Malaysian pharmacy shoppers search by problem — mouth ulcers, eczema, acne spots and scars — in English and in Malay. We grouped 100 Google search terms into product clusters to size the demand behind medical-device-type gels and patches.
Disclosure: This article is published by ORIZI Group and may refer to our own manufacturing experience, services and capabilities. External factual claims are supported by cited sources. ORIZI Group companies Imedify Medical Solution and Skyler Medical Manufacturing manufacture medical devices in categories discussed here.
Key takeaways
- Mouth ulcer is the only cluster with four terms in the 1,000–10,000 band: “mouth ulcer”, “ulser mulut”, “sariawan” and “canker sore” — and three of the four carry low advertiser competition.
- Malay matters: 26 of the 76 consumer terms are Malay, including 4 of the 9 scar-care terms, and 13 of those 26 start with “ubat”, the Malay word for medicine.
- Pimple patches, eczema creams and scar products are contested: all 9 scar terms and all 5 pimple-patch terms carry high advertiser competition.
- People search problems, not categories: “private label medical device” drew 0–10 searches a month, while “mda approved” drew 100–1,000.
- The claim and the mode of action decide the route — cosmetic, drug or medical device — not the shopper’s search words.
What does this analysis cover?
The data come from Google Keyword Planner for Malaysia, all languages, average monthly searches from September 2025 to August 2026, pulled on 6 October 2026. We queried 126 chosen terms and reviewed the top discovery ideas. Terms Google returned without a number, such as “scar gel”, “acne patch” and “ubat ulser mulut”, were excluded, leaving 100 terms: 76 consumer problem or product terms and 24 trade, channel and trust terms.
The Google Ads account used returns volumes only as bands (10–100, 100–1,000, 1,000–10,000, 10,000–100,000). A cluster’s combined range adds up the band floors and ceilings of its terms, so it brackets demand rather than measuring it, and the ceiling is inflated where the same people type several terms.
A pharmacy-shelf medical device is a product sold over the counter that has a medical purpose and works by a physical action — forming a film, covering a sore, absorbing fluid, cooling or lubricating — and is registered with Malaysia’s Medical Device Authority (MDA) under the Medical Device Act 2012 (Act 737). Our guide to MDA medical device registration covers that process.
Which pharmacy problems do Malaysians search for most?
| Cluster | Terms | Terms at 1,000–10,000 | Combined monthly searches | Malay terms | Advertiser competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouth ulcer and oral gel | 7 | 4 | 4,300–43,000 | 2 | Low on 3, medium on 1, high on 3 |
| Eczema and skin-barrier care | 7 | 2 | 2,500–25,000 | 2 | High on 6 |
| Personal lubricants | 5 | 2 | 2,210–22,100 | 0 | Mostly not rated |
| Nasal sprays | 4 | 2 | 2,200–22,000 | 1 | High on 4 |
| Pimple and spot patches | 5 | 2 | 2,030–20,300 | 0 | High on 5 |
| Scar care | 9 | 1 | 1,620–16,200 | 4 | High on 9 |
| Pain relief, cooling and heat | 10 | 0 | 910–9,100 | 1 | High on 10 |
| Wound care | 7 | 0 | 700–7,000 | 3 | High on 4 |
| Fungal nail | 4 | 0 | 310–3,100 | 3 | High on 1 |
Source: Google Keyword Planner, Malaysia, all languages, September 2025 to August 2026, pulled 6 October 2026; ORIZI Group clustering of 100 terms.
Together, the four focus clusters — mouth ulcer, eczema and barrier, pimple patches and scar care — cover 28 terms and a combined 10,450–104,500 searches a month. Mouth ulcer stands out twice: it has the most high-band terms, and three of its four biggest terms show low advertiser competition. Pain-relief and cooling products are searched across ten separate terms, none in a band above 100–1,000, and every one is heavily contested by advertisers.
What exactly do people type?
| Problem | Search term | Language | Monthly searches | Advertiser competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouth ulcer | mouth ulcer | English | 1,000–10,000 | Medium |
| Mouth ulcer | ulser mulut | Malay | 1,000–10,000 | Low |
| Mouth ulcer | sariawan | Malay | 1,000–10,000 | Low |
| Mouth ulcer | canker sore | English | 1,000–10,000 | Low |
| Mouth ulcer | mouth ulcer gel / mouth ulcer medicine / oral gel | English | 100–1,000 each | High |
| Eczema and barrier | eczema cream | English | 1,000–10,000 | High |
| Eczema and barrier | eczema treatment | English | 1,000–10,000 | High |
| Eczema and barrier | krim ekzema / ubat ekzema | Malay | 100–1,000 each | Not rated / high |
| Eczema and barrier | barrier cream / skin barrier cream / diaper rash cream | English | 100–1,000 each | High |
| Pimple patch | pimple patch | English | 1,000–10,000 | High |
| Pimple patch | hydrocolloid patch | English | 1,000–10,000 | High |
| Scar | one scar-gel brand name | English | 1,000–10,000 | High |
| Scar | scar cream / silicone scar gel | English | 100–1,000 each | High |
| Scar | krim parut / ubat parut / ubat hilangkan parut / parut jerawat | Malay | 100–1,000 each | High |
Terms at 10–100 a month (three spot and pigmentation-patch terms, two scar-gel terms) are not shown.
Three patterns stand out. Shoppers name the problem first and the format second. Scar care is the one cluster where a brand name sits in a higher band than every generic term. And Malay searchers often ask for a remedy: “ubat parut” means scar medicine and “ubat ekzema” eczema medicine. That wording reflects how people think about the problem, not how the product is regulated.
Is a mouth-ulcer gel, scar gel or pimple patch a cosmetic or a medical device?
