A Guide to What Skin Creams and Ointments to Use
As winter approaches it is likely that you will be more in need of using skin creams and ointments in order to protect against the cold, the wind, and the rain. Knowing which ones to use, however, can take a little research, some medical advice, and a handful of knowledge. Here are some useful tips to consider before you buy new skin creams and ointments:
Assess your needs
To begin with, it is necessary to assess your skin cream or ointment needs. If you have eczema, or a skin condition that is oozing, then you will need a product that will not add to the moisture too much; if it is psoriasis or dry skin that is affecting you then a product that will stay on the skin for longer is necessary.However, if it’s just a simple dry skin problem, applying hand cream every day should do the trick.
Other, more precise skin disorders include cold sores, warts and athlete’s foot. Each of these conditions can be treated with a certain type of medicinal skin or ointment, trialed and tested to be an effective treatment.
Know your products
All medical creams and ointments will have undergone clinical trial manufacturing which ensure their safety and function are of the highest standard, but knowing which one suits your needs and will be effective for your treatment is key.
The most basic factor to comprehend is the difference between the two. Essentially, ointments are oil based and will both appear and feel slightly greasy, while creams are water based. This gives the two products different properties when rubbing them into your skin.
Creams, as they are more watery, spread easier and evaporate quicker, making them effective on large areas or any skin conditions that are moist. Ointments, with their sticky nature, work better on dry skin as they trap moisture and take longer to evaporate.
Seek medical advice
In order to get the best pharmaceutical product for your skin you should always seek medical advice. Doctors will be able to properly diagnose your skin condition and recommend or prescribe products to you that have been properly tested and analyzed.
If your skin condition is not serious, you may be able to purchase over the counter products at the recommendation of a pharmacist or through some quick online research into your symptoms.
Understand when to use them
If it is a specialist medicinal product that you have been prescribed by a doctor, they should have explained to you how and when to use it. If it is a more simple, everyday skin-care product then getting into a regular routine is the trick to seeing results.
Using a product over a period of six weeks, according to an interview with a dermatologist in the New York Times, is the way to notice a difference to your skin. It is also essential to use skin-care products such as creams and ointments in the right order, going from thinnest to thickest.
From cleanser to toning and moisturizing, skin creams and ointments should be used routinely and for over a month in order to improve your skin’s health. They should also be used appropriately – as per doctor’s advice – and be produced by a reputable, renowned manufacturer.