Urea-containing cream explained

Tradename:Decubal, Carmol 40, Keralac, others
Pregnancy Us:C
Routes Of Administration:Topical
Legal Us:OTC
Cas Number:57-13-6
Unii:8W8T17847W
Atc Prefix:D02
Atc Suffix:AE01
Chemspiderid:none

Urea, also known as carbamide-containing cream, is used as a medication and applied to the skin to treat dryness and itching such as may occur in psoriasis, dermatitis, or ichthyosis.[1] [2] It may also be used to soften nails.[2]

In adults side effects are generally few.[3] It may occasionally cause skin irritation.[4] Urea works in part by loosening dried skin.[5] Preparations generally contain 5 to 50% urea.[1] [2]

Urea containing creams have been used since the 1940s.[6] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[7] It is available over the counter.[2]

Medical uses

Urea cream is indicated for debridement and promotion of normal healing of skin areas with hyperkeratosis, particularly where healing is inhibited by local skin infection, skin necrosis, fibrinous or itching debris or eschar.[5] Specific condition with hyperkeratosis where urea cream is useful include:

Side effects

Common side effects of urea cream are:

In severe cases, there can be an allergic reaction with symptoms such as skin rash, urticaria, difficulty breathing and swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue.[8]

Mechanism of action

Urea in low doses is a humectant while at high doses (above 20%) it causes breakdown of protein in the skin.[9]

Urea dissolves the intercellular matrix of the cells of the stratum corneum, promoting desquamation of scaly skin, eventually resulting in softening of hyperkeratotic areas.[5] In nails, urea causes softening and eventually debridement of the nail plate.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: British national formulary : BNF 69. 2015. British Medical Association. 9780857111562. 69. 796–798.
  2. Web site: Urea topical medical facts from Drugs.com. www.drugs.com. 15 January 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170118043117/https://www.drugs.com/mtm/urea-topical.html. 18 January 2017.
  3. Book: Paradisis M, El Hachem M, Diociaiuti A, Giannetti A . Ichthyoses . Katsambas A, Lotti T, Dessinioti C, D'Erme AM . European Handbook of Dermatological Treatments . 2015 . Springer . 9783662451397 . 439. 3rd . https://books.google.com/books?id=fHi6CAAAQBAJ&pg=PA439 . en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170116172421/https://books.google.ca/books?id=fHi6CAAAQBAJ&pg=PA439. 2017-01-16.
  4. Book: WHO Model Formulary 2008 . 2009 . 9789241547659 . ((World Health Organization)) . Stuart MC, Kouimtzi M, Hill SR . 10665/44053 . World Health Organization . World Health Organization . 310 .
  5. Web site: Urea Cream - FDA prescribing information, side effects and uses. www.drugs.com. 15 January 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170118043309/https://www.drugs.com/pro/urea-cream.html. 18 January 2017.
  6. Book: Harding CR, Bartolone J, Rawlings AV . Effects of natural moisturizing factor and lactic acid isomers on skin function. . Loden M, Maibach HI . Dry Skin and Moisturizers: Chemistry and Function. 1999. CRC Press. 9780849375200. 235. https://books.google.com/books?id=JpfgVgb62nsC&pg=PA235. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170116172650/https://books.google.ca/books?id=JpfgVgb62nsC&pg=PA235. 2017-01-16.
  7. Book: ((World Health Organization)) . The selection and use of essential medicines 2023: web annex A: World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 23rd list (2023) . 2023 . 10665/371090 . World Health Organization . World Health Organization . Geneva . WHO/MHP/HPS/EML/2023.02 . free .
  8. Web site: Urea Cream (Consumer Information) . Drugs.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20110226112501/http://www.drugs.com/cdi/urea-cream.html . 2011-02-26 . May 4, 2011 .
  9. Sethi A, Kaur T, Malhotra SK, Gambhir ML . Moisturizers: The Slippery Road . Indian Journal of Dermatology . 61 . 3 . 279–287 . 2016 . 27293248 . 4885180 . 10.4103/0019-5154.182427 . free .

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