Antipruridics & Antiinflammatories

This class of OTC drug reduces pain or discomfort by reducing edema (swelling) of tissues. Edema is often a contributing factor in injury because it adds to the damage caused by the initial injury. The swelling tissue can tear or become over-stressed so it's important with some injuries, especially burns, to reduce this effect. We produce several different types of anti-inflammatories for topical application that can help heal injured or damaged skin and the tissue underneath. In most products, the key is the delivery system. For example, 10% hydrocortisone is not soluble in anything so all the 10% hydrocortisone creams on the market simply whip powdered hydrocortisone into a mixture of petrolatum and mineral oil. In this state, very little of the hydrocortisone can get through the skin. An undissolved particle can't penetrate the skin and furthermore, the petrolatum seals the skin against penetration by water-soluble compounds. What's the point of making such a product? People will buy it because it's marginally effective and they don't know that there are products available that can do a better job. We make a 0.5% hydrocortisone serum* that puts more hydrocortisone through the skin than a 10% cream does without wasting any active ingredient. This is a case when more is not necessarily better, it's just wasteful.