Ointment VS Cream:What’s The Difference Between Them?

1.What Is Ointment VSCream?

Ointment VS Cream-Sourced:wederm

What will you do if you have sensitive or allergic skin? You may go to the pharmacy and get the relative ointment or cream for caring. Both of them can be used for cosmetic or pharmaceutical purpose. Ointment vs cream, they are two different products.

Ointment is a kind of oily substance which is more greasier and stickier, and is frequently used for first aid or skin disease. They can inhibit infection and accelerate curing. Cream is more light compared with ointment and more frequently used in cosmetic area. They are multi functional and usually used to provide nutrition or moisture.

2.Ointment VS Cream: What Are The Difference BetweenThem?

Ointment vs cream, they are two different materials and their difference can be revealed in many places. What are their main difference? Here you can find the detailed differences of ointment and cream.

Absorption

Better Absorption-Sourced:beautyreview

Cream has a better absorption as it has larger portion of water in it. Ointment, in reverse, contains more oil and can stay on your skin for longer time. For light texture and better absorption, you should adopt cream. But for occlusive and better protection, why not try ointment.

Consistency

Consistency-Sourced:lovecrewar

You can get the difference of cream vs ointment easily from their consistency. Cream has a lighter consistency while ointment has the thicker. You can have your cream spread faster and quicker than ointment.

Oil portion

Oil Portion-Sourced:paiskincare

The oil portion of cream vs ointment decides their most different feature. Cream has larger portion of oil and smaller portion of water, while ointment is in contrast. That’s why cream is more light and better absorbed.

Appearance

Cream Appearance-Sourced:allure

You can get the difference of ointment and cream easily from their appearance. Cream are light and smooth, you may hard to see them while they are absorbed so well and become transparent quickly. For ointment, they may leave the thick track after applying. You may find the oily and shiny ointment on your skin easily.

Applying difference

Skin Type-Sourced:hushla

Lighter product for oily skin, while greasier product for dry skin. This applying is suitable for various skin condition and can better serve the different skin problems. Or your pores may get blocked or your skin are too dry and cannot get enough moisture.

Duration

Duration-Sourced:skinbae

Duration affects the effect of your products on your skin. You may find the slower absorption of ointment on your skin. The duration is thus longer as it stayed on your skin and gives out effect consistently.

Extension

Extension-Sourced:globalnews

Both cream and ointment can be better extended. But the extension of them have slight difference. Cream is better extended while ointment is more sticky and is more suitable to apply in a specific area.

3.What Are The Types Of Ointment VSCream?

The types of ointment vs cream are differentiated mainly according two different things. You can find the different ointment type according to their ointment base. And you can also find the different cream according to the different portion of oil and water.

Ointment type

Oleaginous bases

Oleaginous Bases-Sourced:medisca

Oleaginous bases have the oleaginous compound as the main composition. It is anhydrous and difficult to spread. They are the bases for occlusive, non water-washable, hydrophobic and greasy solutions.

Absorption bases

Absorption Base-Sourced:hannanpharm

Absorption bases have oleaginous base and surfactant of water in oil. It is also anhydrous, but hydrophilic. It is a branch of oleaginous bases and play the similar role of oleaginous base.

Water in oil emulsion bases

Water In Oil Emulsion-Sourced:quadroliquids

Water in oil emulsion ointment bases are composed of oleaginous base, water and water in oil surfactant. They are hydrous and hydrophilic. You may find their use in lanolin, soap, cold cream and emollient.

Oil in water emulsion bases

Oil In Water Emulsion-Sourced:crodahomecare

Oil in water emulsion bases have the component of oleaginous base, water and oil in water surfactant. They are also hydrous and hydrophilic. But they can be spread most easily. Their features like water-washable, non-occlusive and non-greasy made them popular in some products which have higher standard in skin feel.

Water soluble bases

Water Soluble Bases-Sourced:Lubricant-additive

Water soluble bases have polyethylene glycols as the main components. The water content can change according to need. They are lipid-free and water-soluble.

Cream type

Water in oil (w/o)

Water In Oil-Sourced:testoil

For water in oil cream, water is in little portion while oil in large portion. The diverse water is mixed in the continuous oil. They are thus more heavier and occlusive. Their long-lasting and steady moisturizing makes it irreplaceable in deep moisturizing.

Oil in water (o/w)

Water In Oil-Sourced:differencebetween

Contrary to water in oil cream, oil in water cream has oil dispersed and water continuous. You may find them more light and less greasy. They can be absorbed faster by your skin and thus widely used in serums, toners, hydrating masks and emulsions.

4.Where Can Ointment VSCream Be Applied?

You can use ointment vs cream to deal with many skin problem, but the applying of the two are different in some places. And you may find the difference in some applying field and applied disease so easily.

Applying field

Ointment and cream can be applied in most place of your body, but the applying field is a little different.

Ointment

Ointment-Sourced:puremedy

Ointment is suitable to be applied at dry, thickened skin or skin with no hair. You would better not use them in the fold place of your skin or wet skin.

