Individuals with compromised skin integrity are at greater risk of skin damage or sustaining a wound, which may create a vicious circle of hard-to-heal wounds if underlying factors are present (Beeckman et al, 2020). Such hard-to-heal wounds are adding to the cumulative burden of wounds on patients, clinicians, families/carers and healthcare systems (Guest et al, 2020). Emollient therapy has been shown to reduce the risk of skin damage or sustaining a wound in individuals with fragile or at-risk skin (Wounds UK, 2015). This Made Easy aims to highlight the importance of preserving skin integrity, particularly in individuals with vulnerable skin, and how use of an emollient such as Hydromol® (Alliance) can help to reduce the risk of damage in a range of clinical scenarios.