Coal tar
On the label: Coal Tar · Active · regulated as a drug in some uses
What it is
An over-the-counter drug ingredient for dandruff and psoriasis shampoos in the US; banned in EU cosmetics.
Actives: Actives are the ingredients a product is built around: acids, retinoids, vitamins and the like.
Wikidata: Chemical mixture. Q948232 →
In the research
412 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Modified Goeckerman therapy for chronic skin diseases in a resource-limited setting: A case series from Kenya · JAAD case reports, 2026
- Topicals for Psoriasis: Classical Drugs, New Concepts, and New Medications · The Journal of rheumatology, 2026
- Factors Associated With Treatment Response in Granuloma Annulare · Photodermatology, photoimmunology & photomedicine, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other actives
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.