Ointment

Ointments have been used for centuries for both medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Ointments are thicker than most creams but are also designed to be used on the body. Where you can use an ointment will depend on the treatment you are using and what you are using it for.

An ointment is different from a standard cream in a basic way. Here the substance in the pot or package will be thicker than a runny cream. Ointments are made with special bases that make them thicker than creams and lotions. They may also be absorbed into the skin less quickly than creams in some cases but are held to be an effective way of getting their ingredients into the body through the skin in many cases.

The most common ointment bases used today are waxes, oils and emulsifiers. These bases get the other ingredients in the ointments to almost set into a solid form. So, if you hold a pot of ointment upside down it won’t spill out of its container. But, it should still be soft enough to be scooped out easily when you want to use it.

From a medical point of view you could use an ointment to help treat a specific problem. So, for example, you could use one as an antiseptic is you get a cut or a scratch and want to clean it out. Some ointments are designed for all over use so you could use one if you have problems with your skin such as acne or eczema. The base used in the ointment is often held to be good for skin problems as it also acts as a barrier, thus protecting the skin from further damage.

In some cases the ointment you’ll need to use can simply be purchased over the counter from a chemist, a supermarket or another store. In other cases, however, you may need to get the treatment that you need on prescription from your doctor. This really depends on the content of the medication and what it will be used for.

Ointment like products are also widely used in the cosmetic industry as well. These may not be specifically described as ointments as many tend to view the name as having a medical meaning but they work on similar principles. Some lip salves and skin creams, for example, are based on ointments in the way that they are made.