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Medications applied to the skin

Medications applied directly to the skin or mucous membranes are used to treat problems like pain in a particular part of the body locally. But they can also nourish the skin and protect it from harm. There are also dosage forms for allowing the active ingredient to enter the entire organism through the skin.

Ointments, creams and lotions

Medical ointments and creams are made up of a base in which the active ingredients are dissolved or suspended: Usually, ointments mostly have fats as a base, like petroleum jelly or lanolin. Creams have lower amount of fat than ointments, and also contain water or watery solutions. Lotions have an even larger amount of water than creams, making them more liquid.

The chemical properties of the different bases are used to bind different active ingredients and transport them into the skin. And medicine uses the properties of the different substances in other ways as well: Very fat ointments protect the skin well and keep it moist and warm. But they also do not wear off easily, and cannot be washed off with water. Creams and lotions with a large amount of water, on the other hand, have a cooling effect on the skin, because the water can evaporate. They are easier to apply and remove.

Examples of medicinal ointments, creams and lotions are:

Wound salves
Absorption ointments, which have active ingredients that enter the bloodstream
Cooling creams, for example for sports injuries
Personal hygiene lotions, for example for neurodermatitis

Pastes

Pastes are ointments that contain a large amount of powdery additives. This makes them very firm, and it is difficult to spread them. One example is zinc paste.

Gels

Gels can be compared to a sponge that is full of water as far as their structure is concerned. In a gel – chemically speaking – a solid material builds a three-dimensional network where the liquid is evenly distributed. Gels contain no fat, can easily be spread on the skin and can contain different active ingredients. There are, for example, gels for relieving pain or anti-itching agents. Gels build a film on the skin and have a cooling effect caused by water evaporating on the skin.

Powders

Powders are sprinkled on the skin and stick there. They have a drying effect and form a film that protects the skin. There are, for example, powders for use against itchiness or fungal infections.

Patches

Some medications that are intended to be given to the body over a particular period of time can also be applied with the help of a patch. The patch is left on the skin for a certain time. It is important to take off the old patch before applying the new one and to be careful not to always put it in the same place. This type of application has several advantages: The medication is absorbed very evenly, and does not cause any trouble for the gastrointestinal tract. Also, this type of application is very comfortable. There are also hormonal and nicotine patches. These types of patches are also called “transdermal therapeutic systems” (TTS).

Tinctures

Tinctures are liquid plant extracts that usually use alcohol as a solvent. But non-herbal substances can also be applied to the skin as a tincture; a well-known example is iodine tincture for disinfecting wounds.

Sprays

Some drugs can be applied to the skin as a spray. There are sprays for treating wounds or disinfecting, for example.

You can find more detailed information about how to correctly use medications over a longer period of time here. You can also find out more about oral medications on our website.

Author: German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG)