Having hemorrhoids is no picnic, and products like Preparation H are available over the counter to provide quick relief. But is treating the symptoms all you need to do to get rid of hemorrhoids, and are there other, more effective ways of going about it? Should you use products like Preparation H to calm down the symptoms, and if so, are they effective?
Overview
Preparation H originally started off as a lotion to help relieve people of a sunburn. It was then discovered that it worked well for hemorrhoids, and the rest is history. Now it has branched out the product line and offers an array of products all designed to help hemorrhoid sufferers feel better.
The Claim
Since Preparation H is made by Pfizer, they are very careful about making claims about what their product can do. They basically state that it is designed for the treatment of the symptoms that accompany a hemorrhoid condition, including the burning, itching, and swelling. The good news is that Pfizer wouldn’t put out a product that wasn’t effective, because they’re heavily regulated, so you know that you’re going to get some sort of relief by using their product, and that the science behind it will be there.
The Hype
The hype is that Preparation H has been around for several decades, and has become part of the mainstream as one of only a few products to treat hemorrhoids. If you ask most people what Preparation H is, they know what it’s for.
The Cost
There are so many different products in the Preparation H range. They vary accordingly, but can usually be found for between $20 and $30. Here is the Preparation H product page on Amazon, for the best price and selection.
The Commitment
You only need to use Preparation H as needed, whenever you need it. It is not a regular regimen, like using it every day twice a day. It’s meant to be used whenever there is a flare up and the symptoms become unbearable. Just be sure to follow the recommendations on the label of whichever product you go with and follow their advice on how many times per day, and how many consecutive days you should use it.
Evaluation
Preparation H has a virtual army of different product types, each with their own unique way of being applied or administered, and each treating a specific symptom more than the others.
Ointment – Many people complain about being sick of dealing with ointments, because it just makes a mess of things. It may sooth the itching and burning but it creates a new problem by causing too much slickness down there, and making you fidget just as much. This is the original product type that Preparation H came out as, and it’s why they had to make other products to appease the complaints people have with it.
Cream – Creams are typically better received because they have the ability to stay where you put them, rather than going all over the place. Hemorrhoids are usually localized to one specific area of pain and discomfort, so when you apply the cream you want it to stay where you put it. However, both ointments and creams both get points taken away for ease of use, because the location of hemorrhoids makes it hard to see what you’re doing, and where you’re applying them.
Suppositories – This is specifically intended to treat both internal and external hemorrhoids. There’s usually not a way around treating internal hemorrhoids without having to stick something up there to treat them. Most products designed to treat external hemorrhoids will say that you can’t use them internally. Internal hemorrhoids have a knack for hurting even more than
Cooling Gel – If your bottom feels like it’s on fire, you probably just want something to put out the flames. Nothing sounds like it would do this better than a cooling gel. The aloe in it will help soothe the burning sensation, and the fact that it’s a gel means that it will be thick like an ointment, but still watery enough to cover the surrounding area.
Medicated Wipes – Similar to the Tucks Medicated Pads, these are meant to be an easy way to apply relief right to where it hurts. It’s as easy and natural as using a piece of toilet paper, but it is saturated with a fast-acting medication to cool the burn, and soothe the itch.
Anti-Itch – If it’s the itching that’s driving you mad, you should go with this special cream that has added hydrocortisone to it to reduce the inflammation and desire to scratch. Most hemorrhoid sufferers claim that it’s not so much the pain that gets to the brain, but the irresistible feeling have needing to scratch down there.
Final Preparation H Review
Preparation H products are all well reviewed, and can safely be used to effectively treat the symptoms of hemorrhoids. Choose which one sounds like the easiest to apply, and is geared towards what is bothering you the most and you should have a good experience.
Like with most products backed by a major pharmaceutical company like Pfizer, they aren’t treating the underlying cause of your hemorrhoids, but are instead just treating the symptoms. This is a big problem within the medical community of symptom treating. The drug companies love it, because it keeps you coming back for more product to keep treating the same recurring symptoms. That’s why you should be a smart consumer and look for ways to cure your hemorrhoids, using products like Preparation H to bring relief of your symptoms while your other methods are taking time to work.
