What’s the difference between compounded creams, gels, and patches?

When it comes to compounded topical medications, patients often ask: what’s the difference between creams, gels and patches? Understanding how these options work can help you feel more informed and confident in your treatment. Each type of base offers different advantages depending on the medicine, your skin, and your therapeutic goals.

Here’s a simple guide to how these forms differ, and why your compounding pharmacist may recommend one over another.

Table of contents:

1. Creams
2. Gels
3. Patches
4. How Do Pharmacists Decide Which Form to Use?
5. Personalised Advice for Better Outcomes
6. Transcript

Creams

Compounded creams are a familiar option for many patients. They are semi-solid formulations made from a combination of oil and water, which makes them smooth and easy to apply. Creams are designed to absorb relatively quickly into the skin and can carry a wide range of active ingredients.

Key benefits:

• Suitable for many medications
• Easy to rub in and fast-absorbing
• Moisturising due to the oil content

However, creams can sometimes leave a slight greasy feel, depending on the formulation.

Gels

Gels differ from creams in that they are primarily water-based, with minimal or no oil content. This gives them a lighter texture and helps avoid the greasy residue that some creams may leave behind. Because they are more aqueous, gels may also allow certain medications to pass through the skin more quickly.

Key benefits:

• Non-greasy and quick-drying
• May enhance absorption for some medicines
• Often preferred for oily or acne-prone skin

Not all medicines are compatible with gel bases, so this option depends on the properties of the active ingredient.

Patches

Transdermal patches are designed to release medication gradually over time. While they can be highly effective, especially for sustained delivery, they are more complex to produce and are not as commonly available through compounding pharmacies.

Key facts:

• Provide controlled, long-term drug delivery
• Technically complex and less commonly compounded
• Often used in specialised treatment situations

Because of the advanced technology required, compounded patches are used only when clinically necessary and feasible.

How Do Pharmacists Decide Which Form to Use?

The decision on whether to use a cream, gel or patch depends on several factors:

• The compatibility of the active ingredient with the base
• How the medicine is absorbed through the skin
• The patient’s skin type and preference
• The treatment goals (e.g. fast relief vs. steady dosing)

Your compounding pharmacist will consider all of these elements when preparing your medicine. If you have a preference based on past experience, be sure to mention it. While the choice of base is guided by science, there is often room to tailor your treatment to your comfort and needs.

Personalised Advice for Better Outcomes

The great advantage of working with a compounding pharmacy is the flexibility to personalise your treatment. Whether you need a non-greasy gel for regular use or a cream that soothes dry skin, your pharmacist can help find the best option.

If you’re unsure which form is right for you, speak with your pharmacist. They’ll work with your doctor’s prescription and use their expertise to create a medicine that supports your health effectively and comfortably.

Transcript

Hi there. This is a really good technical question that I’m more than happy to share a bit of insight in. Um, what’s the difference between compounded creams, gels and patches? So there’s a few differences between those three. And what I’ll do now is I’ll break down the reasons why someone like us at National Custom Compounding would choose one of those particular dosage forms. Um, creams and gels are very, very common in compounding pharmacies. Patches are not so common. And that’s predominantly because the technology or the equipment required to make a patch to release the product is quite technical. Um, so we won’t spend too much time on that one. But, um, at a high level, creams are semisolid preparations, basically a combination of water and oil phases there. You’d be familiar with them. They’re smooth, they’re easy to absorb. You rub them in, they’re pretty quick to go through the skin. Um, and they can contain a variety of active ingredients that like that type of water and oil. Um, situation. Now, not everything suited, but a lot of things do quite like sitting in a cream. So that’s definitely option one. Um, gels are slightly different. They’re often more of an aqueous phase, so they’re higher water containing, which means the ingredients have to like that environment to behave in. Um, the good thing about the gel is that because of the way they work, they generally tend to, um, avoid the greasiness that creams have because the creams contain the oil phase. Um, and some medicines might move faster through the skin because they’re in more of the water containing gel than compared to a cream. So quite different situations when you use those bases. And then the patches, like I said, they’re a lot more technical, not often used in compounding pharmacies, but when they are, you can really produce this matrix that helps to move things through the skin in more of a time controlled manner. So you might not see them very often in compounding pharmacies. But when you do, um, there are very clever dosage device. Um, so what you generally find in a compounding pharmacy like ours is that a compounding pharmacist with their experience would know what active ingredient your doctor on prescription wants. And then the pharmacist will decide which base is most suitable for the outcome that you’re looking for. So, you know, sometimes you might want to gel, but in actual fact it’s not possible with the active ingredient you’re after, and vice versa. You might want a cream, but the gel might be better. So I would always, um, as a free take home, I’d always suggest you just chat to the compounding pharmacist and trust their expertise. That’s what we’re ultimately here for. Um, but always, if there’s a form that you prefer or you’ve had experience with in the past, mention that to the compounding pharmacist too. And we can do what we can to, um, make what you need to get the outcome you desire. So, like always, it does always come down to the compatibility of the ingredients in the base. But more often than not, there’s a bit of flexibility in compounding pharmacies. And we’ll do what we can to make sure you get what you need and have the best outcome. I hope this helped reach out anytime and have a great day.