Cooling effect of dermatics

In case of inflammatory skin diseases a certain cooling effect of the dermatics used for therapy is usually desired. The cooling effect is mainly due to the evaporation of a part of the aqueous, in gels also the aqueous-alcoholic phase from a cream or gel base. The different types of emulsions show different effects depending on their structure. W/O emulsions hardly show cooling effects. O/W emulsions cool considerably which means that the water from the outer phase of the emulsion evaporates relatively easily. Ambiphilic systems are in the middle of the cooling efficiencies. The type of substances dissolved in an emulsion also changes the vapour pressure.

1. Loebich F (1985) Stabilizers in dermatics. In: Hornstein P, Nuremberg E: External therapy of skin diseases. Georg Thieme publishing house Stuttgart p.85