Evidence recordApplied to skin
Urea
Answer
5% urea moisturisers helped eczema-prone skin stay relapse-free longer, while reviews distinguish moisturising use at up to 10% from stronger keratolytic use above 10%.
Check the formulaEvidence grade
Strong
Several consistent, relevant sources or an authoritative synthesis support this bounded claim.
Where it stops
The trials studied complete moisturiser formulas, mostly as maintenance after eczema had cleared; they do not prove that every urea product performs the same way.
Sources
Sources · 4
Source 1
Acta Derm Venereol, 2015- Design
- Multicentre randomized double-blind controlled trial
- Duration
- 6 months
- Reported numbers
- 5%, 37%
- Measured outcome
- eczema relapse risk, time to relapse
- Studied formulation
- 5% urea barrier-improving cream, reference moisturising cream
Finding
Six-month multicentre randomized double-blind controlled trial in atopic dermatitis: the 5% urea cream reduced relapse risk by 37% versus a reference moisturiser and prolonged median time to relapse from 15 to 22 days.
- Design
- Randomized maintenance study
- Participants
- 44
- Duration
- 26 weeks
- Reported numbers
- 68%, 32%
- Measured outcome
- relapse-free maintenance, time to relapse
- Studied formulation
- urea-containing barrier moisturiser, no maintenance treatment
Finding
Randomized 26-week maintenance study in 44 people whose atopic eczema had cleared: 68% using the urea moisturiser remained relapse-free versus 32% with no treatment; median time to relapse was more than 180 versus 30 days.
Source 3
Br J Dermatol, 2007- Design
- Randomized forearm study
- Participants
- 78
- Duration
- 7 weeks
- Reported numbers
- 5%
- Measured outcome
- transepidermal water loss, irritant response
- Studied formulation
- 5% urea cream, four other experimental moisturisers
Finding
Seven-week randomized forearm study in 78 volunteers: the ordinary 5% urea cream decreased transepidermal water loss and reduced susceptibility to an irritant, while some simplified moisturisers weakened barrier measures.
Source 4
Dermatol Ther, 2018- Design
- Clinical literature review
- Reported numbers
- 10%
- Measured outcome
- moisturising action, keratolytic action
- Studied formulation
- urea-containing topical formulations at 10% or less, urea-based preparations above 10%
Finding
Clinical-literature review: urea formulations at 10% or less act mainly as moisturisers, while concentrations above 10% exert a keratolytic action.