Urine therapy, or urotherapy, refers to the use of urine in alternative medicine. You may have heard that urine is good for your skin and can even clear acne, but evidence supporting this is lacking.
Urine containsurea, a substance produced in the liver. A synthetic (lab-made) version of urea is one of the most common moisturizing andexfoliating ingredientsused in skincare products. However, synthetic urea is made in a controlled environment and may interact with the skin differently compared to whole urine applied to the skin.
This article answers the question of whether urine can clear acne. It also explains where the idea of urine therapy came from, along with what urine is made of, and treatments to try instead.
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Urine Won’t Clear Acne
Urine therapy dates all the way back to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. In parts of Asia, the Middle East, and South America, urine is applied as a treatment for numerous skin disorders, and is even thought to cure many systematic diseases.
Even today, some alternative healers espouse the curative properties of pee and use urine therapy as a treatment for a variety of skin and health problems, including athlete’s foot and to brighten the skin.
Despite its traditional uses, you would be hard-pressed to find scientific evidence in support of urine therapy. In short, that’s because there is none. Human urine has never have never been tested on humans as a treatment for acne or any other skin disorder.
As for urine being acidic and drying up pimples, that’s not accurate either. If that were the case, vinegar would be a better acne treatment(it’s not)because it’s much more acidic than urine. Urine is a very weak acid. Nothing about it could dry up a pimple.
What Pee Is Made Of
Urea gets a lot of attention in the world of dermatology. It is:
There is a major catch, however. The synthetic urea used in studies and skincare products is formulated in concentrations of 10% to 30% or more.To be effective, you need much more urea than is naturally found in urine. So, an actual skin care product is still the best way to get it.
What Is a Urine Rub?
Urine Is a Waste Product
The most important thing to remember is that urine is a bodily waste. Putting pee on your face is neither safe nor hygienic, and may make your acne worse.
Contrary to popular belief, your urine is not sterile. There are low levels of bacteria even in a healthy person’s pee.
This doesn’t mean it’s toxic. But it does mean that exposing your skin to urine can lead to infection, especially if your skin barrier is already compromised.
What to Do Instead
Luckily, there are other acne treatment options that work, including:
Just remember to give any medication plenty of time to work (about three to four months). And if you have questions or need help, ask your healthcare provider.
Summary
Urine contains about 95% water, 2% urea, and trace amounts of minerals. Synthetic urea is used in skincare products due to its proven moisturizing, exfoliating, and antimicrobial properties. Human urine does not contain high enough concentrations of urea to be effective. Plus, human urine contains bacteria that can multiply on your skin, causing infection and making your acne worse. If you are interested in using urine on your skin, opt for a skincare product that contains urea instead.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Totri CR, Matiz C, Krakowski AC.Kids these days: urine as a home remedy for acne vulgaris?.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2015;8(10):47-8.Sarigul N, Kokrmaz F, Kurultak İ.A new artificial urine protocol to better imitate human urine.Sci Rep. 2019 Dec;9(1):20159. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-56693-4Piquero-Casals J, Morgado-Carrasco D, Granger C, Trullàs C, Jesús-Silva A, Krutmann J.Urea in dermatology: A review of its emollient, moisturizing, keratolytic, skin barrier enhancing, and antimicrobial properties.Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2021 Dec;11(6):1905-1915. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00611-yWolfe AJ, Brubaker L.“Sterile urine” and the presence of bacteria.Eur Urol. 2015;68(2):173-4.doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.02.041
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Totri CR, Matiz C, Krakowski AC.Kids these days: urine as a home remedy for acne vulgaris?.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2015;8(10):47-8.Sarigul N, Kokrmaz F, Kurultak İ.A new artificial urine protocol to better imitate human urine.Sci Rep. 2019 Dec;9(1):20159. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-56693-4Piquero-Casals J, Morgado-Carrasco D, Granger C, Trullàs C, Jesús-Silva A, Krutmann J.Urea in dermatology: A review of its emollient, moisturizing, keratolytic, skin barrier enhancing, and antimicrobial properties.Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2021 Dec;11(6):1905-1915. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00611-yWolfe AJ, Brubaker L.“Sterile urine” and the presence of bacteria.Eur Urol. 2015;68(2):173-4.doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.02.041
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Totri CR, Matiz C, Krakowski AC.Kids these days: urine as a home remedy for acne vulgaris?.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2015;8(10):47-8.Sarigul N, Kokrmaz F, Kurultak İ.A new artificial urine protocol to better imitate human urine.Sci Rep. 2019 Dec;9(1):20159. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-56693-4Piquero-Casals J, Morgado-Carrasco D, Granger C, Trullàs C, Jesús-Silva A, Krutmann J.Urea in dermatology: A review of its emollient, moisturizing, keratolytic, skin barrier enhancing, and antimicrobial properties.Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2021 Dec;11(6):1905-1915. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00611-yWolfe AJ, Brubaker L.“Sterile urine” and the presence of bacteria.Eur Urol. 2015;68(2):173-4.doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.02.041
Totri CR, Matiz C, Krakowski AC.Kids these days: urine as a home remedy for acne vulgaris?.J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2015;8(10):47-8.
Sarigul N, Kokrmaz F, Kurultak İ.A new artificial urine protocol to better imitate human urine.Sci Rep. 2019 Dec;9(1):20159. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-56693-4
Piquero-Casals J, Morgado-Carrasco D, Granger C, Trullàs C, Jesús-Silva A, Krutmann J.Urea in dermatology: A review of its emollient, moisturizing, keratolytic, skin barrier enhancing, and antimicrobial properties.Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2021 Dec;11(6):1905-1915. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00611-y
Wolfe AJ, Brubaker L.“Sterile urine” and the presence of bacteria.Eur Urol. 2015;68(2):173-4.doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.02.041
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