Ichthyol ointment: side effects, contraindications

Ichthyol – antiseptic

Ichthyol (or ingammol

, or in chemical terminology -
ammonium bituminous sulfate
) is a resinous substance from shale rocks. It is a concentrate of organic substances with a large amount of sulfur. Ichthyol is obtained by multi-stage processing of organic resin found in sedimentary shale rocks.

Note: the name “ichthyol” is translated from Greek as “fish” or “fish oil”. This is due to the fact that skeletal remains of prehistoric fish are often found in shales.

In the production of ichthyol, shale resins are sublimated and distilled, after which they are treated with alkali, sulfuric acid and ammonia water, after which they are evaporated and a medicinal substance is obtained.

It was introduced into treatment practice at the end of the 19th century by the German physician Paul Unna. The medicine was given anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and analgesic effects

. It was intended for external therapy of skin and joint diseases, inflammations.

Today, ichthyol ointment is a traditional remedy for the treatment of purulent wounds . It is available in a concentration of 10%

.
Treatment with ichthyol ointment is used in dermatology, urology, gynecology and veterinary medicine. At the same time, the veterinary composition differs in concentration ( 20%
instead of
10%
).
Ichthyol ointment 20%
has a more pronounced effect. Therefore, sometimes patients use the veterinary composition for a quick therapeutic effect. Ichthyol contains a lot of organic sulfur. Therefore, its effect is similar to sulfur ointment (also antiseptic and anti-inflammatory).

Local treatment of purulent wounds

Local treatment is one of the most ancient methods of treating purulent wounds. Currently, the main method of treating purulent wounds, incl. purulent wounds in diabetes mellitus, is radical surgical treatment followed by plastic closure of the wound defect. However, in some cases, surgical intervention does not always manage to adequately remove all non-viable tissue. In this situation, to prepare a suppurating wound for skin grafting or its spontaneous healing, local therapy plays an important role.

The main principle in the conservative treatment of purulent wounds is the targeted use of dressings with a differentiated effect on the wound process, taking into account its phase and characteristics of the course.

The course of the first phase of the wound process is heterogeneous and can manifest itself as limited dry necrosis, scab, or a profusely exuding wound. The objectives of treatment in the first phase are: suppression of infection in the wound, activation of the processes of rejection of necrotic masses, sorption and evacuation of wound discharge.

In the first phase of the wound process, drugs from the group of antiseptics (iodophors, prontosan, lavasept) and hydrophilic ointments (levomekol, dioxykol) are most often used as local treatment for purulent wounds. In the treatment of highly exuding purulent wounds, it is advisable to use biologically active dressings from the group of draining sorbents (diotevin, anilodiothevin). In case of weak wound exudation with the formation of dry necrosis, it is possible to combine drainage sorbents with hydrogel dressings (Hydrosorb, Suprasorb G, APOLLO-PAK) (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Treatment of a patient with a burn wound of the leg using hydrogel dressings

If there are areas of wet necrosis in the wound, calcium alginates (Sorbalgon, Suprasorb A, Algisayt) are used as local therapy to quickly reject dead tissue (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2 Local treatment of a purulent wound in a patient with diabetic foot

carried out with a sorbalgon bandage

After cleansing the wound of necrosis, the appearance of granulations, eliminating perifocal inflammation and tissue infiltration, it is necessary to solve the following problems: suppressing infection in a purulent wound, creating optimal conditions for the growth of granulation tissue and epithelization, stimulating reparative processes, preparing for plastic closure of the wound defect.

Rice. 3 Structure of modern wound coverings

In the second and third phases of the wound process, treatment of purulent wounds continues with ointments on a water-soluble and hydrophilic emulsion basis (Vinilin, Actovegin, Solcoseryl, sea buckthorn oil), stimulating wound coverings (Collahit) (Fig. 4), hydrogels (Hydrosorb, APPOLO PAK, Suprasorb G) and hydrocalloids (Hydrocoll, Suprasorb N). It is carried out until complete epithelization of the wound or skin grafting.

Fig.4. Collachite wound covering

Thus, local treatment of purulent wounds with differentiated use of modern dressings, taking into account the phase and nature of the wound process, allows you to quickly prepare the wound for skin grafting, and if it is impossible to perform it in the shortest possible time, achieve complete epithelization of the wound defect.

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The effect of ichthyol in ointment

Ichthyol ointment 10% is an effective drug for the treatment of skin and joint inflammation. How does the ointment work?

The active substance (ichthyol) inhibits the production of inflammatory mediators. In this regard, its effect is similar to the work of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as a result of which joint pain is reduced and the development of inflammation is limited. In case of inflammation, ichthyol ointment acts as an analgesic - it reduces inflammation and reduces pain .

