Urea

What it is

Urea is a naturally occurring component of skin's moisture-retaining system, used topically as a humectant and keratolytic. Its effect is concentration-dependent: lower percentages draw and hold water to hydrate skin, while higher percentages loosen and break down thickened, scaly skin.

Benefits

Relieves dryness, scaling, and rough or thickened skin; concentrations around 10% act mainly as a moisturizer (one study showed a 55% rise in skin hydration), while 20-40% provide increasingly keratolytic, scale-softening effects.

When to take it

Apply to affected areas once or twice daily, morning and/or evening; lower-strength formulas suit everyday body moisturizing while high-strength versions target thick or callused areas. It does not increase sun sensitivity.

Side effects

Usually well tolerated; higher keratolytic concentrations can cause transient stinging or irritation, especially on broken or fissured skin. Lower-concentration moisturizing formulas rarely cause problems.

Sources

• Evaluation of a 10% Urea Lotion for Xerosis: Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes (PMC)
• 10% urea cream in senile xerosis: Clinical and instrumental evaluation (J Cosmet Dermatol, 2021)

Products containing Urea

No products in our database contain this ingredient yet.