Making a DMSO cream at home involves combining pharmaceutical-grade DMSO with a simple cream base, but the process requires more caution than a typical DIY skincare project. DMSO penetrates the skin rapidly and carries whatever it touches into your body, which means purity of ingredients, cleanliness of equipment, and what you leave out of the formula matter just as much as what you put in.
Why DMSO Requires Extra Care
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) works by disrupting the lipid structure of your skin’s outermost layer, the stratum corneum. It loosens the tightly packed fats that normally act as a barrier, creating temporary pathways for molecules to pass through. It also forms tiny solvent pockets within the skin tissue that pull dissolved substances deeper, eventually reaching small blood vessels in the dermis. This is what makes DMSO useful as a carrier, but it’s also what makes it dangerous if your cream contains contaminants, fragrances, dyes, or chemicals you wouldn’t want in your bloodstream.
The only FDA-approved human use for DMSO is a bladder instillation for interstitial cystitis. Topical DMSO products exist on the market, but homemade formulations carry additional risk because you control the purity chain. Industrial or veterinary grades of DMSO may contain residual dimethyl sulfide, heavy metals, or organic byproducts that would be absorbed directly into your body through the skin.
Choosing the Right Grade of DMSO
This is the single most important decision in the process. Pharmaceutical-grade DMSO (sometimes labeled USP-grade) is manufactured under strict quality controls and tested for moisture content, acidity, heavy metals, and specific impurities. It meets United States Pharmacopeia or European Pharmacopoeia standards. Industrial-grade DMSO is cheaper but may contain impurities that are harmless in a factory setting yet potentially dangerous when absorbed through skin. For any topical application, use only pharmaceutical-grade DMSO with a purity of 99.9% or higher. Reputable suppliers will provide a certificate of analysis.
Ingredients and Equipment
A basic DMSO cream uses very few ingredients. The simplicity is intentional: every ingredient you add is a substance DMSO will push through your skin.
- Pharmaceutical-grade DMSO (99.9%): the active carrier and penetration enhancer
- Aloe vera gel (pure, no added fragrance or color): serves as the cream base and provides a smooth, spreadable texture
- Distilled water: used to adjust consistency if needed
Some people substitute coconut oil or a fragrance-free, dye-free lotion as the base. If you use a commercial lotion, read the full ingredient list carefully. Parabens, synthetic fragrances, artificial colors, and chemical preservatives all become candidates for transdermal absorption when mixed with DMSO. A product you’d normally consider safe on your skin becomes a different proposition when DMSO is involved.
For equipment, use glass or stainless steel mixing bowls and utensils. DMSO is a powerful solvent that can dissolve certain plastics and rubber, leaching chemicals into your cream. Glass jars with metal or PTFE-lined lids work well for storage. Clean everything thoroughly before use.
Mixing the Cream Step by Step
A common starting concentration for homemade DMSO cream is around 50% to 70% DMSO by volume. Higher concentrations penetrate more effectively but are also more likely to cause skin irritation. If you’ve never used DMSO topically, start at the lower end.
For a small batch at roughly 50% concentration:
- Measure 2 tablespoons of pharmaceutical-grade DMSO into a clean glass bowl
- Add 2 tablespoons of pure aloe vera gel
- Stir slowly with a glass or stainless steel spoon until the mixture is uniform
DMSO generates heat when it mixes with water-containing substances. You’ll notice the bowl becoming warm during stirring. This is a normal exothermic reaction. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before applying it to skin or transferring it to a storage container. There’s no need to heat or cook anything during this process.
For a thicker cream with a richer texture, you can replace some or all of the aloe vera with unrefined coconut oil. Melt the coconut oil gently first, combine it with the DMSO, stir well, and let it resolidify at room temperature. The result will be a semi-solid balm rather than a gel.
Adjusting Concentration
The ratio of DMSO to base ingredient determines both the strength and the feel of your cream. A 70% DMSO cream penetrates faster and deeper but may cause a warm or stinging sensation on sensitive skin. A 30% to 40% cream is milder and better suited for areas with thinner skin like the inner arms or neck. You can adjust the ratio by simply changing how much DMSO versus base you use. For a 70% cream, use roughly 7 parts DMSO to 3 parts aloe vera or other base. For a gentler 40% version, reverse that proportion.
Preparing Your Skin Before Application
Because DMSO transports substances through your skin barrier, what’s already on your skin matters enormously. Before applying DMSO cream, wash the target area thoroughly with warm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap. Remove all traces of lotions, sunscreen, perfume, makeup, or any other product. Dry the area completely with a clean towel. Your hands need the same treatment, since anything on your fingers will be carried into the cream and then into your body.
Apply DMSO cream only to clean, intact skin. Open wounds, cuts, rashes, or sunburned areas should be avoided. The disrupted skin barrier in these areas allows even faster and less controlled absorption.
What to Expect After Application
Most people notice a mild warming or tingling sensation within minutes of applying DMSO cream. Some redness at the application site is common, especially at higher concentrations. These effects typically fade within 20 to 30 minutes.
The most distinctive side effect is a garlic or oyster-like taste in your mouth that can appear within minutes of applying DMSO anywhere on your body. This happens because your body metabolizes DMSO into dimethyl sulfide, a sulfur compound that gets exhaled through your lungs and secreted through sweat glands. The taste and odor can persist for one to two days after use. This is harmless but often catches first-time users off guard, and there is no reliable way to prevent it.
Itching, dryness, or a mild rash at the application site can occur with repeated use. If you notice blistering or severe irritation, reduce the concentration or stop use entirely.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store your DMSO cream in a sealed glass container at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Pure DMSO has a long shelf life on its own, but once mixed with aloe vera or other organic bases, the cream can support microbial growth over time since you’re unlikely using preservatives. Making small batches that you’ll use within one to two weeks is the safest approach. If the cream changes color, develops an unusual smell beyond the normal sulfur note, or separates significantly, discard it and mix a fresh batch.
What Not to Add
The temptation with a penetration-enhancing cream is to load it with beneficial extras: essential oils, herbal extracts, vitamins. This is where homemade DMSO cream becomes genuinely risky. Essential oils contain dozens of bioactive compounds, many of which are irritating or toxic at the concentrations that would reach your bloodstream via DMSO-enhanced absorption. Synthetic fragrances are even less predictable. The safety data on most cosmetic ingredients assumes they sit on the skin surface, not that they’re shuttled past the skin barrier into dermal blood vessels.
If you want to add anything beyond the basic formula, research that specific substance’s safety profile for systemic (internal) exposure, not just topical contact. A compound that’s safe to rub on your skin is not necessarily safe to inject, and DMSO moves the equation closer to injection than to surface application.