clinically significant interactions

Monitoring

Symptom resolution of earwax impaction
No formal monitoring required for topical emollient use

Reference: BNF; NICE CKS Earwax (2023); https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/almond-oil/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.

Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.

Calculators

Pathways