Our Recommendation
Preparation H is nice to have handy when things get unbearable and you just need some quick but temporary relief. You also need to be actively involved in finding out why it is you ended up with hemorrhoids, and how you can prevent getting them again once they’re gone. You should also be taking additional action to try to get rid of your hemorrhoids and not just dulling down the symptoms again and again.
Preparation must help to some degree otherwise it wouldn´t be a household name for decades. But I liked what I heard about Vicks Vapor Rub working well, and I know why it works well because of the Eucalyptus that is in it. Herbalists with years of experience and testimonies from herbalists of many year experience have found that the properties within Eucalyptus have been proven to help people with hemorrhoids. Thanks to Joanan for reminding me.
nothing…NOTHING worked. It’s been hemorrhoid hell for nearly 5 months, and I tried everything — ESPECIALLY preparation H. Turns out I have an allergic reaction to it, and it burns my bum and everything surrounding it into a three alarm fire!
If your like me you’ve probably read all the above comments — whoever suggested petroleum jelly, it helped! AND for those itch and burning (bathroom) times…and I would have never thought it work, but I was desperate too… vicks vapor rub worked. YES, VICKS VAPOR RUB! Go figure! So you two peep’s that recommended them, you have my eternal gratitude!!
This is by far the best review I have ever read. Going through this exact painful experience, currently sitting with my second dosage of Preparation H up my dunghole, a sore tooth and sciatica, it still made me giggle. Thank you
There been many revisions to Prep H and the effectiveness kept declining. It has been degraded so much that it’s as effective now as just plain Vaseline.
The formula way back worked good. There been many revisions to it and the effectiveness kept declining. It has been degraded so much that it’s as effective now as just plain Vaseline. I hear the original is still available in Canada.
I get hems from time to time. They rarely ever hurt and are more annoying than anything. Like a grape that pops out of my butthole when I take a dump or fart to hard.
Prep H workes a bit. But I find Witch hazel to be better for the burning right after you poo. Splash it on your baby wipe and then take a hot shower or bath.
Then one day, I couldn’t crap for 3 days after having been put in some pain pills from my doctor after being in a car wreck. Those things made it next to impossible to crap. While it was a trade off for a broken arm pain…it was just impossible to poo.
One day, out of nowhere the compacted turd decided to exit. I woke up to a brown dog barking at the back door and ran to the bathroom and oh my GOD!! If hurt sooooo bad. I could feel it ripping as I pooed and it started bleeding. I was misserable.
So I got off the pain meds that same day. Only it hurt so bad I couldn’t sit still. I wiggled and itched and each poo following was a huge ordeal. Pain. Burning. Shower to clean up and push that grape back in my bum. I got sick of it.
Out of nowhere my sister called and while chatting I said, embarrassed as hell I had all this going on. She said to me yeah I had them once after I had Liam and it was a nightmare. She then told me to get Mustard oil and Tumeric and heat it into a paste and put it on the hemmy. And to do it as often as possible. So I did. In 1 week that grape disappeared and was gone along with it the pain and all the suffering it totally worked and I have not had one for years until just today.
So I am starting the same process again. Sigh. I guess it didn’t cure it but it sure worked good and lasted 4 years.
The turmeric and mustard oil will stain your fingers poop color. As well it will stain yr arsehole. It sucks…
But it works. And that is why I am here.
I hope that helps some of you and you can also pass this treatment on.
these things suck and are seriously one of the lamest things you can get. Thank god we live in anonymous times and can google this stuff right?
Get well. Beat the grapes.