It depends on what the product claims to do and how it works. NPRA’s medical device–drug–cosmetic interphase guidance sets out the decisions for borderline products, and our full guide, cosmetic or medical device in Malaysia, walks through each format.
| Product | Usually regulated as | What changes the answer |
|---|---|---|
| Mouth-ulcer gel or spray that forms a protective cover | Medical device (MDA); NPRA lists oral wound dressings as devices | An active with pharmacological action, such as an anaesthetic, makes it a drug |
| Silicone scar gel or sheet | Commonly a medical device | A product that only improves the look of post-acne marks is a cosmetic |
| Hydrocolloid pimple patch | Either: device for a medical claim, cosmetic for a plain cosmetic patch | A patch carrying a drug substance is a drug |
| Barrier cream or film | Medical device when it protects by forming a film | An emollient promising relief of skin disease is an OTC drug; a simple moisturiser is a cosmetic |
Indicative only; the regulator decides each product on its formula, label and claims.
Some of the biggest terms in the dataset sit outside the device route altogether. “Kurap” (ringworm) and “buasir” (haemorrhoids) are each in the 10,000–100,000 band, and “panau” and “ubat gatal” (itch remedy) in the 1,000–10,000 band. Remedies that work through an antifungal or other pharmacological active are drugs registered with NPRA, so these numbers show demand but not an open device opportunity.
What do brand owners and buyers search for?
Trade searches are small but telling. “Medical device”, “medical device malaysia” and “medical device registration malaysia” each drew 100–1,000 searches a month, as did “cosmeceutical” and “halal skincare”. “Mda approved” (100–1,000) was searched more than “mda registered” (10–100), although registration under Act 737 is the regulatory step and the MDA public register is where it can be checked. On the supply side, our analysis of who makes pharmacy-shelf medical devices in Malaysia shows that most registrations in these categories are held by authorised representatives of overseas manufacturers.
ORIZI perspective: deciding the route before the formula
ORIZI Group runs both sides of this shelf through separate licensed companies. Cosmetics are made by Dr Orizi (M) Sdn. Bhd. (NPRA cosmetic GMP since 2024, ISO 22716 since 2022). Medical devices are made by Imedify Medical Solution Sdn. Bhd. and Skyler Medical Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd., which hold MDA establishment licences and ISO 13485 certification (Imedify since 2024, Skyler since 2022).
When we reviewed these 100 terms in October 2026, the practical conclusion was that demand sits on problem words in both English and Malay, while trade labels such as “private label medical device” (0–10 a month) are barely typed. For a pharmacy gel or patch brief, the first decision is therefore the regulatory route — cosmetic, device or drug — because it decides which licensed company manufactures the product, which claims the label can carry, and whether advertising needs MDA approval. Our oral gel and skin-barrier and emollient manufacturing pages set out what each route involves.
Risks and common mistakes
- Reading bands as exact numbers: Keyword Planner bands are wide, and combined ranges overstate demand where the same people type several terms.
- Ignoring missing terms: generic terms such as “scar gel” and “acne patch” returned no number, so some demand is merged into close variants.
- Google is not the whole shelf: searches inside Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop and pharmacy apps are not included.
- Choosing the route from search words: “ubat” in a search does not make a product a medicine, and a device cannot carry drug claims.
- Advertising without approval: under the Medical Device (Advertising) Regulations 2019, enforced since 1 January 2022, device advertisements need MDA advertisement approval.
- Over-claiming: a cosmetic cannot claim to treat a condition, and a device’s claims must stay within its registered intended purpose.
FAQ
Which pharmacy skin and mouth products are most searched in Malaysia?
Mouth-ulcer care leads, with “mouth ulcer”, “ulser mulut”, “sariawan” and “canker sore” each at 1,000–10,000 searches a month (September 2025 to August 2026). “Eczema cream”, “eczema treatment”, “pimple patch” and “hydrocolloid patch” are in the same band.
Is a mouth-ulcer gel a medical device in Malaysia?
Usually, when it works by forming a protective cover over the sore: NPRA’s interphase guidance lists oral wound dressings as medical devices regulated by MDA. If the gel contains an active with pharmacological action, such as a local anaesthetic, it becomes a drug registered with NPRA.
Do pimple patches need MDA registration in Malaysia?
It depends on the claim. A hydrocolloid patch sold with a medical claim, such as absorbing fluid from a spot, is commonly registered with MDA as a medical device; a plain cosmetic patch is notified to NPRA as a cosmetic; a patch carrying a drug substance is a drug.
Do Malaysians search for pharmacy products in Malay?
Yes. In this dataset 26 of 76 consumer terms are Malay, and “ulser mulut” and “sariawan” each reach 1,000–10,000 searches a month. Four of the nine scar-care terms are Malay, led by “krim parut” and “ubat parut”.
Can a brand advertise a medical device on social media in Malaysia?
Only with MDA approval. Under the Medical Device (Advertising) Regulations 2019, enforced since 1 January 2022, a medical device advertisement needs approval from MDA, which publishes the list of approvals it has granted. Check the requirements with MDA before a campaign runs.
Sources & references
- Google Ads — Keyword Planner — Malaysian search-volume bands and advertiser competition, September 2025 to August 2026
- NPRA — Medical Device–Drug–Cosmetic Interphase (DRGD Appendix 2) — classification of oral wound dressings, emollient creams and other borderline products
- MDA — How to Apply for Medical Device Registration under Act 737 — registration route for medical devices
- MDA — Malaysia Medical Device Register public search — checking whether a device is registered
- MDA — Medical Device Advertisement Approval — Medical Device (Advertising) Regulations 2019, enforced from 1 January 2022
Update history: October 2026 — first published.
Planning a pharmacy gel or patch range? See our medical and health care manufacturing overview, or send a short brief and we will help you decide the regulatory route first.