Ichthyol also slightly irritates the nerve endings, and this increases blood circulation and vascular tone in the area where the ointment is applied. As a result, the nutrition of tissues improves (in medical terminology, their trophism), the elimination of metabolic products is accelerated, and as a result, the area of ​​inflammation decreases and the amount of pus (if any) decreases. Thanks to the tone of the vessels, their lumen narrows and the flow of fluid to the site of inflammation decreases. Which leads to a decrease in swelling.

Thus, ichthyol ointment draws out pus, treats inflammation on the skin (boils, dermatitis, post-burn redness) and in subcutaneous tissues (joints).

Treatment of inflammation has an effect on reducing pain. Therefore, ichthyol ointment is called not only an anti-inflammatory, but also an analgesic.

What is ichthyol ointment used for?

Ichthyol ointment in the instructions for use refers to antiseptic drugs. It exhibits a bactericidal effect primarily against gram-positive bacteria - Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus . It also has some inhibitory effect against pathogenic fungi . Therefore, it is used to treat skin inflammations of bacterial and fungal origin, as well as joint pain.

Let's list what ichthyol ointment helps with and when it is used for external treatment:

• For skin infections (acne of various origins - boils, ulcers, acne, hidradenitis - purulent inflammation of the sweat glands in the armpits).
• For skin injuries (burns, frostbite) after primary epithelization.

Note: ichthyol ointment is not applied to an open wound. Therefore, it is not applied to open burn wounds, but is used after primary healing, the so-called primary epithelization.

• For allergic skin inflammations (eczema, dermatitis).

In gynecology, ichthyol ointment is used to treat inflammation (in the chest - mastitis, in the abdominal cavity - fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, as well as endometritis). In urology, ointment is used in the treatment of prostatitis.

Note: for inflammation of the pelvic organs, ichthyol rectal suppositories are used. They are introduced into the rectum, from where ichthyol is transported to the abdominal organs. This treatment is used in gynecological and urological practice.

In rheumatology, the ichthyol composition is used to reduce the area of ​​inflammation in joint pain (arthritis, neuralgia of any origin).

How it works

Ichthyol, which is part of the ointment, has the ability to draw foreign substances from the skin. Therefore, it is actively prescribed for boils, acne, and skin infections.

The ointment also has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. Due to this, ointment and suppositories are used for varicose veins and inflammatory urological and gynecological diseases. In addition, the ointment can reduce pain, so it is used for arthritis and neuralgia.

The ointment has antibacterial properties and is prescribed for cases of infection by staphylococci and streptococci. Fungi are also sensitive to ichthyol, so the ointment is used for candidiasis and onychomycosis.

Ichthyol ointment for boils and ulcers

The main property of ichthyol ointment is manifested as the ability to draw out purulent exudate. Ichthyol ointment for abscesses is used to accelerate the “ripening” of the boil (if abscesses have formed and are not in a hurry to ripen, they sit deep and hurt).

The use of ichthyol ointment for abscesses can speed up the process of abscess formation. It accelerates its tension and subsequent breakthrough. After which the pimple is carefully burned with alcohol .

Note: if the pimple is small, it may “disappear” without ripening. In this case, the pus from the ichthyol ointment simply resolves, and an abscess does not form.

Ichthyol ointment for acne

Ichthyol ointment helps improve the appearance of skin with purulent acne . She pulls out pustules from the deep subcutaneous layer. And this accelerates their maturation and treatment. How to use ichthyol ointment for cosmetic purposes?

• Acne removal - after pulling the pimple, if it has not opened on its own, it is squeezed out or pierced with a needle. Afterwards, the pus is removed and treated with an antiseptic. If necessary, apply ichthyol ointment again. When the pus has completely drained, epithelization (healing) of the skin tissue occurs.
• Cosmetic facial cleansing - ichthyol is applied to the face for 30-40 minutes. A mask of ichthyol ointment shows where inflammatory processes are still occurring and require repeated “cleaning”.

Note: in addition to the cosmetic “cleansing” procedure, in other cases it is not recommended to apply ichthyol ointment to the entire face. It is better to use it point-wise - exclusively on pimples, comedones, boils, and abscesses.

Ichthyol also draws out the contents of clogged sebaceous ducts (comedones).

• Removing blackheads - with oily skin, the sebaceous ducts are buried with the so-called “plug”. It creates the appearance of a black dot. An accumulation of blackheads on the nose, cheeks, cheekbones, and in the nasolabial triangle is called acne. Ichthyol dissolves sebaceous plugs and removes the contents of the duct out. Thus, the cosmetic effect of ichthyol ointment against blackheads is manifested.
• Ingrown hair treatment - uses the ability of ichthyol ointment to remove dirt and grease. Anti-acne agents are often used for therapy. They dissolve the sebaceous fat accumulated in the hair follicle. Thus, ichthyol ointment for ingrown hairs allows the hair to grow outward rather than inward.
• Treatment of chalazion - the ability of ichthyol to unclog sebaceous ducts is also in demand. This disease is associated with inflammation of the sebaceous gland on the eyelid, its blockage and the formation of a compaction or tumor. For chalazion, ichthyol ointment is applied from the outside next to the eyelid (so as to prevent it from coming into contact with the cornea of ​​the eye). It pulls out the formed “barley” and treats inflammation.

