by Vladimire Herard
Little do consumers know that, each time they use an anti-itch cream to help nurse an insect bite, they are exposing their skin or their bloodstream to a drug.
The same goes for all of the different varieties of skin medications, including anti-bacterials, antifungals, antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, Epsom salt soaks, keratolytics, oatmeal baths and steroids.
Also known as topical medications, these drugs are directly applied to your skin to relieve you of a certain condition.
This is as opposed to having medications to treat certain illnesses being swallowed in the form of pills or tablets or being injected into your blood as needles or syringes.
Instead, these topical medications typically present as creams, gels, lotions, ointments and powders to be used on dry skin or as soaking crystals or beads to be used in bathwater.
Oftentimes, these “skin drugs” contain corticosteroid, an active ingredient mixed with an inactive one to make it easier to place on your skin.
Using a topical drug or medicine in place of a pill, liquid formula or injection may be more beneficial to you as a patient if your medical conditions are only on your skin or a particular member of the body.
In this manner, the topical medication is safe and gentle on your system as it is delivered directly to the body part most affected by illness. A good example of such medical efficacy is in the case of pain such as in your knees, legs, feet or ankles.
The use of topical drugs leads you to experience fewer side effects than you would if your medicine was administered to you as a pill, tablet, liquid formula or with a needle or syringe.
For instance, pain relievers such as acetominophen, aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen that take the form of creams, gels, lotions or ointments may not be gentle on your skin but they can prevent side effects.
Typically, the most common side effects of painkillers include those that affect your digestive system, heart or kidneys that could not be avoided with pills or tablets.
The forms of topical medications differ in consistency, presence of active ingredients, types of ingredients and medical benefits.
Namely, creams are composed of water with oils mixed in. They are absorbed into the body quickly and contain less of an active ingredients than in the form of ointments.
Foams are aerosol formulas using alcohol as a base. You can immediately digest medications in the form of a foam and they are easily applied to different parts of your skin, including those covered with hair.
Gels are mostly water without oil or fat. They may be less effective as they don’t deliver as much medical solution as creams, lotions or ointments.
Powders are dry and can serve as a moisture-free alternative to some irritating wet solutions.
Bathwater soaks can take the form of crystals, powders, salts and soaps. You can’t fully determine how much of a drug solution you will receive but you can safely apply it all over your body.
Soaks tend to work best for medical conditions that don’t require strong medication.
