Preparation H Cooling Gel vs. Preparation H Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream Review

This is the full and complete Preparation H Cooling Gel vs. Preparation H Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream review.

Harvard Medical School visually describes hemorrhoids as sitting on a toilet seat of tacks, and for those who have experienced the condition, the photo is probably a fairly appropriate description.

Hemorrhoids are painful and embarrassing, and for anyone suffering from the potentially debilitating problem – imagine spending hours on a flight, wedged in the center seat, unable to do anything to ease the agony of hemorrhoidal itch – finding relief is a pretty important life goal.

Hemorrhoids have several causes including pregnancy, being overweight or suffering from constipation, which can cause straining during bowel movements. By middle age, almost half of the population has experienced at least one or more symptoms of hemorrhoids, according to Harvard Medical School, including rectal pain, itching, bleeding and hemorrhoids that protrude outside of the anus. Known as thrombosed hemorrhoids, this type of external hemorrhoid can be the most painful and the toughest to heal.

What Products Are Best Suited for Which Hemorrhoid?

There are three types of hemorrhoids:

• Internal hemorrhoids are swollen or ruptured blood vessels inside the anus, and while they are usually fairly painless, they can be scary because symptoms include blood in the stool.
• External hemorrhoids are hemorrhoids that develop beneath the skin around the anus. Blood vessels that are weakened due to a variety of factors – age, diet and straining bowel movements – swell in the same way weakened blood vessels in the legs become varicose veins. Hemorrhoids are essentially varicose veins of the anus, although they can be a much more embarrassing problem to tackle.
• Thrombosed hemorrhoids are a type of external hemorrhoid that forms a clot, causing extra pain and distention. While clots eventually dissolve, excess skin caused by the stretching can continue to have symptoms including itching and irritation.

Here’s what won’t help. According to Harvard, wiping constantly to try to relieve the itching can worsen the problem, in the same way scratching a mosquito bite only seems to bring the bite to life.

Preparation H: A Leader in Hemorrhoid Care

Preparation H is one of the biggest names in hemorrhoid treatment options.

The company was founded in the 1930s, and the leading product was originally designed as a sunburn cream. When it was revamped as a hemorrhoid treatment, sales soared and a new product was born.

The current Preparation H family has numerous different products available to temporarily help treat the burning, pain, itching, and swelling of hemorrhoids, some to be used on their own, others to be used in conjunction with other treatments.

We’re putting two products – Preparation H Cooling Gel and Preparation H Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream – to the test to determine which is the better option if you’re hoping to ease your hemorrhoid pain fast.

Preparation H Cooling Gel

This product works in two ways. First, it soothes the itching, burning heat associated with hemorrhoids with the natural cooling of witch hazel. Secondly, it helps shrink swollen blood vessels so sensitive tissue is less irritated.

Preparation H is designed to temporarily relieve the itching and burning associated with hemorrhoids while temporarily shrinking swollen blood vessels, reducing discomfort.

The formula includes:

• Witch hazel. Witch hazel helps strengthen blood vessels because it contains tannins that help weakened vessels constrict.
• Phenylephrine HCl. This powerful ingredient also helps constrict blood vessels, strengthening them so that hemorrhoids are less likely to occur. Phenylephrine also reduces bleeding, one of the worst hemorrhoid symptoms.
• Vitamin E. This skin-friendly antioxidant offers penetrating moisture and fights free radicals, protecting delicate skin cells from damage.

Preparation H Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream

This tough formula is designed to temporarily relieve the pain, itching and burning associated with hemorrhoids. It also helps shrink swollen blood vessels, provides temporary relief from pain and itching and offers a protective coating that keeps healing nutrients in place for longer. 

It also helps relieve the burning associated with hemorrhoids thanks to the addition of aloe.

• Pramoxine. This topical anesthesia was developed in 1953 by Abbott Laboratories, originally as an anti-itch medication, but during testing the formula revealed itself as an exceptionally potent local anesthetic that did not inflame mucous membranes, making it ideal for hemorrhoid treatments.
• Aloe vera. Aloe not only help alleviate the burning associated with hemorrhoids, it also offers moisture that helps penetrate the skin’s surface layer, going deeper to help skin cells heal. Aloe also has natural fruit acids that lift away dead surface cells so renewed, healthier skin is revealed faster.
• Vitamin E. This skin-friendly antioxidant offers penetrating moisture as well as compounds that help fight free radicals, protecting delicate skin cells from damage.

So, Which Preparation H Product is Better?

In a head-to-head, Preparation H Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream is likely the better choice because it contains pramoxine to help dull pain. Preparation H Cooling Gel contains nothing to numb sensitive tissue.

However, if burning and itching are your bigger problem, the Cooling Gel is a more appropriate choice to treat your symptoms.

The preferred product depends entirely on what kind of suffering you are experiencing.

Where Can I Buy Preparation Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream or Preparation H Cooling Gel?

Preparation H products are widely available – check your local drug store or big box store – or can be purchased online through a variety of different vendors, including Amazon, CVS, Walmart, Jet.com, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Walgreens and Target, among other sites.

Both are sold in .9 ounce tubes.

Are you looking for an alternative hemorrhoidal option? Or, are you just looking for something to help you even more with your hemorrhoids? Try HemRid Plus, Amazon's #1 selling Hemorrhoidal Supplement for Hemorrhoids.