Cream

Cream-Sourced:everydayhealth

Cream can be applied in any parts of body, especially for face and genitals. For hairy place or wet place, it can also make the good job.

Applied disease

Ointment

Ointment For-Sourced:dermamiracle

Contact disease	For contact disease like contact dermatitis or itchy rash, ointment is more suitable as it contains less preservatives compared with cream.
Wound care	Ointment offered more lasting care or moisturizing for wound and is thus more frequently used in wound caring or curing.
Eye disease	Ointment suits to deal with common eye disease as it stayed longer and made better effect.

Cream

Cream For-Sourced:people

Moisturizers	Cream is the suitable moisturizer as it contains more water.
Local anesthetics	Cream can be used in local anesthetics making. They can take the active ingredients of lidocaine, benzocaine, pramoxine
Rectal and genital related disease	For folded, wet or oozing area like rectal and genital, cream makes the nice job in curing and caring.

5.Can Ointment VS Cream BeCombined Together?

Ointment And Lotion Combination-Sourced:flexaust.icvgroup

Can ointment and cream be combined together? The answer is no! Sometimes, to chase for high efficiency and low time cost, people may combine it in one use. The first rejecting reason is that they deal with different skin type and have the different absorption rate. Besides, the random combination may induce the change of medicine feature and even induce further infection.

If you have the need of using both ointment and cream for one skin area, you can apply it in interval. It is suggested to apply it with separating time of at least 10 to 30 minutes.

6.The Packaging OfOintment VS Cream

A nice packaging can make the products free from dust, moisture or other contamination. The suitable one can prolong the life of products and also make the better effect for your customers. Ointment vs cream are different in many way, but they share the similar packaging type and packaging line.

Packaging type

Jar

Jar-Sourced:pkggroup

You may see the glasses and plastic jar for ointment and cream packaging. They maybe transparent, opaque, translucent or any color. And they can have simple screw cap, lid, cork stopper as the closure. Look at the various jar for cream and ointment on market, how many styles you can find?

Bottle

Bottle-Sourced:freepik

Bottle is just like jar in its application and feature. But you may see the bottle type less common as it is more suitable for the large quantity of cream and ointment. They are sometimes equipped with press head or dropper of the nice getting of material.

Tube

Tube-Sourced:en.ac-illust

Tube, unlike jar or bottle, is made of tin, aluminum and some other plastic material. It has better sealing ability to isolate from dust and light as it has smaller lid and contact surfaces. By squeezing, ointment and cream come out from outlet. This is rather suitable for precise using or area application.

Packaging line

The high standard on products quality make the stricter demand on processing and packaging of ointment and cream. Here is the typical filling and packaging machines for the two kinds of products.

Vacuum emulsifying mixer

Allpack Vacuum Emulsifying Mixer

Vacuum emulsifying mixer can mix two or more substances together and make the suitable emulsification. The kind of machine are made according to the the standard of ointment manufacturing and adopted advanced technology to deal with large quantity material and continuous working.

Filling machine

Allpack Liquid Paste Filling Machine

There are manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic filling machine and you may find liquid pasta filling machine and piston filler as the most typical one. The former can be manual or semi-automatic, the easy operation and high accuracy provide safe, efficient and quick filling.

Liquid paste filling machine is semi-automatic. The strong suction and powerful stirring make more even and quicker filling. Besides, for high-viscosity ointment and cream, you can’t find the more suitable one.

Induction sealer

Allpack Induction Sealer

Induction sealer can seal container of any material like plastic and glasses. The nice equipment in it made the more stable and reliable sealing. The right combination of induction sealer with other machine makes the efficient and great work.

Labeling machine

Allpack Labeling Machine

Labeling machine is used to label bottle or jar. It can handle round, square and multi-shaped container. And you could also make the high-speed and precise coding or labeling with different automation level choose.

7.Which One Should You Choose, Ointment Or Cream?

Ointment vs cream, which one you may choose? You should considering the below factors to get your most suitable type.

Skin type

Various Skin Type-Sourced:lotusherbals

How about your skin, dry or oily, thick or hairy? For the dry and thick skin, you should adopt ointment for better moisturizing. And for normal, oily or sensitive skin, you may find the better effect of cream.

Disease type

Disease Type-Sourced:freepik

Ointment and cream have the disease they are good at. Having said before, for contact disease, wound care or eye disease, ointment is a better choice for its longer staying and better moisturizing. And for local anesthetics and rectal and genital related disease, cream is more light and more suitable.

Application area

Application Area-Sourced:prescriptiondoctor

The different feature of ointment and cream decides the different application area. The cream can be used to the oozing or wet area, like rectal or genital. And for ointment, there is nothing better than it in applying on eye or wound area.

Preference

Preference-Sourced:forbes

You should also take a serious consideration of your preference. According to your previous experience or medical history, you may find the type which is most efficient and comfortable for yourself.

Conclusion

Ointment vs cream, what's the difference between them? You may have your own answers. You can’t find the best in the two as they have the specific advantages and disadvantages. For deeper knowing of the two products or any further question, do not hesitate to contact us.