Sudocrem ( ) is an

over-the-counter Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription drugs, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid prescr ...

medicated cream aimed primarily at the treatment of nappy rash. It contains a water-repellent base (consisting of

oils An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...

waxes Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to give low ...

); protective and

emollient A moisturizer, or emollient, is a cosmetic preparation used for protecting, moisturizing, and lubricating the skin. These functions are normally performed by sebum produced by healthy skin. The word "emollient" is derived from the Latin verb ''m ...

agents;

antibacterial An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention ...

and antifungal agents; and a weak

anesthetic An anesthetic (American English) or anaesthetic (British English; see spelling differences) is a drug used to induce anesthesia ⁠— ⁠in other words, to result in a temporary loss of sensation or awareness. They may be divided into two ...

. As well as nappy rash, it can also be used to treat

eczema Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved can ...

, bedsores, minor burns, surface wounds,

sunburn Sunburn is a form of radiation burn that affects living tissue, such as skin, that results from an overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, usually from the Sun. Common symptoms in humans and animals include: red or reddish skin that is h ...

and

chilblains Chilblains, also known as pernio, is a medical condition in which damage occurs to capillary beds in the skin, most often in the hands or feet, when blood perfuses into the nearby tissue resulting in redness, itching, inflammation, and possibly ...

. It was manufactured by pharmaceutical company Forest Laboratories Europe up until July 2014 when the company was acquired by, and combined with,

Actavis plc Actavis Generics (formerly known as Watson Pharmaceuticals and Actavis plc, prior to the acquisition of Irish-based Allergan Inc) is a global pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing, manufacturing and marketing branded pharmaceuti ...

. On , Actavis completed the acquisition of Allergan, creating a $23 billion diversified global pharmaceutical company. In

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

, the product is sold under the brand "Dermocrem". The

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

was the first country Sudocrem was sold in outside Ireland and the UK.

History

Sudocrem was developed in 1931 by

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

-based pharmacist Thomas Smith. It was originally called "Smith's Cream", later "Soothing Cream". The name changed to Sudocrem in 1950 due to the Dublin accent pronunciation of soothing cream. During the 1960s, samples of Sudocrem that were given to new mothers in Ireland increased the popularity of the product and the brand was gradually introduced to the UK in the 1970s. Its makers claim it to be the leading nappy rash cream in both

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. Sudocrem is still manufactured in the

Baldoyle Baldoyle () is a coastal suburb of Dublin's northside. It is located in the southeastern part of the jurisdiction of Fingal, Ireland, developed from a former fishing village. Baldoyle is also a civil parish in the barony of Coolock within t ...

suburb of Dublin. A 2012 '' Irish Independent'' article said: "Sudocrem is the spuds and bacon of skincare creams, the Guinness of gentle nappy rash reliefs and the Tayto of topical ointments," following reports in both Irish and UK media celebrities were using the product to treat acne. There are now three Sudocrem branded products available in the UK: the original antiseptic healing cream, ''Sudocrem Care and Protect'' which is a nappy rash preventative and ''Sudocrem Skin Care Cream'' which is an everyday acne cream aimed at the youth market. Sudocrem's parent company Teva announced in May 2021 that is planning to close the Baldoyle plant and move production to Acatvis' Bulgarian plant in

Troyan Troyan ( bg, Троян ) is a town remembering the name of Roman Emperor Trajan, in Lovech Province in central Bulgaria with population of 21,997 inhabitants, as of December 2009. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Troyan Muni ...

in 2023. Teva said that reason for the closure was due to the growing international popularity of the cream, and the inability to make the site of the Baldoyle factory bigger to cope with the rising demand.

Ingredients

''Sources:

References

{{Reflist Irish brands Irish inventions Ointments

History

Ingredients

See also

References