I’ve had Chronic hemorrhoids for over four months (this time) and I haven’t found any hemorrhoid specific product that works. Preparation H hasn’t done anything to help the pain or with healing. I’ve gone through two bottles of Hem Relief 911 with no effect at all, although a friend of mine swears by those pills. I thought I’d tried everything…Preparation H ointments and suppositories, Cortisone ointments and suppositories, Tucks, Lidocaine, Coconut oil with baking soda, Hem Relief 911, apple cider vinegar…the list goes on. .Nothing worked and I was literally crippled with pain.
Now, I’ve heard this is risky because this treatment will either help or it will send you on a rocket ship ride to the moon with pain. I had nothing to lose so I buckled-up and prepared to jump in the shower for instant fire extinguishing, then grabbed my jar of VICKS VAPORUB and put a small dollop on my grape sized external rrhoid… …IT’S A MIRACLE! This was the first time I’ve had a reprieve from the pain in months, instantly. It’s only the next day but today was the first day I didn’t wake up because of extreme pain. And I slept all the way through the night! Not only did I not have extreme pain, I had no pain at all. I know I’m not out of the woods yet because I still had some serious discomfort after a BM but I could actually take one without coming to tears. The hemorrhoid is actually about 50% of it’s usual size as well. I’ve done tons of research and can’t believe no one is talking about this so I had to come give my two-cents a.s.a.p. in hopes that it will help anyone one out there going through the torture I’ve been enduring for way too long.
If you are one of the few whom this treatment causes extreme pain, I would recommend using a mixture of 1oz Caster Oil to 20 drops of Iodine applied topically for a few days to heal any open wounds.
Don’t forget to alter your diet with plenty of fiber and lots of fluids. I recommend using Metamucil or something with Psyllium fiber, daily. Make sure you drink enough water though or you could have adverse effects and you don’t want that in our condition.
Ok, I like Preparation He’s products as well as the knock of brand from which store you are in. Not to mention I really like the knock off brand prices and considering they do the same thing and work the same way and have the same effect/relief then i will say the cheaper version please. But I DO NOT like the Preparation H Colling Gel. It, for ME, did not work. If anything it made me feel like I had a baby dragon trying to escape from my bottom end while blowing fire the whole time. Horrible. I went to the pharmacist, literally in tears and shaking from the pain, I told him what I had been using and asked if there was anything he could recommend me. I have insurance so yes I could have went to the DR but I am not a fan of local anasteics, basically a shot in my bunghole… no thank you. Anyways, he told me that the cooling gel has with hazel and it is like pouring straight rubbing alcohol back there, and me standing there about in tears agreeing with him. He said witch hazel is an old wise tale. I have me two knock off brands of preparation h to mix together and see I would see results. And I feel better right now but i just literally started it like 45 minutes ago. But the cooling gel does not even have anything in it to shrink the shameless little booger. But the others do. So, i got one to shrink it and one for numbing. I really hope it continues to work. I could not bend over, lay down, sit down, stand up, or anything. It was making me nausea from the pain, my blood pressure was going through the roof, I was sweating… it is awful. It isn’t 100% better but it is about 70% better. You know it is bad when you go to the pharmacist with your 8 year old daughter and you are standing there in so much pain from this thing in your bunghole and you are talking in public about this very personal and embarrassing issue. But worth it. Maybe i will get to sleep tonight. But I DO NOT recommend the Preparation H Cooling Gel to ANYONE!!! STIR CLEAR!
Thank you very much. If you are suffering from itching problem due to hemorrhoid then you should take H review. It is really effective to control the itching.
i used all 3, wipes, sapositories and cream after 2 years of suffering. within a week i felt great. continued the trifecta for an additional month and now i have no symptoms EVER.
has anyone tried HEMCLEAR I am about too. I will let you know how it works.
I am currently experiencing hemorrhoids and I must say that the preparation H is working for me better than what the emergency room prescribed. I’ve also tried soaking in the apple cider vinegar and it relieves the pain slightly but nothing has worked for me like this preparation H cooling gel is working I would recommend it to anyone
I use hem relief 911. I take 1 pill 5x a day. It really healed as a probiotic made my life miserable for months with hemoroids because it messed up my delicate system. The pills help to heal. Expensive product but very helpful.
