Do topical medicenes go through to your blood stream?

Question

Do topical medicenes go through to your blood stream?

Answer 1

No.

Answer 2

Yes they do.  The medication is absorbed through the skin and does eventually make its way into the bloodstream.  Most over the counter topical medications are not very potent and you probably wouldn't see big effects from them.  However some prescription medications are specifically designed to be applied topically then absorbed into the bloodstream.  I had a severely autistic student a number of years ago who refused to take oral medications and so his parents were able to have one of them formulated into a topical cream.

Steroid creams/ointments for treating eczema can be over-absorbed if you are not careful and can have similar effects to oral steroids (I'm talking about prednisone-not the anabolic/athletic type).

Hope this helps....medication is medication and your skin is not an impermeable barrier.

Good luck!