Important: after a purulent formation breaks through, the rod must come out when treating a chalazion. Only then will the recovery be complete.

What is included in Ichthyol ointment?

The ointment consists of ichthammol and medical petroleum jelly. Ichthammol is a substance made from oil shale resins. It is obtained by gasification and semi-coking. The root of the word is related to the Greek word for fish, which explains the presence of remains of ancient reptiles in the shales.

Ichthyol has been used in medicine since the end of the nineteenth century, thanks to the scientist P. Unn. Initially, a German doctor used it to treat gout, rheumatism and skin diseases. Later it became firmly established in medical practice; an alcohol solution of ichthyol was used in the treatment of migraines. And then tablets with ichthyol appeared, which were taken orally to treat asthenia.

Now there are suppositories with ichthyol and ointment, which are used exclusively externally.

Ichthyol ointment and wen

For the treatment of so-called wen, the success of therapy depends on how completely it was possible to pull out the contents of the fat capsule from under the skin (its internal exudate and membrane (capsule))

.
If treatment consists only of removing the contents of the capsule, then after some time the wen will form again .
When wen forms under the skin, ichthyol ointment is used as an additional means of external treatment. It reduces inflammation after puncture, laser correction, and radio wave removal.

Ichthyol ointment in gynecology

Ichthyol ointment has found application in gynecology. How to use ichthyol ointment to treat female genital organs?

The ointment composition is used in the form of tampons. You need to know that ichthyol, according to the instructions, is not applied to mucous surfaces . Therefore, when inserting tampons with ichthyol ointment into the vagina, the ointment is diluted with glycerin . In addition to glycerin, ichthyol ointment for tampons can be diluted with camphor oil . Dilution of ichthyol ointment reduces the concentration of ichthyol and reduces irritation of the mucous membrane.

Due to the irritating effect of ichthyol on the vaginal mucosa, sometimes tampons are inserted into the rectum (through the anus). From the rectum, ichthyol will enter the local bloodstream inside the small pelvis and through it to the inflamed female genital organs.

Note: ichthyol ointment cannot be used for cervical erosion. It can increase irritation and inflammation. Also, due to irritation of the mucous membrane, do not apply regular ichthyol ointment without dilution to the lip or inside the nose.

Glycerin itself also has some effect. It increases the secretion of mucus in the cervix and thereby speeds up the cleansing of the vagina from pathogens. This is why tampons with ichthyol ointment cause profuse mucous discharge from the vagina.

How to use ichthyol ointment against acne

The ointment effectively helps in the fight against acne. If there are single acne on the face, you need to carefully smear the pimple with ichthyol and cover it with cotton wool. After two hours, you need to remove the ointment.

If there are quite a lot of acne on your face, you can make a mask with ichthyol ointment. You need to spread a thin layer over your entire face, avoiding your eyes and lips. After a couple of hours, remove the mask with a cotton swab, wipe the face with cosmetic milk, and then with diluted salicylic alcohol. You can repeat the procedure a couple of times a week.

It is recommended to make a mask before going to bed, because the ointment has an unpleasant odor.

If there is no result within two months after treatment with the ointment, you should consult a doctor.

Ichthyol ointment for hemorrhoids

With developed hemorrhoids, protruding nodes (bumps) form in the anus. They often become inflamed and bleed. For their treatment, local wound healing agents (ointments) are used.

The ichthyol composition can be used as an external antiseptic. However, one must understand that the main effect of ichthyol ointment is antiseptic and disinfectant. It has almost no wound healing properties. Therefore, you should not hope that in case of hemorrhoids, ichthyol ointment will be able to stop bleeding and tighten bleeding cones.

How to use ichthyol ointment correctly

The ointment is applied only externally. It is important to know that you do not need to rub it into your body. Apply a small amount to the affected area, then cover with a gauze pad and fix.

After the procedure, you should wash your hands with soap. An unpleasant odor may remain on your hands for a long time; this should be taken into account when preparing food, for example.

You can apply the ointment two or three times a day. To treat gynecological problems, tampons are soaked in ointment and glycerin and inserted deep into the vagina. The same lotions are used for hemorrhoids. You can insert a tampon with ointment and glycerin into the anus. Or simply apply ointment deeply to the anus. This should be done before bed after an enema.

