Preparation H or Tucks? A Head-to-Head Match-Up That Reviews Preparation H and Tucks

Let's get straight to it, what should you be using for your hemorrhoids, Preparation H or Tucks? This all-encompassing full review will tell you which products you need and which are better.

There's no question about it, there's a lot of products out there that claim to help hemorrhoids. Tucks vs Preparation H wipes, we'll be focusing on these two today.

Before you go out and buy Preparation H or Tucks, make sure to pick up a bottle of HemRid to pair it with.

We did a whole review on HemRid Plus and why we believe it is the single most powerful hemorrhoid product on the market.

Don't take our word for it though, it is also the top selling hemorrhoid supplement on Amazon. 

Can You Use Tucks Pads and Preparation H Together?

That is a very common question for someone looking to get rid of their hemorrhoids.

Since they both have many different products and formulas, your best bet is to ask your doctor or trusted healthcare professional to see if you can use both Preparation H and Tucks at the same time. 

“I saw a sign one time that said ‘Hemorrhoids Awareness Week’ at the doctor's office. Let me tell you, if you got hemorrhoids, I’m sure you are aware of it. You don't need a sign to tell anybody about it,” said country comic Larry the Cable Guy.

If, like Larry – aka Daniel Lawrence Whitney - you’re suffering from hemorrhoids, it’s likely that you’ve tried virtually every product on the market in hopes of finding relief from your condition.

Two of the most well-known names among hemorrhoid treatments – thanks to their marketing – are Tucks and Preparation H.

Preparation H also gets influencer publicity because runway models and actresses swear by the gel version of the product, which comes in multiple formulations, as a way to reduce the look of undereye puffiness.

Still, the official word from Preparation H is this, according to website The Straight Dope: “There is no clinical evidence to support that it reduces eye puffiness.”

That, however, is because the formula sold in the United States is no longer made with Bio-dyne, a proprietary live yeast that is still found in the Canadian version.

Hosts of the NPR show “The People’s Pharmacy", Joe and Terry Graedon, have recommended it to treat everything from bed sores, itchy surgical scars, burns, dry, cracked fingers, and wrinkles.)

But before we get sidetracked by which stars have used Preparation H to hide a night out, let’s get back to the bums.

PREPARATION H: AN OVERVIEW

If you’re looking for a product that will work for you, you’re probably wondering what products are part of the Preparation H line, and what types are available. Let's see essential product information on this popular hemorrhoid cream. 

Preparation H or Tucks Cream?

Preparation H cream is better suited for hemorrhoids than Tucks Cream. Preparation H has a plethora of products that have been around for a while. 

Preparation H Products

There are currently 10 products in the Preparation H family, including:

• Preparation H Ointment. The first product to be released was originally designed to relieve sunburn pain. It is used to temporarily shrink swollen blood vessels associated with hemorrhoids, reducing irritation and easing discomfort. It also offers moisture and is thick so it stays in place for longer-lasting benefits. It contains phenylephrine HCI, which helps constrict blood vessels, along with mineral oil to sooth sensitive skin.
• Preparation H Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream. This tougher formula contains Pramoxine HCl, a topical anesthetic that relieves pain fast, as well as aloe to ease burning. It also helps treat the symptoms associated with hemorrhoids, including pain, itching, swelling, and bleeding.
• Preparation H Cooling Gel. In addition to cooling witch hazel, this formula also contains phenylephrine HCI. Both help shrink swollen blood vessels, temporarily relieving the worst symptoms associated with painful hemorrhoids.
• Preparation H Rapid Relief with Lidocaine Hemorrhoid Cream. This tough-acting treatment contains glycerin to soothe and protect sensitive skin, promoting the healing process, and lidocaine to numb the pain, itching and burning fast.
• Preparation H Suppositories. For those suffering from internal hemorrhoids, this is the Preparation H product for them. The suppositories are great for nighttime use and includes soothing cocoa butter to moisturize inflamed tissue while providing nutrients to help it heal, and phenylephrine HCI, which helps constrict swollen blood vessels.
• Preparation H Anti-Itch Cream. This product contains hydrocortisone, which helps temporarily relieve the itching associated with hemorrhoids.
• Preparation H Medicated Wipes. A mixture of witch hazel to constrict blood vessels and aloe barbadensis leaf juice to help relieve itching and burning makes this natural product a great option for hemorrhoid treatment. The wipes can be used to soothe and cleanse irritated tissue, and can also be used as a temporary poultice.
• Preparation H Medicated Wipes for Women. In addition to witch hazel and aloe, Preparation H Medicated Wipes for Women offer soothing, cooling chamomile and cucumber to help protect tender tissue and help it heal. The wipes for women also include shea butter and vitamin E, two skin-friendly moisturizers that help speed skin’s healing. This product is available in either a 10-count or 40-count package.

