Not all things that are trendy are good. On a second thought, maybe sometimes they are worth following. If we tell you the latest skin care trend that is catching up fast in the UK is using urine to address skin issues, what will be your reaction? Many might question the benefits of the process, others or a cynical few may point out to the fact that urology is a time-tested (even tasted) practice in India. After all, former Prime Minister Morarji Desai was rumoured to consume his own urine for a healthy living!
Even Madonna had once declared unabashedly on the David Letterman show in the 1990s that she urinated on her feet during a shower to prevent athlete’s foot. It is unknown if she was inspired by Desai or it was the using urine trend that made her do so. Now the followers of the trend are supposedly using urine on their face to treat problems like acne, eczema etc. “Urotherapy can be beneficial for inflammatory dermatitic lesions, possible eczema, psoriasis, lichenified dermatitis, ichthyosis etc,” says Dr R K Joshi, Senior Consultant-Dermatology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi.
Urine contains elements that are believed to have skin healing properties. “The composition of urine is 95 per cent water, 2.5 per cent urea and the rest comprise enzymes, minerals, amino acids (which are the building blocks of proteins) etc. Urotherapy in skin is postulated to have benefits in itchy red skin, it is also believed to show improvement in acne, eczema, dandruff, fungal infections and psoriasis,” says Dr Sirisha Singh, Dermatologist, The Skin Centre, Delhi. At present there are isolated and anecdotal reports of improvement of skin infections using urotherapy. “There are also reports of people feeling that their skin looks supple and soft after applying urine. However, there are no long-term and well-conducted scientific trials,” adds Singh.
According to experts, urea is the main component in urine that can prove to be good for the skin. “Urea works as an exfoliant and also as a very good moisturiser. Many commercially available skin creams contain large amounts of urea. These creams are often used where deep hydration is required like in fissures on the foot or on callosities. The combined action of exfoliating and hydrating the skin can make the skin soft and supple,” says Singh.
Although urotherapy is an established practice and had its ardent followers across the globe, there were scanty references and a very little scientific published data on this. There are also chances that it may backfire and prove to be harmful. “Currently, there is no scientific evidence that using urine can cure dermatological conditions. Though there are some individual reports on urotherapy, this is an area which requires further research and investigation before being advocated as a therapeutic option. This alternative therapy can have serious medical consequences if the microorganisms and certain medications are present in the urine, especially in people with urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases or in patients taking medications which are excreted in urine. The safety of urotherapy has not been established by studies,” advices Dr Deepak Vohra of Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj.
Despite knowing the pros and cons of using urine, there are brave ones who are willing for a ‘urine facial’. But the next big question is: how to do it? “I personally feel very squeamish about using urine on my face or drinking urine. For those of you who are brave, one could start by using a cotton pad soaked in urine and applying it on the face. Regular users drink their own urine. It is preferable to take the mid-stream sample of early morning urine. It can be diluted in water and sipped to make it more palatable,” says Singh.
Famous Pee-ple
● Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai drank his own urine to treat piles
● Madonna urinates on her feet during a shower to prevent athlete’s foot
● Swami Agnivesh vouched for urine’s therapeutic value and confessed that he used to drink his own urine to prevent himself from wetting the bed