Are The Ingredients In Drugs Suitable For Skin Care?
Some people always have this question: If the ingredients in medicine are added to skin care products, will such skin care products be safer and more effective?
There are always people who misunderstand that the medicine used to treat skin problems is used for skin care, will it be better and safer.
Let’s analyze the ingredients that often appear in medicines and skin care products in detail below, and see what is the difference between them when they are used in medicines and skin care products.
Glycerin
Drug
Glycerin is a component present in the skin, and generally acts as a water-soluble moisturizer in various topical dermatological drugs. Glycerin is generally an auxiliary component, and it is relatively rare to be used as a topical skin drug alone.
Skin care products
Glycerin is one of the most excellent moisturizing ingredients because of its strong moisturizing properties.
It is a common ingredient in skin cleansers, creams and lotions. Taking into account the skin feel, the amount of glycerin added in skin care products will be relatively lower than that of topical dermatological drugs.
Vaseline
Drug
Vaseline became famous during World War I and World War II. It has a good healing effect on soldiers’ wounds. The main principle is that petroleum jelly can help the wound isolate air, prevent the wound from being infected by bacteria and keep the wound moist, which is conducive to wound healing.
Vaseline is mainly used as the raw material of ointment in the preparation of various dermatological external medicines. It is known as the best moisturizing ingredient with the best sealing properties, with high safety, and is not prone to irritation and allergic reactions. In addition to its excellent moisturizing function, it also helps repair the skin barrier.
Skin care products
Vaseline is an excellent sealing agent in skin care products. It is very suitable for cosmetic raw materials to make hair oil, wax, lipstick, cream, lipstick, etc.
Vaseline’s mildness to the skin also makes it widely used in baby products and lip care products, but because of its strong sealing properties, it is not suitable for oily skin.
Vitamin E
Drug
Vitamin E is a very important fat-soluble antioxidant component in the human body. Vitamin E can scavenge free radicals generated in and outside the body, protect the function of cell membranes from damage, and promote the healthy operation of cells.
Vitamin E can influence inflammatory factors and regulate cell signals. Because vitamin E is fat-soluble and has a very good affinity with the skin, it can improve the state of dry skin and make the skin softer.
Skin care products
Many antioxidant skin care products will add vitamin E, which can improve the skin’s moisturizing capacity, antioxidant capacity, and prevent light damage. Vitamin E is usually used in combination with vitamin C. They can increase each other’s antioxidant capacity.
The concentration of vitamin E added in skin care products ranges from 0.1% to 1%.
Urea
Drug
Urea is also a component present in the human body. Low-concentration urea helps to maintain moisture in the skin and is a good moisturizer. Urea with a concentration higher than 10% has a slight exfoliating effect and can be used as an exfoliating product that does not damage the skin.
At a high concentration of 30%-40%, urea has a strong exfoliating effect and is suitable for more serious skin diseases such as psoriasis.
Skin care products
Urea is added to skin care products to enhance the moisturizing ability of the product, so the added concentration is relatively low.
When urea is used in skin care products, pay attention to the PH value of the product. Urea is unstable in an alkaline environment with PH>10 and an acidic environment with PH<5, and a high-temperature environment should be avoided as much as possible.
Allantoin
Drug
Allantoin can improve the ability of keratinocytes to bind water, which is conducive to wound healing. Dermatology topical ointments are usually used to treat frostbite, chapped and keratosis pilaris.
Skin care products
Urea sacs are used in skin care products to promote skin metabolism and reduce the irritation of other ingredients to the skin. They are also used in oral hygiene and anti-acne products.
Zinc oxide
Drug
In medicine, zinc oxide has the effect of adsorbing grease and moisture. Zinc oxide was used in ancient Egypt to promote wound healing. Currently, it is mainly used in dermatological medicine to absorb water, inhibit bacterial growth, and promote wound healing.
