Best Hemorrhoid Creams of 2026

Where the cream is a quick external treatment, this 2-ounce ointment is the more protective, more versatile tube in the Preparation H lineup. It is labeled for both internal and external symptoms, and it works immediately to protect against further irritation while temporarily shrinking swollen tissue. The texture is thicker and stays where you put it, which is what we want when a flare makes every trip to the bathroom feel like a countdown.

We prefer it for overnight and for anyone who needs internal relief: the ointment base feels more substantial than the cream, and the larger tube makes it the better value of the two Preparation H picks. For a medicine-cabinet staple that covers more situations, this is the one.

We keep it beside the cream rather than in place of it. The larger tube and the internal/external labeling make it the one we reach for when a flare needs more than a quick surface treatment. For a medicine-cabinet staple, that extra coverage earns its space.

Doctor Butler's puts lidocaine into a thick ointment with herbs, essential oils, minerals, and an amino acid, which is a more elaborate formula than the drugstore basics. The ointment is aimed at both hemorrhoids and fissures, and the lidocaine is there to numb the area rather than just soothe the surface. It is a serious-feeling product: the tube is small, the texture is dense, and the formula is paraben-free and made in the USA.

What it does well is take the edge off serious discomfort. The numbing agent goes to work on sharp pain, while the ointment base stays put and the added botanicals are meant to support healing. We found it best suited to a flare that makes sitting feel impossible, the kind where a simple cream feels underpowered.

We rank it as the pick for pain-led flares that also involve swelling, not as the everyday default. It can sting on raw skin, so it is not the tube we hand to someone with sensitive skin. When the problem is sharp pain and swelling, that trade-off is easier to accept.

Five percent lidocaine is the headline, and it is the highest non-prescription strength in this group. For a flare where the main problem is sharp, sit-down pain rather than surface itch, that number matters more than a long ingredient list. The cream is formulated for anorectal use and comes with natural rubber latex finger cots, which is a small detail that makes a sore situation more hygienic.

The finger cots are the kind of inclusion we appreciate because they remove the excuse to skip a dose when you are sore. The 30-gram tube is bigger than several of the creams here, so it lasts longer, and the cream itself is a single-purpose numbing product rather than a cabinet full of additives. That focus is useful when you know exactly what you need.

It is not a multi-symptom cream in the same way as the Preparation H picks. It goes after pain, itching, and burning, but it is not the one we choose for swelling or a raw, irritated surface. Think of it as a strong topical anesthetic that happens to be formulated for this area, not as an all-in-one treatment.

We keep Recticare for the days when numbness is the priority. It is the strongest numbing option here, not the best all-rounder; for routine itch and burning, the Preparation H cream is easier to live with.

The dispensing cap is the reason to choose Tucks over a plain tube: it lets you apply the cream without using a finger, which is exactly what you want when the area is too tender to touch. We think that small design choice makes it the cleanest cream to use in this group. The cap is included in the carton, so there is no separate applicator to buy or lose.

The formula pairs witch hazel with a maximum-strength pain reliever and a protective coating, and it temporarily shrinks swollen tissue. Witch hazel gives it the same cooling, tightening feel as the brand's medicated pads, so it works as both a treatment and a way to calm the area down. It is a nice bridge between a cream and a wipe.

The 0.9-ounce tube is a travel-kit size, not a family stash. That is fine for a purse or a first-aid drawer, but a multi-day flare will go through it quickly. For the first day or two of symptoms, when clean application matters most, it is the one we want within reach.

This is the value play in the group: a 2-ounce ointment that costs less than most of the brand-name tubes here and uses the same phenylephrine-and-protectant approach as the pricier options. The tube is full-size, not a sample, and the formula is labeled for both internal and external symptoms. For a backup product, that combination is hard to beat.

Where it earns its place is coverage. The formula combines phenylephrine with petrolatum and mineral oil, so it temporarily shrinks swollen tissue while leaving a protective layer that makes a bowel movement less painful. We think it is the right pick for a guest bathroom or a first-aid drawer where you want a full-size tube without paying a premium. It does the basic job without asking you to study a label.

We keep it as the one to buy when value matters more than polish. It is a basic ointment, and that is the point: the money goes into a large tube and proven protectants rather than elegant packaging or added botanicals. For a first-aid drawer, that is a sensible trade.

The three 10-gram tubes are the first clue that Mayinglong is a different kind of pick: you get a small stash rather than one big tube, and the formula is a cooling herbal blend rather than a standard numbing cream. The cooling effect is immediate and lasts, and it is strong enough to feel like a treatment rather than a moisturizer. If you want a cream that disappears without a sensation, this is not it.

The formula includes zinc carbonate, borax, and other traditional ingredients, and it is aimed at shrinking swollen tissue and reducing heat and inflammation. We like the three-tube format for keeping one at home and one in a bag; it also makes it easy to try without committing to a large tube. The small tubes are easy to control, though you may use one up quickly during a bad flare.

We see it as a cooling alternative for someone who wants an herbal formula and a different feel from the drugstore creams. It is not our first choice for sensitive skin because the tingle can be intense; for a swelling-focused flare where you want a cooling sensation, it earns its place.

This is a thick, balm-like cream rather than a light lotion, and that texture is a clue to what it is for: persistent itch that needs a heavier barrier. It contains 1% hydrocortisone and 1% clioquinol, a combination aimed at itch and inflammation rather than pure numbing. The formula also has shea butter, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, and beeswax, which makes it feel more conditioning than the average hemorrhoid cream.

That conditioning feel is welcome on skin that is raw from scratching, and the zinc oxide adds another layer of soothing. We think it is a targeted itch treatment, not an all-purpose flare cream; if pain is the main symptom, a lidocaine pick makes more sense. The 28-gram tube is small, so it suits a specific itch problem rather than a long course of daily use.

The application is where it loses points. The balm is stiff enough that it takes patience to spread, and the tube can be hard to squeeze. That is not a dealbreaker for a product you use sparingly, but it is a reason we do not reach for it when we want something quick and mess-free.

We rank it as the pick for an itch that will not quit, especially when the skin is already irritated. The hydrocortisone makes it a short-term tool, so follow the label and do not keep using it indefinitely without a clinician's guidance. For routine burning and pain, the pramoxine cream is the easier first buy.