Urea is different from urine, uric acid or urate. Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula CO(NH 2) 2.
Urea is included in a variety of cosmetics and skin care products for its moisturizing and exfoliating properties. The urea used in skin care products is made synthetically in a lab, but urea is also naturally found on your skin and is excreted in urine. Urea is used in a variety of skin care products to target general skin dryness or medical conditions associated with dry or itchy skin. Urea can also help exfoliate dead skin buildup and may help target fungal infections.
Percentages of urea used in skin care products
Skin care products can contain anywhere from about 2 percent to 40 percent urea. The percentage that you should use depends on the condition you're trying to treat.
Urea cream or lotion less than 10 percent
Skin care products that contain less than 10 percent urea primarily act as moisturizers. A cream containing a low dose of urea may be appropriate for treating dry skin or conditions that lead to dry skin.
Between 10 and 20 percent
At strengths above 10 percent, urea creams and lotions have a keratolytic action, meaning they help exfoliate dry and flaking skin.
You can use 20 percent urea creams to treat conditions like:
- rough patches of skin
- calluses
- cracked heels
Higher than 20 percent
Urea products with a concentration higher than 20 percent have the strongest exfoliating action. Products in this range may help treat nail fungus and soften thick nails.
Eucerin
Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion
Frequent washing with hand soap and external factors like the environment can strip hands of vital elements needed to keep hands soft, smooth and hydrated. Intensive Repair Lotion leaves hands noticeably softer and smoother after just one application
*At the time of publishing
Eucerin
Eucerin Dry Skin Intensive Lotion 10%
Suitable for the daily care of extremely dry, itchy, flaky skin areas. It smoothes and protects extemely dry skin areas that require intensive moisturisation.
*At the time of publishing
Eucerin
Eucerin Roughness Relief Spot Treatment
This Spot Treatment works best for stubborn problem areas like elbows, knees, heels, and knuckles. Comes with a precision tip for targeted application. Roughness Relief Spot Treatment absorbs quickly into skin. It is fragrance dye free, and gentle enough to use every day, even on sensitive skin.
*At the time of publishing
Excipial
Excipial Urea 20% Intensive Healing Cream
Triple action Excipial 20% Urea Intensive Healing Cream helps slough away dry, skin on hands, elbows, knees and feet, restoring the skin's natural hydration system and deeply moisturizing to smooth away cracked, rough skin.
*At the time of publishing
Eucerin
Eucerin Roughness Relief Lotion
This full body lotion reduces the appearance of bumps. The rich formula also contains Natural Moisturizing Factors, amino acids naturally found in the skin, to hydrate and help prevent dryness from reoccurring. Roughness Relief Lotion is fragrance free, dye free, and safe to use on sensitive skin.
*At the time of publishing
Cerave
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream for Psoriasis Treatment
Removes scales and dead skin and helps restore essential moisture while helping to prevent the recurrence of the symptoms of Psoriasis. Relieves skin itching, scaling, redness, flaking and irritation associated with psoriasis.
*At the time of publishing
