HemRid helps relieve pain, itching, and discomfort due to hemorrhoids. It contains a combination of witch hazel, bilberry extract, and butcher’s broom to shrink swollen hemorrhoid tissues.
However, this review will take a look at Equate’s Hemorrhoidal Suppositories.
Let’s look at the list of active ingredients in Equate Hemorrhoidal Suppositories.
Active Ingredients
The best products for hemorrhoidal relief combine a protectant, vasoconstrictor, humectant, and an anesthetic. However, Equate Hemorrhoidal Suppositories only combine two of these: a protectant in cocoa butter and a vasoconstrictor in the form of phenylephrine HCL 0.25%.
This combination is still considerably better than the dozens of hemorrhoidal products containing only one active ingredient. The formula needs to be improved upon.
Let’s discuss the effectiveness of the active ingredients.
Cocoa Butter (Protectant)
Cocoa butter is a surprising choice for a protectant in this formula, given that most manufacturers prefer to choose glycerine. However, cocoa butter shares similar properties with glycerine and does well in protecting the skin. It is known for its ability to nourish and improve the skin.
Perhaps more importantly, cocoa butter forms a protective barrier over the skin that can isolate it from fecal matter and outside elements. This is useful because it allows the skin to heal itself without additional stress. The high fatty acid content of cocoa butter is better suited at keeping the skin looking healthy.
However, it can be used as a protectant for treating hemorrhoids, but we are skeptical if the ingredient is as effective as glycerine.
Phenylephrine HCL (Vasoconstrictor)
Phenylephrine HCL is an important active ingredient found in most hemorrhoidal products because of its ability to constrict the inflamed blood vessels around the rectal tissue. It can temporarily reduce the swelling due to hemorrhoids and help out with the discomforting, often painful symptoms.
Phenylephrine HCL does come with a slew of minor side effects that discontinue after usage. These include dizziness, trouble sleeping, headache, and accelerated heartbeat. The drug can also reduce blood flow to your hand, causing them to feel colder. Get immediate medical help if your symptoms worsen or the side effects don’t go away after a while.
What We Didn’t Like - Lack of Key Active Ingredients
This product would have been more effective if it utilized glycerine as a protectant in place of cocoa butter because the latter has more applications in making the skin radiant. This is not a concern for someone managing symptoms associated with hemorrhoids.
However, this isn’t the main criticism. The real point of contention is not using an anesthetic and an astringent.
An anesthetic like lidocaine is useful for numbing the inflamed skin around hemorrhoidal tissues, providing relief from pain and discomfort. Hemorrhoids can indeed affect a person’s quality of life because of the constant pain associated with the inflammation. Lidocaine can numb the skin by blocking pain receptors from sending signals to the brain.
This effect is only temporary but goes a long way in helping mitigate the symptoms of hemorrhoids.
An astringent like witch hazel is a major ingredient used to provide a more thorough and complete solution to hemorrhoid treatment. Equate Hemorrhoidal Suppositories do not come with witch hazel. If you would like to use witch hazel in your hemorrhoid treatment, we recommend using a product like HemRid, which uses a powerful formula to target the root causes of hemorrhoids.
How to Use Equate Hemorrhoidal Suppositories
Equate Hemorrhoidal Suppositories are easy to use with straightforward instructions.
Here’s a step by step guide on using them:
- Lie on your side with one leg straight and the other bent in toward the stomach
- Spread the buttocks open
- Insert the suppository inside, with the tapered end first, about an inch into the bottoms
- Now lie still for about 15 minutes for the suppositories to dissolve
Do the Suppositories Work?
The suppositories are more effective than oral medications because they are absorbed more quickly and melt inside the body. This allows the ingredients to alleviate the symptoms at a faster rate.
Please note that there is a large interindividual variability in response to hemorrhoidal suppositories. Based on online reviews, most users found the product to be beneficial. However, a small percentage of people complained that the product did not work for them as advertised. These individuals may be suffering from an entirely different ailment or they may not be using the suppositories as intended.
Please note that these over-the-counter medications do not cure hemorrhoids. They merely help users manage the symptoms of hemorrhoids until the body heals itself.
What are the Side Effects of Hemorrhoidal Suppositories?
There are no major side effects of hemorrhoidal suppositories. Most users are able to easily recover from minor side effects such as dizziness and headaches. Talk to your doctor if your symptoms get worse or the side effects do not improve.
It is extremely important to discuss the usage of this product with a doctor if you are using other medications to rule out any possible drug interactions.
Quality of the Product
The suppositories are designed by Equate, a well known manufacturer with a good reputation for making high quality products for managing hemorrhoids. The products are well designed and easy to use. It isn’t uncommon for doctors to recommend using hemorrhoidal suppositories for managing symptoms.
Our Verdict: Should You Use Equate Hemorrhoidal Suppositories?
Equate Hemorrhoidal Suppositories are highly useful if you want near-immediate results. However, its formula seems to be lacking because there is no anesthetic or astringent in the product. With that said, the suppositories deliver great results and should help with hemorrhoids.
For a more complete solution for hemorrhoids, consider using a product like HemRid which is equipped with a powerful formula containing witch hazel, butcher’s broom, bilberry extract, and more.