If unpleasant symptoms appear during treatment, pain, burning, you need to stop the procedure and consult a doctor.

Methods of using ichthyol ointment

Ichthyol ointment is used in pure and diluted form. The undiluted composition is used to treat boils and joint pain. Dilution of ichthyol is necessary when applying ointment to mucous membranes.

If dilution is necessary, ichthyols are mixed with glycerin or camphor oil (until a homogeneous mass), and then used in the form of lotions (for streptoderma) or tampons (for the treatment of gynecological inflammation).

Undiluted ichthyol ointment can be rubbed into the skin without a bandage or applied under a bandage (for long-term action). If used without a bandage, rub into the skin until a warm sensation appears . After which, they wrap the joint with a warm scarf to preserve heat and have a better therapeutic effect.

If you put the ointment under a bandage, then apply it to the skin without rubbing. This compress with ichthyol ointment is used both for the treatment of joints and for purulent boils.

Sometimes (for severe joint pain) ichthyol ointment for animals is used (20%

).
How to apply ichthyol ointment? For a compress, apply it in an even layer several millimeters thick. Afterwards, cover with gauze or other natural fabric .
And leave the ichthyol ointment overnight. How long to keep ichthyol ointment under the bandage depends on the extent of joint inflammation. Usually it is applied for 8-12 hours (evening + night time), and washed off during the day (ichthyol has a specific odor, so its use during the day can create some psychological discomfort)

.

Important: ichthyol ointment is not applied to the wound. Therefore, you cannot use it to treat skin inflammations that are accompanied by wounds and bleeding, and you also cannot smear fresh cuts, burns and other skin injuries with ichthyol.

also not recommended to apply undiluted ointment into the eyes or onto any other mucous surfaces (nasal sinuses, oral mucosa, genitals).

Analogues of ichthyol ointment

The first analogue of ichthyol ointment is Vishnevsky ointment. It is often offered as a means of identical action. At the same time, it has some differences that make it possible to distinguish between the use of ichthyol and Vishnevsky ointment. What are they?

Ichthyol ointment or Vishnevsky ointment: which helps better against boils

Vishnevsky ointment is also an external antiseptic and is used to treat infected wounds. It differs in composition, containing birch tar and xeroform (disinfector, phenolic product). Ichthyol ointment tightens the abscess faster. Therefore, at the stage of its maturation, it is better to use ichthyol. After the abscess breaks through, you can switch to Vishnevsky ointment. It has stronger bactericidal properties, so it treats inflammation better than ichthyol ointment .

In addition, ichthyol is used to reduce joint pain. But Vishnevsky's ointment does not have a joint therapeutic effect .

Ichthyol ointment or Levomekol: comparison of composition and action

Levomekol is an ointment that contains the broad-spectrum antibiotic chloramphenicol and the wound-healing substance methyluracil. Levomekol is also intended for the treatment of skin inflammation, but does not have the property of “pulling out” pus . However, it has a stronger antibactericidal effect and the ability to accelerate the regeneration (healing) of skin tissue.

Levomekol allows you to treat severe inflammation. It is used for deep skin injuries and extensive purulent infections , applied to open purulent wounds. Ichthyol is more effective for local purulent formations (boils, pimples).

Combined treatment uses both ointment compositions. First - ichthyol ointment (to draw out pus from deep tissues). And after – Levomekol (for effective treatment of inflammation and rapid epithelization).

Who is prescribed

The following diseases are treated with ichthyol ointment:

• erysipelas;
• eczema;
• burns;
• boils;
• boils;
• neuralgia;
• arthritis;
• haemorrhoids;
• acne.

Suppositories with ichthyol are used for inflammatory diseases in gynecology and urology:

• prostatitis;
• endometritis;
• inflammation of the ovaries;
• salping.

Reviews

Svyatozar, Kalachinsk
An old well-known remedy. You apply it to an infected wound - by the morning it becomes larger, the abscess fills. At first it seems terrible, it has become very bad. Then the pus comes out and everything heals quickly. Ichthyol ointment strongly draws pus to the surface of the skin.

Yulia, p. Myshkin If the abscess is small, you can pull it out. And if the wound is large, the pulling of pus will be too strong. I had a small wound from a hangnail. It started to fester. She smeared it with ichthyol and cured it in a couple of days. But when there was a big cut on the entire finger, and it so happened that it became infected, she no longer dared to smear it with ichthyol. It will swell your whole arm. She smeared it with levomekol and dimexide and wrapped it with a bandage on top.

Gennady, Yekaterinburg I often use ichthyol ointment for acne - I apply it to each pimple in the evening, cover it with a bandage and plaster, and leave it on all night. In the morning, either the pimple has already opened, or I pierce it with a needle and burn it with alcohol.