Products
Lotions are commercially available as cosmetics (personal care products), medical devices, and as pharmaceuticals.
Structure and properties
Lotions are preparations for external application to the skin with a liquid to semi-solid consistency. They have similar properties to creams and are usually present as O/W or W/O emulsions or as suspensions. Lotions may contain active pharmaceutical ingredients. A small selection of possible ingredients is shown below:
- Purified water
- Fats, fatty oils, fatty acids
- Hydrocarbons such as petrolatum and kerosenes
- Waxes
- Polyhydric alcohols, e.g. glycerol, propylene glycol.
- Agents against itching, e.g. polidocanol, menthol.
- Keratolytics: Urea
- Emulsifiers
- Essential oils and their components, e.g. menthol.
- Fragrances
- Acids, e.g. lactic acid
- Pharmaceutical agents
- Preservatives, antioxidants
- Plant extracts
- UV filters (sunscreen)
- Thickening agents such as cellulose
- Zinc oxide
Effects
Lotions have, among other things, skin-caring, regenerating, protective, cooling and hydrating (water-binding) properties. Due to their consistency, they spread well over large areas of the skin and they are absorbed quickly. The active ingredients impart pharmacological effects, for example, pain relief or anti-inflammation.
Fields of application
The areas of application depend on the composition:
- For daily skin care.
- For the treatment of skin diseases, for example, eczema, atopic dermatitis, dry skin, sebostasis, sunburn, acne and itching.
- Other medical indications, for example, pain.
Dosage
According to the instructions for use. Lotions are usually applied one to several times a day after showering or bathing. Suspensions (shaking mixtures) must be shaken before use. Duration of therapy may be limited.
Contraindications
Contraindications include (selection):
- Hypersensitivity
- Open and injured skin areas
- Not all lotions are intended for large-area application and for application to mucous membranes.
The full precautions can be found in the drug information leaflet.
Adverse effects
The most common possible adverse effects include local skin reactions and hypersensitivity reactions.