So, Why Do I Have Hemorrhoids, Anyway?

Hemorrhoids are essentially varicose veins in the rectum or anus, and can be external – the most common type of hemorrhoid – or internal.

Hemorrhoids can also develop blood clots that develop as hard, painful, swollen spots.

These are called thrombosed hemorrhoids, which are the toughest hemorrhoids to heal.

There are a variety of different causes for hemorrhoids, including:

• Pregnancy
• Straining during bowel movements
• Obesity
• Liver disease, which can weaken blood vessels, making them more susceptible to hemorrhoids
• Weakened muscles of the anus
• A diet low in fiber, which can lead to inconsistent bowel movements or constipation
• Diarrhea, which can cause excess bowel movements that strain anal muscles

From these reasons, we can infer that women have hemorrhoids more than men, as pregnancy is often a precursor to some other causes of the condition on the list. 

Similarly, old age is another precursor to hemorrhoid flare. Getting old may weaken the liver and anus muscles, not to mention obesity and increased straining during bowel movements.

Hemorrhoids causes pain or itching, swelling caused by weakened blood vessels, blood in stools, also caused by weakened blood vessels, and tissue that bulges out of the anus, which are known as prolapsed hemorrhoids.

Each type of hemorrhoid requires different, more specialized care.

Preparation H or Tucks Medicated Pads?

If you were choosing between Preparation H Suppositories or Tucks Medicated Pads, we would recommend you use the Tucks Medicated Pads 1st. See if that works for you and if it does great! If not, then try the Preparation H suppositories.

Tucks or Preparation H Suppositories?

We are going to have to lean with the Preparation H suppositories.

Which Type of Hemorrhoid Will Preparation H Treat?

With so many different products available, there’s a Preparation H treatment suitable for every type of hemorrhoid.

EXTERNAL, PROLAPSED OR THOMBOSED HEMORROIDS

Those with external, prolapsed or thrombosed hemorrhoids can choose any Preparation H product and likely see relief. 

The Preparation H Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream offers a local anesthetic to temporarily relieve pain, Preparation H Cooling Gel offers witch hazel to instantly cool as well as phenylephrine HCI, which temporarily shrinks swollen blood vessels, relieving symptoms.

Can you use Witch Hazel and Preparation H at the same time? Essentially, you are if you're using the Prep H Cooling Gel.

For those with itching and pain, Preparation H. Rapid Relief with Lidocaine Hemorrhoid Cream will help temporarily put a stop to both troublesome symptoms.

Each product can be used in conjunction with Preparation H Medicated Wipes, which can help soothe and cleanse sensitive tissue without added agony.

HEMORRHOIDS CAUSED BY PREGNANCY

Pregnant women – after getting the medical okay from their doctor – would be best served by choosing Preparation H Medicated Wipes for Women.

This product includes a selection of soothing, cooling botanicals including witch hazel, aloe, chamomile, cucumber and shea butter, which are especially soothing to women’s tender skin.

While hemorrhoids are a common problem during pregnancy, they often heal on their own.

About a quarter of all women will want to seek out some kind of treatment options such as Preparation H Medicated Wipes for Women, to ease the discomfort associated with the lasting inflammation.

INTERNAL HEMORRHOIDS

For those with internal hemorrhoids, Preparation H Ointment and Preparation H Suppositories are both good choices for easing the pain associated with the swollen, inflamed veins.

Preparation H Reviews - Does Preparation H Really Work?

None of the products in the Preparation H lineup received lower than a 3.5-star average when reviewed by consumers.

For those who selected the original Preparation H formula, 87 percent of Amazon users gave it an approval rating of four stars and above, and most said the product worked exactly as promised, resulting in less pain, less itching and less swelling.

There's a lot of positive Preparation H reviews you can read for yourself if interested. 

Of the 13 percent who were unhappy with their purchase, most complained about formula changes – witch hazel is also no longer included in the Preparation H Hemorrhoidal Ointment – and said that it didn’t provide the relief they expected.

Preparation H Cooling Gel received an 81-percent approval rating, with the majority of users giving the product a rating of four stars and above.

The 19 percent of users who were dissatisfied said the product didn’t work, didn’t stay in place and didn’t come with an applicator.

The Preparation H Anti-Itch Cream with hydrocortisone earned an 89 percent approval rating, with most saying the cream stopped pain and itching almost instantly.

The Preparation H Suppositories were the least favorably reviewed, with only 60 percent giving the product a five-star rating, suggesting that the suppositories would work better when paired with one of the external products.

