Urea: Research History & Formulation Comparisons

How the research connects to the formula

The displayed 2012 paper includes human skin-barrier observations, cell experiments and an animal model. These parts of the paper should retain their separate designs rather than being combined into a single clinical result.

The catalog’s urea concentration and companion ingredients identify the blend being considered. The source’s tested concentrations, vehicle and outcomes are the fields needed to connect it more closely.

Current HealthRX.com formulation map
Product	Listed formulation	Connected ingredient research
Salicylic Acid / Zinc Oxide / Niacinamide / Urea	salicylic acid 2%, zinc oxide 5%, niacinamide 8% and urea 2%	Salicylic acid · Zinc oxide · Niacinamide · Urea

Publication history

When the ingredient appeared in the literature

The chart counts records mentioning the search terms in their title or abstract. It includes research beyond skin. Use the period controls to inspect the count.

2026: 4,238 indexed publications. 2026 includes publications dated through October 5. The earlier bars cover longer periods than the annual bars.

View the chart as a data table

Period	Publications
1900-1959	1271
1960-1969	1998
1970-1979	5979
1980-1989	10004
1990-1999	13998
2000-2009	18487
2010-2014	12971
2015-2019	15817
2020	4110
2021	4421
2022	4524
2023	4430
2024	4713
2025	5242
2026	4238

Search query and data source

Source: Europe PMC’s PubMed-indexed records. Retrieved October 5, 2026. The index’s firstPublicationDate field supplies the dates and chart periods; it can normalize a month-only record to the first day of the month. Dates through October 5 are included. Counts can change as the index adds or corrects records.

TITLE_ABS:(urea) AND SRC:MED AND FIRST_PDATE:[1900-01-01 TO 2026-10-05]

Open this literature search · Download the data

A closer search for this product question

The focused search returns 130 publications. It narrows the ingredient query to terms connected with its catalog use. Its displayed records remain a search sample, not a ranking of study quality.

View the focused query

TITLE_ABS:(urea) AND TITLE_ABS:((skin AND barrier)) AND SRC:MED AND FIRST_PDATE:[1900-01-01 TO 2026-10-05]

Open the focused search

Dated publications

Read individual records in context

The timeline combines selected references with a sample from the ingredient search. Dates use the index’s firstPublicationDate field; the PubMed record may distinguish an earlier online date from the print date. Written study notes appear alongside the records that have them. Other entries show the indexed bibliography and link to the paper.

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't · research-article · Journal Article · Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Urea uptake enhances barrier function and antimicrobial defense in humans by regulating epidermal gene expression.

Grether-Beck S, Felsner I, Brenden H, Kohne Z, Majora M, Marini A, Jaenicke T, Rodriguez-Martin M, Trullas C, Hupe M, Elias PM, Krutmann J. The Journal of investigative dermatology. PMID 22418868.

Study design: Human observations, keratinocyte experiments and a mouse model
What was tested: Topical urea and epidermal barrier-related measures; the human component included 21 volunteers.
What was reported: The authors reported human barrier-function and gene-expression observations, with additional experiments in cells and animals.
How it connects to the catalog: The human, cell and animal findings are distinct. None should be presented as a trial result for the catalog's four-ingredient cream.

Read the PubMed record · Publisher record

Study comparison

Publication	Design and regimen	Reported finding	Interpretation
2012-03-15: Urea uptake enhances barrier function and antimicrobial defense in humans by regulating epidermal gene expression.	Human observations, keratinocyte experiments and a mouse model. Topical urea and epidermal barrier-related measures; the human component included 21 volunteers.	The authors reported human barrier-function and gene-expression observations, with additional experiments in cells and animals.	The human, cell and animal findings are distinct. None should be presented as a trial result for the catalog's four-ingredient cream.

Questions that shape the comparison

Which parts of the source involve people, cells or animals? What urea concentration and skin-barrier measure were used?

Source records

Urea uptake enhances barrier function and antimicrobial defense in humans by regulating epidermal gene expression.Grether-Beck S, Felsner I, Brenden H, Kohne Z, Majora M, Marini A, Jaenicke T, Rodriguez-Martin M, Trullas C, Hupe M, Elias PM, Krutmann J.The Journal of investigative dermatology. 2012-03-15. PMID 22418868. Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, research-article, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural.

Comparative Efficacy of Novel Skin Barrier Repair Cream and Urea 40% for the Management of Pedal Fissures.Ross AJ, Pereira J, Moellmer R, Hubbard C, Deogracias RT, Zahid F.Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. 2025-09-01. PMID 41166120. Comparative Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal Article.

Evaluation of a 10% Urea Lotion for Xerosis: Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes From a Prospective Study.Maletin N, Spasić B, Golušin Z, Binić I, Nišavić M, Ranđelović M, Golubović M, Borocki S, Marin L, Binić I, Denda N.Journal of cosmetic dermatology. 2026-03-01. PMID 41807289. research-article, Clinical Study, Journal Article.

Spontaneous Urea-to-Water Electrolysis Driven by Anion Engineered Catalysts for Continuous Urea Treatment and Hydrogen Production.Liu H, Yang C, Zhou CW, Lai HC, Zhu S, Wu K, Jia Z, Wen D, Zhu B.Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany). 2026-08-13. PMID 42591069. Journal Article.

Human cell-based models for urea cycle research: From gene regulation and ureagenesis to disease modeling and therapeutic development.Caldovic L.Molecular genetics and metabolism. 2026-08-20. PMID 42648227. Review, Journal Article.

Moisturizer formulations for diabetic foot xerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Borgström K, Björklund S, Gudmundsson P, Ericsson A, Acosta S.Frontiers in clinical diabetes and healthcare. 2026-09-03. PMID 42755659. Systematic Review, systematic-review, Journal Article.

Development of Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Gelatin Aerogels for Urea Delivery.Phonhai M, Keawsrikul T, Niamnuy C, Prapainainar P, Witoon T, Charoenchaitrakool M.AAPS PharmSciTech. 2026-09-08. PMID 42711488. Journal Article.

Mineral nitrogen source controls N<sub>2</sub>O emissions and emission factors in drip-irrigated semiarid wheat.Boullouz M, Metougui ML, Chirinda N.Environmental monitoring and assessment. 2026-09-23. PMID 42776331. Journal Article.

Urea-to-Creatinine-Ratio and the risk of 28-day mortality in critically ill adults with or without Acute Kidney Injury: A post-hoc analysis of a randomized clinical trial.Zhou L, Lv C, Zhang X, Liu Y, Zhou Y, Zanten ARHV, Mao W, Ke L, Li W, Chinese Critical Care Nutrition Trials Group (CCCNTG).JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition. 2026-09-28. PMID 42806521. Journal Article.

Research data assembled by HealthRX.com from the displayed source records, October 5, 2026. The atlas contains a dated literature search and selected studies; it is not an exhaustive systematic review.