Pastes, ointments and oils

Ointments are mixtures of various fats that can be easily spread. They are made of fat, oil or wax, or a combination of these. A common example is diaper (nappy) rash ointments that have a soothing and healing effect.

Oils are made mostly of fats that are liquid at room temperature. They are used as additives for oil baths, as massage oils, or as essential oils such as peppermint oil.

Pastes are special ointments that contain fat as well as a large amount of powder-like substances. This makes them very thick, and it is difficult to rub them in. One example is zinc paste.

Various medications to be applied to the skin

Creams, lotions, and foams

Creams are mixtures of fat and water that can be easily spread. Because fat and water normally won’t readily mix, an emulsifying agent is added to combine these two ingredients and keep them stable. The resulting mixture is called an emulsion. Runnier water-based emulsions are called lotions or milk. If tiny bubbles of air are formed in an emulsion, it becomes a topical foam.

Depending on their main ingredient, emulsions of water and oil are described using the letters “O” and “W”:

• Oil in water (O/W) emulsions contain more water than oil. Examples include light creams that are easily absorbed by the skin and have a cooling and moisturizing effect.
• Water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions, on the other hand, have more oil than water. They create a protective layer and store moisture in the skin. They are used for richer creams and creams specifically for dry skin, for instance in eczema.

Gels, tinctures and powders

Gels are a special type of water-based cream. They mainly consist of thickeners like starch that can bind a lot of water and the drugs dissolved in it. Gels contain no fat, can easily be spread on the skin and can have various drugs in them. Examples include gels for relieving pain or itching. Gels build a film on the skin and have a cooling effect caused by water evaporating on the skin.

Tinctures are topical medications in liquid form. They are made by dissolving or diluting dried extracts of plants or other substances. Alcohol is commonly used as a solvent. Other substances can also be dissolved and used as a tincture - such as iodine, for example. Alcohol is usually used as a solvent.

Powders are sprinkled on the skin and stick there. As well as having a solid active ingredient, they sometimes also contain carrier substances (such as talc). Powders have a drying effect and form a film that protects the skin. There are, for example, powders for the treatment of itching or fungal infections.

Shake lotions are made of a mixture of liquids and solids. The mixture is at least 50 percent solid, which is why shake lotions can be described as a kind of “liquid powder.” They contain very little fat or no fat. Two application examples are chickenpox and shingles, where a white shake lotion containing zinc is used to dry out the skin blisters. Because the powder and liquid separate over time, you have to shake these lotions into suspension before use.

Sprays and patches

Some drugs can be applied to the skin or mucous membranes as a spray. There are sprays for treating wounds, for disinfection or for reducing swelling in the nasal mucous membranes, for example.

Some medications can be applied with the help of a patch. The various types include pain relief (analgesic), hormonal and nicotine patches. A patch can release a medicine for a specific amount of time.

This type of application has several advantages: The medication is absorbed very evenly, and doesn’t cause any trouble in the stomach or bowel. Patches are convenient to use, too. These types of patches are also called “transdermal patches” or “transdermal therapeutic systems” (TTS). It is important to take off the old patch before applying a new one, and to be careful not to always put it in the same place.

Sources

• Friedland J. Arzneiformenlehre für PTA. Stuttgart: WVG; 2013.
• Hein L, Fischer JW. Taschenatlas Pharmakologie. Stuttgart: Thieme; 2019.
• Herdegen T. Kurzlehrbuch Pharmakologie und Toxikologie. Stuttgart: Thieme; 2024.
• Kretz FJ, Reichenberger S. Medikamentöse Therapie. Arzneimittellehre für Gesundheitsberufe. Stuttgart: Thieme; 2007.
• Plötz H. Kleine Arzneimittellehre für Fachberufe im Gesundheitswesen. Heidelberg: Springer; 2017.
• Pschyrembel Online. 2025.

• IQWiG health information is written with the aim of helping people understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main treatment options and health care services.

  Because IQWiG is a German institute, some of the information provided here is specific to the German health care system. The suitability of any of the described options in an individual case can be determined by talking to a doctor. informedhealth.org can provide support for talks with doctors and other medical professionals, but cannot replace them. We do not offer individual consultations.

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