Aside from a handle of users who found the wipes to be flimsy – likely due to a new, all-plant formulation - the Preparation H Medicated Wipes were well-received by consumers, who gave them an 89 percent approval rating of four stars and above.

The pain-killing properties of Preparation H Rapid Relief with Lidocaine Hemorrhoid Cream earned this top-rated product five stars, although the offering is new and has yet to receive enough reviews to give this 100-percent approval.

Preparation H Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream has an 84 percent approval rating on Amazon, with most users giving it a five-star rating.

Of the 16 percent who didn’t care for the product, some complained that instead of easing pain, the product caused even more pain and itching.

Women liked the Preparation H Medicated Wipes for Women, and gave the product an 89 percent approval rating on Amazon, although like the standard wipes, the new plant-based formula made the wipes flimsy, which was a turn-off for some users.

Where Can I Buy Preparation H?

Preparation H products are available virtually anywhere you shop – your local grocery store, convenience stores, department stores, etc., although you may have a harder time finding all the products in the brand’s lineup.

If you’re embarrassed to buy hemorrhoid treatments in person, you can order them online through a wide range of vendors, including Amazon, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, eVitamins, Jet, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Vitality Medical, each of which are more likely to offer a wider selection of products.

Coupons are available on the official Preparation H website as well as through a variety of online vendors.

However, if you go to Amazon you can buy both Preparation H and HemRid together. We highly recommend this for moderate to severe hemorrhoid cases.

TUCKS: AN OVERVIEW

Tucks Medicated Cooling Pads are also one of the more well-known hemorrhoid treatments on the market.

Tucks, however, offers just one time-tested treatment, medicated pads in either 40-count or 100-count tubs.

What Does Tucks Have In Common With HemRid?

Both of these products contain astringents, which are ingredients that affect the hemorrhoid by making it smaller. As active ingredients, astringents clearly play important roles in any hemorrhoid treatment type. 

These astringents actually constrict the blood vessel which shrinks your hemorrhoids.

The Tucks company has previously offered a medicated spray as well as a medicated ointment, but neither is currently available on the brand’s website, suggesting that they have been discontinued.

Like HemRid, Tucks Pads contain witch hazel, which soothes and cools irritated tissue while temporarily shrinking blood vessels, reducing the swelling associated with hemorrhoids. They also offer glycerin.

According to the brand’s website, it is the brand most often used by hospitals, and in addition to providing temporary relief from the burning and itching of hemorrhoids, it can also be used for:

• Daily cleansing of the outer rectal or vaginal area, especially following childbirth or surgery.
• As a compress to help ease inflamed tissue.
• As an additional treatment to team with another hemorrhoid treatment option. (HemRid or HemRid Plus, two supplements that use natural botanicals to help heal hemorrhoids from the inside out, would be excellent partner products to pair with the soothing Tucks Medicated Pads.)

The pads are hypo-allergenic, pH balanced and free from dyes that could cause irritation.

Tucks Reviews - Does Tucks Really Work?

While 89 percent of those who used Tucks pads gave them at least 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon, the scant offerings – one product in two sizes – makes the Preparation H lineup far superior to Tucks for those who want to fight hemorrhoids.

Still, Tucks pads are versatile and are suited for every type of hemorrhoid aside from internal hemorrhoids, since the pad cannot be inserted.

Which Type of Hemorrhoid Will Tucks Pads Treat?

Based on the Amazon reviews, most of those who used Tucks pads were suffering from painful postpartum hemorrhoids, a common problem associated with childbirth.

Hemorrhoids that develop during pregnancy tend to heal on their own shortly after birth, although constipation can keep them around a while longer.

About 25 percent of women with who develop hemorrhoids after giving birth still have them at six months postpartum. They may shrink, however, and symptoms may come and go.

Tucks are also an excellent choice to help soothe thrombosed hemorrhoids, prolapsed hemorrhoids, and external hemorrhoids because they clean exposed tissue, cool inflammation and promote skin healing.

According to past users, gentle everyday cleansing for seven days should do the trick completely if these pads are paired with the right medication. Wonder what would be the ideal mix? Just keep reading. 

Where Can I Buy Preparation H and Tucks Medicated Pads?

Tucks Medicated Pads are available almost everywhere. If you don’t mind buying the Tucks Medicated Pads in person, your local grocery store, drug store or big box store likely carries Tucks.

That means you should be able to purchase Tucks Medicated Pads at Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Rite-Aid, Kroger, and other similar stores.

You can also find Tucks through a wide range of online vendors, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, iHerb, Jet, Shoplet and other online markets.

Tucks are budget-friendly, and are priced at less than $10 for the large pack of 100 pads through most vendors. Coupons are also available through a variety of online sites.

Why is HemRid So Effective w/ Preparation H or Tucks?