There are several ways to practice the usage of sudocrem for both adults and children. Sudocrem would possibly no longer be the most glamorous product on your bathroom shelf but it has so many uses, from treating babies pores, treatment of skin scars as well as skin maintenance. The first and applicable use of Sudocrem was as a medicated nappy rash cream. However it quickly grew to be a staple in every family home, after hitting UK shelves in the 1970s.
Sudocrem is now viewed as an essential beauty shortcut, an excellent (but extremely controversial) medium to get rid of spots. Also simply, like all the inventive methods to use Bio oil, the list of uses for Sudocrem just grows longer with new research. Now, let’s look at the meaning, uses, ingredients and more about this cream for treating different infections
WHAT IS SUDOCREM?
Sudocrem is an over-the-counter antiseptic medication cream used to treat certain skin problems. It is used mostly for treating babies’ diaper rash and has become a popular household material and can be found in countries like the United Kingdom, Ireland, Nigeria, France, and Ghana.
Over the years, it has advanced from merely being used to treat babies’ diaper rash to becoming a skincare product and even more, which we will be discussing in this article.
WHAT ARE THE KEY INGREDIENTS OF SUDOCREM?
Before we get into the various ways in which it can be used, let’s take a look at the key ingredients that make Sudocrem effective.
These key ingredients include zinc oxide, benzyl alcohol, and lanolin.
i. Zinc Oxide: The zinc oxide used in making this cream is responsible for its soothing and protective features.
ii. Benzyl Alcohol: It is a local anesthetic responsible for its disinfectant property.
iii. Lanolin: It resembles the secretions of the human sebaceous gland. A particular grade of lanolin is used in the making of the cream to exclude many sensitizing substances often present in lanolin.
WHAT IS SUDOCREM USED FOR?
The versatile healing and soothing ability of this cream have made it an option for the treatment of various skin problems that we will be discussing.
1. ECZEMA
A review from 2014 backs up the claim that it can be used to soothe eczema, both in adults and children. The review found that the zinc components of sudocrem reduced symptoms of eczema in people who had eczema on their hands.
Topical products that contain zinc have been proven to be effective in treating eczema as topical zinc has both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, hence helping to prevent any skin infections, and reducing redness and itchiness that is associated with the condition.
2. SCARS
Not so much has been said about how Sudocrem makes an impact on scars, however, zinc oxide, a key ingredient has a lot of evidence showing how impactful it can be when used on scars.
According to research, applying topical zinc oxide helps to reduce the appearance of a scar after 6 weeks. It has shown to be effective even in the treatment of hypertrophic scars -thick wide scars that often come about as a result of an injury that did not heal properly.
With all these reviews from research carried out on the effect of zinc oxide scars, it may be safe to say that applying it to a scar for some time could show a positive result in lessening the redness around the scar and its appearance.
3. SUDOCREM FOR ACNE SPOTS
Because Sudocrem contains antibacterial properties, it can help prevent or stop the growth of bacteria on your skin, so it is thought to be effective in dealing with acne spots, but this time, it is courtesy of two of its key ingredients; zinc oxide and benzyl alcohol.
Although there is no scientific evidence yet that benzyl alcohol helps to lessen the severity or control acne, it is thought that benzyl alcohol dries out cystic acne and helps to numb the pain associated with large breakouts.
On the other hand, a 2014 review found that topical anti-acne creams containing zinc were more likely to be effective in reducing acne spots than those that didn’t, and zinc was found to be just as effective in reducing acne spots as erythromycin, tetracycline, or clindamycin, all of which are found in most anti-acne treatments.
4. CHAFING
Chafing is red sore patches on the skin that occurs because your sweaty skin, mostly the thighs, comes in contact with each other and sometimes with the fabric you are wearing too. Chafing makes the affected area of your skin appear rough, dry, and flaking.
Now, applying sudocrem will not stop chafing from happening, because it is a common irritation that happens when there is no clothing to act as a barrier between skins, but zinc oxide is known to have a soothing effect, and lanolin has been proven to reduce water loss through the skin by 20-30%.
So, applying sudocrem to the affected area will work to soothe the skin and repair flakiness while also disinfecting the area and preventing or reducing pain.