Even if it enters the skin, it can be absorbed by cells, promoting the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, thereby promoting tissue repair. So it is a very mild, safe, and effective ingredient.
Skin care products
Zinc oxide can inhibit the damage of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida to the skin. And zinc oxide can shading light, not only has a covering function but also reflects UVA and UVB, so zinc oxide is often used as sunscreen products in skin care products.
Secondly, zinc oxide can be used in cosmetics as a white colorant. If you use cosmetics containing zinc oxide, your skin will look fairer.
Zinc oxide can absorb oil, and it can be used as an astringent in baby diaper products.
Calamine
Drug
Calamine is very mild and has anti-itch and anti-inflammatory effects in topical ointments in dermatology. It is generally combined with zinc oxide and glycerin to remove all kinds of itching caused by eczema and allergies quite quickly.
The main principle is that zinc carbonate and other trace metal ions in calamine have a mild paralytic effect on neurons in the skin.
Skin care products
Many anti-acne skin care products also use calamine to treat papules or pustular acne, and its effect is very good. However, it should be noted that this type of product sometimes contains a large amount of ethanol or isopropanol. For sensitive skin, it is best to use it on the ears first to observe whether the skin will produce an irritating reaction.
Salicylic acid
Drug
There are many forms and effects of salicylic acid used in dermatology, including creams, gels, cleansers, and topical solutions.
The concentration of salicylic acid preparations ranges from 0.5% to 30%, and what concentration should be selected depends on the skin problem that needs to be treated.
Salicylic acid at a concentration of 1% to 3% not only has the function of exfoliating the keratin and dissolving whiteheads, but also has anti-inflammatory functions, and is well tolerated locally. It is a safe and effective medicine for the treatment of acne vulgaris.
Salicylic acid can also be used for other skin diseases caused by hyperkeratosis, such as psoriasis and keratosis pilaris.
Skin care products
Salicylic acid used in skin care products is often used to remove acne, unclog pores, and exfoliate cuticles. It is used for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and pore-opening abilities.
The maximum allowable concentration of salicylic acid in skin care products is 2%.
Azelaic Acid
Drug
Azelaic acid has the properties of antibacterial, oil control, and prevention of hyperkeratosis, so Azelaic acid is often used in dermatological topical drugs to treat acne, and its concentration range is 10%-20%.
Azelaic acid also has the functions of scavenging free radicals and inhibiting cell proliferation, which is beneficial to anti-inflammatory and inhibiting telangiectasia. Therefore, it would be a great ingredient to treat rosacea as an auxiliary.
Skin care products
Azelaic acid has an inhibitory effect on the activity of tyrosinase, hinders the proliferation of melanocytes, and is very helpful in preventing and improving pigmentation.
The application of azelaic acid in skin care products is not only used to remove pigmentation, but also used for antibacterial, prevention of acne, and prevention of keratosis pilaris.
Ichthammol
This is a relatively unfamiliar ingredient, which has anti-inflammatory, anti-swelling, normalization of keratin, and inhibition of sebum secretion.
Drug
Ichthammol is often used as a disinfectant and antiseptic in medicines, and has the functions of anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and swelling. Its irritation is low, and the concentration range is 10%-20%.
Skin care products
Ichthyol is commonly used in skin care products as anti-acne and anti-dandruff products. The concentration used in skin care products is 0.5%-2%.
Sulfur
Drug
Sulfur has the functions of sterilizing, removing mites, and dissolving cutin. Sulfur is often used to treat acne and seborrheic dermatitis in topical dermatology drugs.
Skin care products
The most common is sulfur soap, which is suitable for occasionally washing acne on the back. It is not recommended to use it on the face.
Conclusion
The ingredients in medicines are not necessarily more reassuring or more effective when used in skin care products.
Medicines cannot be used as skin care products. Even if you encounter skin problems, visit your doctor as much as possible, use medicines under the doctor’s advice, and remember to follow up regularly.