I must say that Preparation H worked greatly during my pregnancy period hemorrhoids 🙂
I still remember those piles used to bleed a couple of times daily, and it had severe pain during the stools,,,,but anyhow recovered. Surely a great product!
My piles are out only on my rite side days it bleed n sum days nt bt it gt like a trobbing feeling n feels like sumthing or the piles pushes out wen making num 2 very painfull
Hi does preparation really work doc gave me sherryprost n oitment still no joy
People with swollen hemorrhoids don’t necessarily feel pain, though they may experience bleeding, anal swelling and discomfort. read more
This review is sort of silly. I love the part that says “Pfizer wouldn’t put out a product that wasn’t effective, because they’re heavily regulated, so you know that you’re going to get some sort of relief by using their product, and that the science behind it will be there.”
How dumb/unenlightened do you have to be to make a statement like that? First off, their over-the-counter product are not “heavily regulated”. That’s why there are knock offs from CVS and Walgreens that sit right next to Preparation H on the shelves. Second, “you know you’re going to get some sort of relief”–er, I don’t even know where to begin here. Let’s just say that the etiology of the pain is what can produce pain–and some hemorrhoids will NOT get better with a topical ointment. It depends on the severity of symptoms. Third–and most important because of the comments above by equally unenlightened users–the ointment shown above in your review DOES NOT contain any analgesic! It does contain mainly petrolatum (which essentially is Vaseline), mineral oil (to help the petrolatum flow), Phenylephrine HCl (a vasoconstrictor), and shark liver oil, which can promote healing. Notice, NO ANALGESIC. So there is no numbing effect or anything in Preparation H ointment that will dull the pain. What it can do is help reduce inflamed tissue and itching, and can provide lubrication when passing stool.
If you want to buy this “highly regulated” (hee hee) product, get the Equate brand from Wal-Mart. It has the same ingredients and costs about 1/3 what the Pfizer product costs.
I need extreme help. I cant get to a doctor because I don’t have insurance right now. 🙁 I figured that the cause of my hem. is due to lifting heavy weights and sitting down for long periods. Preparation H all of a sudden stop working for me 🙁 🙁 🙁 I don’t know what to do can anyone help me
I never had hemorrhoids until I got pregnant and I haven’t had them since. I was so miserable. I tried Preparation-H and it worked instantly. It took the pain away immediately. I only had to use it a couple of times, but it was a life safer for me and it doesn’t cost a much money. If you suffer from hemorrhoids, then give this a try. It will probably work.
Definitely convenience when you need relief from painful or awkward hemorrhoids. But it’s not something that’ll cure them completely so you’ll just need to either keep buying these. Or find a product that keeps them at bay for longer periods of time. It does a great at keeping relieving your from the excruciating pain hemorrhoids often cause.
PreparationH worked for me when I had hemorrhoids during pregnancy. My second pregnancy was excruciating and embarrassing for me, to say the least. This is a well known brand with equally well known commercials. I mean, who could forget preparationH commercials? Anyways, we still buy this stuff when family members have flare ups!
Trust me when I say this, there is no permanent cure to hemorrhoids. Even surgery isn’t perfect and a lot of the times a new hemorrhoid will pop back out. So hemorrhoids is about managing pain and making sure you don’t make things worse. In my experience preparation h is the best pain reliever for people like us, but don’t expect miracles from it. Just remember it’s about managing the pain.
Preperation H definitely works for relief but if you have repeated issues with hemorrhoids, look for ways to heal above all. Check with your doctor – always recommended.
I’ve used this on/off and can say it definitely neutralizes and helps with coping. It’s also widely and easily available just about everywhere.
A delicate subject with no real delicate way of talking about it… If you have hemorrhoids, especially the painful kind, use this! The analgesic in this product really helps with the pain. Agree with the article though that you should really be finding a way to cure them completely – especially if you get them repeatedly.