Does urea cream burn?

Why does urea cream sting?

Urea itself can cause stinging and irritation. Do not apply urea preparations to cracked or bleeding skin, infected or oozing areas, or skin with severe widespread redness. Dry skin and broken skin are not interchangeable here: a cream suited to scaling skin is not automatically suitable for an open crack.14

The reaction can also involve another ingredient in the cream. Fragrances and preservatives can cause allergic contact dermatitis, an itchy, inflamed skin reaction after contact with an allergen. Irritant contact dermatitis is different: irritation, rather than allergy, causes the inflammation. Burning alone does not tell you which reaction you have.3

What should you do if it burns?

1. 1Stop applying the cream if burning is bothersome, persists or comes with a rash. Mild stinging does not usually need medical attention unless it continues and becomes troublesome.
2. 2If the cream appears to be causing irritation, wash the area with plenty of water to remove the remaining product. Avoid further exposure to the suspected irritant.
3. 3Ask a pharmacist about a different moisturizer. Urea emollients are particularly useful for scaling skin or when other emollients have not helped; they are not a necessary ingredient in every dry skin routine.
4. 4Contact a doctor if the reaction is severe, does not improve, or includes signs of infection such as increasing tenderness, redness, warmth or fever.

How should you apply it?

Use urea externally and keep it away from your eyes. Choose the strength for the condition being treated, rather than assuming every urea cream serves the same purpose. Preparations range from 3% to 40%, and some include other medicines. Follow your product's directions for frequency.1

For emollients generally, smooth the product gently onto skin in the direction the hair grows instead of rubbing it in. Apply after washing and patting skin dry. Creams suit daytime use because they absorb quickly and are less greasy, leaving the glossy finish to the packaging. If you also use a steroid cream or another skin treatment, leave 20 to 30 minutes between applications and ask your doctor which goes first.2

What if you have rosacea or very sensitive skin?

If you have rosacea, avoid skincare containing urea. Choose a fragrance free moisturizer made for sensitive skin instead. After cleansing, wait until your face is dry before applying moisturizer; this reduces the likelihood of burning or stinging. If finding a comfortable product is difficult, ask your dermatologist for specific options.5

Imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea are preservatives, not the moisturizing urea discussed above. Allergy to these preservatives can cause intense itching, burning and swelling, with a rash commonly developing 48 to 72 hours after exposure. A dermatologist can investigate repeated reactions with patch testing to identify an allergy.36

If you are receiving targeted cancer therapy, report new dryness, burning or a rash to your cancer care team immediately. Fragrance free creams containing 3% to 10% urea are one option for treatment related dryness, but new skin reactions still need early assessment.7