If there is a medicine that can be said to be time-tested, it is an ichthyol ointment. The use of the product began in the middle of the 20th century, and although many refuse to use this drug because of its specific color and smell, it has received widespread acceptance by consumers.
Description of the medication
The medication is applied externally, a distinctive feature of the drug is the brown or black color of the substance, as well as an unpleasant odor of tar. The pharmaceutical industry produces two types of this ointment - 10 percent and 20 percent. The active substance is ichthyol, and auxiliary - medical petroleum jelly. The product is available in tubes, glass jars of dark glass of 25, 800, 1800 grams.
Ichthyol ointment: what is it for?
The tool has a wide range of effects and is used in various fields of medicine. For example, with suppuration, ichthyol ointment is most often used. Its use is generally associated, as a rule, with skin diseases. This, for example, acne, various rashes, furunculosis, burns, etc. Also, the ointment is used in gynecology for the treatment of inflammatory processes. Instructions for use of the tool reports that it can be used for inflammation of the joints, and even in order to pull a splinter from the skin. In the fight against acne, ichthyol ointment is also effectively managed. Its use is so successful thanks to the antiseptic properties of the drug. The medication is able to provide a protective effect against sunlight, but it can not be used with other agents that contain zinc oxide. As you can see, the drug has a fairly wide scope.
How does ichthyol ointment work
Reviews of specialists about this drug, despite its specific color and unpleasant odor, are extremely positive. This is due to the fact that the medication has a number of undeniable advantages compared to other drugs similar to it by the mechanism of action.
Probably one of the most important qualities of this ointment is that it is able to penetrate deep into the skin, under its upper layers. No other drug can boast of such an action. Due to the influence of ichthyol, swelling, pain, and inflammation are reduced. Ichthyol ointment is able to improve blood flow in tissues, supplying them with important substances and oxygen. At the same time, the process of removing decomposition products is accelerating.
Another great property of this tool is that it can affect the pain receptors of a person, reducing swelling and pain. And after applying the ointment, the patient has an increase in the pain threshold, that is, in order to cause the person the same pain, a stronger effect on his body will be needed.
The next feature of the medication is that it is able to destroy the protein of the pathogen - this is the so-called denaturation. This effect is due to the high content of sulfur compounds in the preparation. Due to this property, after certain processes, the death of organisms that cause the disease occurs.
Another plus of this tool is its extensive scope and a minimum of contraindications. After all, the use of ointment can be prohibited only in case of individual intolerance to the components of the product. Although, despite this, the ointment, as a rule, is not used to treat patients who have not reached 12 years of age.
How is ichthyol ointment applied
According to the instructions for the drug "Ichthyol ointment", its use can only be external. The method of applying it is quite simple, you just need to spread a thin layer of the affected area without rubbing the product. After that, a gauze dressing is applied to the site of application of ichthyol. At the end of the procedure, be sure to wash your hands with soap. Typically, such manipulations are carried out two to three times a day. But, depending on the disease and its nature, the attending physician may prescribe another course of treatment.