Plexaderm and Preparation H are not the same product, and they work in completely different ways. Plexaderm is a cosmetic serum designed specifically for the face, while Preparation H is a hemorrhoid medication. The reason people compare them is that both have a reputation for temporarily reducing under-eye puffiness, but they achieve that effect through unrelated mechanisms and carry different risks.
How Each Product Works
Plexaderm’s key ingredient is sodium silicate, a mineral compound that forms a thin, adhesive film on the skin’s surface as it dries. This film physically contracts, pulling the skin at the bottom of wrinkles and creases upward so the surface looks smoother and tighter. Think of it like a very thin layer of glue that shrinks as it sets. The effect is purely mechanical and entirely temporary.
Preparation H works through chemistry rather than physics. Its active ingredients include phenylephrine, a vasoconstrictor that narrows blood vessels. When applied to hemorrhoids, this reduces swelling. When people dab it under their eyes, the same blood vessel constriction can temporarily reduce puffiness in that area. The cream also contains glycerin and petrolatum for moisture, plus pramoxine, a numbing agent meant to relieve pain from hemorrhoids.
Completely Different Ingredients
There is zero overlap between the two formulas. Plexaderm contains sodium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, a peptide (acetyl hexapeptide-8), hydrolyzed rice protein, soluble collagen, and various stabilizers. It’s a water-based serum with mineral film-formers and skin-conditioning proteins.
Preparation H cream contains 14.4% glycerin, 15% white petrolatum, 0.25% phenylephrine hydrochloride, and 1% pramoxine hydrochloride. It’s a thick, medicated cream built to soothe irritated tissue and shrink swollen blood vessels in the rectal area. None of these active ingredients appear in Plexaderm, and none of Plexaderm’s key ingredients appear in Preparation H.
Why People Use Hemorrhoid Cream on Their Face
The beauty hack of using Preparation H under the eyes has circulated for decades, partly because of a now-discontinued ingredient. The Canadian formulation of Preparation H once contained a yeast extract called BioDyne, which gained a cult following for its supposed ability to smooth skin and reduce wrinkles. That ingredient was removed from the U.S. formula years ago, but the reputation stuck.
Today, people who try the trick are relying on phenylephrine’s blood vessel-constricting properties. Some do notice temporary de-puffing, since narrower blood vessels mean less visible swelling. But the effect is short-lived and comes with trade-offs that Plexaderm doesn’t share.
Safety Around the Eyes
Preparation H was never tested or approved for use on facial skin. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King has stated publicly that Preparation H is not meant for the face or eyes and can cause irritation. The skin around your eyes is some of the thinnest on your body, and ingredients formulated for rectal tissue can be too harsh for it. Some versions of Preparation H contain hydrocortisone, a steroid that can thin the skin with repeated use. On an area that’s already delicate, that’s a real concern over time. Even without the steroid, redness and irritation are common complaints.
Plexaderm is formulated as a cosmetic for the face, so its ingredients are chosen with that skin in mind. That said, sodium silicate does have some irritation potential, particularly in leave-on products. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel flagged this, though at the concentrations used in cosmetic serums (much lower than industrial applications), the risk is generally mild. The most common complaints are a tight, dry sensation and visible white residue if too much is applied or if it doesn’t dry evenly. You also can’t apply moisturizer or makeup over it without disrupting the film, which limits how it fits into a routine.
How Long the Effects Last
Neither product offers a permanent fix. Plexaderm’s film holds for roughly a few hours before it begins to break down, at which point wrinkles and puffiness return to their baseline. Touching, sweating, or applying anything over the film shortens that window. Preparation H’s vasoconstrictive effect is similarly temporary, typically fading within a few hours as blood flow returns to normal.
The key difference is what you’re getting during those hours. Plexaderm physically smooths the skin surface, which can visibly reduce fine lines and under-eye bags. Preparation H primarily reduces puffiness from fluid or blood vessel swelling but does little for wrinkles or skin texture. If your main concern is bags caused by swelling, the vasoconstrictor approach addresses the underlying cause more directly. If your concern is wrinkled or crepey skin, the film-forming approach is more relevant.
Cost and Intended Use
Plexaderm typically costs significantly more than Preparation H, which you can pick up at any drugstore for a few dollars. That price gap is part of what drives the comparison: people wonder whether the cheap hemorrhoid cream does the same job as a pricier cosmetic serum. The short answer is that they target overlapping symptoms through different means, and the cheaper option carries more risk when used off-label on your face.
Plexaderm is designed, tested, and marketed for facial skin. Preparation H is designed, tested, and marketed for hemorrhoids. Using it elsewhere means you’re experimenting with a product outside its intended purpose, with no safety data to guide you on how your facial skin will respond over weeks or months of use.