5. INSECT BITES
Sudocrem helps to improve insect bites. This is actually one of the brand-approved ways of using Sudocrem. You may read on the label that it “helps to heal wounds by forming a protective layer over the vulnerable area, reducing the risk of infection and also contains a mild local anesthetic to soothe discomfort”.
6. DRY SKIN
If you take your time to read the label of your moisturizer, you may find that in the list of ingredients, you will find lanolin. A 2017 study found that lanolin helps to retain water, hence keeping the skin moisturized, and since it is one of the key ingredients in sudocrem, it makes it an effective treatment for dry skin.
7. WRINKLES
Yes, it can also be effective in treating or reducing the appearance of wrinkles. How is this?
A 2009 study proved that the zinc oxide in sudocrem stimulates the production of elastin in the skin, and it may also help to regenerate elastic fibers which would reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Aside from these listed use of this cream, there are more unofficial or off-label used, such as: Skin barrier for hair dye, unburn relief, treatment of scars and stretch marks, it can be used as a primer for makeup.
IS SUDOCREM SAFE FOR BABIES?
One of the major reasons why sudocrem was made was to be used to treat babies’ diaper rash, so yes, but is safe for babies. The three key ingredients play major roles in acting as a protective barrier for babies’ delicate skin.
The zinc and lanolin components protect their skin from water loss, keeping their skin hydrated, while the benzyl alcohol acts as an anesthetic that prevents pain associated with diaper rash.
DOES SUDOCREM CLOG PORES?
Sudocrem is used as a topical cream to treat various skin conditions, including acne, but it might not work for everyone as Sudocrem could also dry out your skin and as much as lanolin can be a hydrating factor in the cream, it is said that it could also be highly comedogenic, that is it can clog pores, especially for those with acne.
CAN YOU USE SUDOCREM ON YOUR PRIVATE PART?
It is common for young girls to experience occasional genital redness, pain, itching, or irritation and one of the recommended treatments is the use of sudocrem if the skin becomes sore. This is mostly because of the soothing effect of the cream.
SIDE EFFECTS
Most times, people who report experiencing side effects from the use of sudocrem are those who are allergic to it, so their skin gets irritated and they develop reactions like severe itching and burning.
You should seek medical attention immediately and stop using the cream if this happens.
HOW TO USE SUDOCREM
It is a topical cream and is explicitly for external use only. Apply a thin layer of a considerable amount of Sudocrem over the area of the face where it is required and rub gently into the skin.
There is no case of overdose reported in the use of this cream, but for safety, use at most twice a day, or speak with your doctor or pharmacist for an appropriate prescription.
ARE THERE ANY DANGERS OF USING SUDOCREM?
Yes. There are dangers of sudocrem when not used properly, for example, some people believe that using it for a skin condition called rosacea is appropriate, however, sudocrem may worsen it as benzyl alcohol has been found to worsen itching in patients with rosacea.
DOES SUDOCREM LIGHTEN THE SKIN?
A lot of people assume that if sudocrem can be used to clear or reduce the appearance of acne spots, then it could lighten the skin.
Sudocrem does not lighten the skin. Skin lightening products work by reducing melanin pigmentation in the skin, whereas it works by forming a protective layer over the skin to heal wounds and reduce the risk of contamination.
CAN YOU USE SUDOCREM ON TATTOOS?
Most products used for tattoo aftercare are usually expensive, so people seek out alternative products with a more affordable price tag, and one of the options sometimes chosen is sudocrem. It is an antiseptic healing cream, with soothing and moisturizing properties, so why not?
However, it contains strong astringents and disinfectants that are too sensitive for freshly-tattooed skin, which makes it not suitable for use on tattoos as it could cause skin irritation, and could also fade your tattoo pigments.
WARNINGS
If you find that you may be allergic to any of the ingredients, do not use them. Meanwhile in using it, be careful to avoid it getting in contact with your eyes, mouth, or nose. Should it get in contact with any of these body parts, immediately seek medical help.
Also, it can be highly flammable, so keep away from fire when using it, because, if it mistakenly gets in contact with your clothing, it can easily ignite the fabric, putting you at risk.
CONCLUSION
There are many benefits to using this product. Its healing and soothing effect makes it great for treating certain skin conditions, but be sure to speak with a doctor or pharmacist on which skin condition you should use sudocrem on because inappropriate use of it could cause skin irritation.