Urea Cream

Urea is a naturally occurring compound in the human body and helps in moisturizing the body. It is found in all the healthy cells and is characterized by varied medicinal properties that range from being antifungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. It is this urea that forms the most important ingredient in urea cream and that is what we shall be studying about in the article that follows. What exactly are the uses of this cream and what is the purpose that it is used for?

The Details

Urea cream is the name given for all those skin creams that have active ingredients of urea in them. To understand why these creams are used, we need to understand what the properties of urea are and the reasons for which it is used.

Uses of Urea

Urea (also known as carbamide) is a naturally occurring substance in our bodies that is found in the upper layers of the skin and plays a vital role in maintaining the body's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF). It is known to lend moisture to the skin surface and keep the skin smooth and supple. It is due to its hydrating properties that the skin is able to maintain its elasticity and not crack. When the level of urea in the body goes down drastically due to certain environmental factors like extreme dry or cold weather, or due to the emergence of certain skin disorders like eczema or psoriasis - these lend the skin to dry out, causing the natural moisture of the skin's surface to be lost and cracking to occur. Along with that, other symptoms also manifest which include tightness of skin, scaling, flaky and dry skin that leads to an urge to scratch. This just goes to show the importance of urea in our bodies.

Treatment

Urea creams will supply the body with urea in its most natural form such that the lost moisture can be provided for again. The way in which this cream works is that it helps in breaking down the dead skin cells and thereby penetrates the skin surface, goes deeper into the skin, attracts moisture from the environment and then supplies it back to the body. Urea cream has the unique capacity of attracting moisture to the body and binding it to the skin cells, this property is not paralleled by any other chemical compound. In that way, this cream makes for an important component in treatment of diseases and in skin care.

The most common usage of this cream is for the care of feet, especially cracked heels. Urea cream is known to lend a good treatment for the same. Along with that, urea cream is also used for the treatment of skin disorders that lead to drying and flaking skin.

Urea cream is used extensively for facial skin care because it provides water to the skin and therefore allows for the elasticity and suppleness to be maintained at a high level. The stretching of the skin without cracking is made possible due the presence of moisture.

Urea cream should only be made use of for external usage and never on open wounds or blisters. This will cause burning, irritation and inflammation of skin. On a smooth skin surface, urea cream is well tolerated by most, though in some, certain side effects like irritation of skin, mild stinging and itching make way.

Urea cream has the unique property of locking moisture and restoring lost water from the skin surface thus, providing for natural skin care. And it is for this reason that it makes for an important factor in skin care and as a medication form. That said, you should always make sure that you consult a doctor before using any cream that has urea in it.