Contents:
- Medical Video: How To Use Steroid Cream | How To Use Steroid Ointment | How To Use Steroid Cream For Eczema (2018)
- Difference between creams, ointments and lotions
- Creamy skin remedy
- Lotion skin remedy
- Ointment for medicinal skin
- So, which skin medicine is the most effective?
Medical Video: How To Use Steroid Cream | How To Use Steroid Ointment | How To Use Steroid Cream For Eczema (2018)
When seeing a doctor for skin problems, often you are given an external medicine that must be applied to the skin. This type of drug is called a topical drug. Topical forms of skin medicine vary from creams, lotions, to ointments. Actually, what is the difference between the three drug preparations? Let's look at the explanation below.
Difference between creams, ointments and lotions
Creamy skin remedy
Cream is actually a mixture of liquid and ointment. The cream consists of water, oil, and emulgator (the active ingredient for combining oil and water).
In addition, creams are usually added with preservatives such as parabens. In some cases, skin creams can also be mixed with perfume. This may cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Various active ingredients can be included in the cream. The cream itself is widely used in cosmetics. In addition, doctors usually give creams to skin diseases that are broad and subacute (have long been suffered but have not yet become chronic). This is because the absorption of the cream is better than the powder. Creams may also be used in various parts of the body, even in hairy parts of the body.
Lotion skin remedy
The ingredients of the lotion are actually similar to cream. However, the formula is usually thinner and lighter. The consistency of lotions is also usually more fluid. Most of the lotions also contain a little alcohol, which functions to stabilize the active ingredient and inhibit the evaporation / dissolution of solutes in the skin layer.
Lotion can be used on large areas of the skin and can be used on hairy parts of the body and folds of skin.
Ointment for medicinal skin
Ointment is a fat or fat-like ingredient. The basic ingredients are usually vaseline, but can also be made from lanolin or oil. Usually ointments are used in skin diseases with dry, chronic, and deep skin conditions. The absorption of ointments is the strongest compared to other basic ingredients.
In addition, the ointment can also be used on skin with an allergic skin disease. However, unlike creams and lotions, ointments should not be used on hairy parts of the body and skin that is prone to ulcers (folicullitis) or in hot weather because of their sticky consistency and sweat resistance.
The use of ointment can only be used on certain body parts and is not recommended for use throughout the body.
So, which skin medicine is the most effective?
Choosing the basic ingredients for skin medicine is an important first step in providing treatment. The choice of basic ingredients from topical drugs actually varies. This depends on the type of skin disease, the condition of each patient's skin abnormalities such as dry or oily, and which skin area to be treated.
In conclusion, the efficacy of skin drugs cannot be seen only from the dosage form. Doctors also have to take into account other factors. For example, if your skin is very dry, usually the doctor will give skin medication in the form of an ointment, not lotion.
That's why when choosing a topical drug, don't forget to consult directly with your doctor so that you get the most appropriate and effective treatment.
