How does topical medicine get into your bloodstream? If I spill apple juice on myself does apple juice enter my bloodstream?
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Topical drugs are usually intended for local effects, meaning where you put the drug is where the drug should act. Take for example EMLA (eutectic mixture of local anesthetics) where you apply it on a part of your skin, that’s where the anesthesia will work. Topical drugs intended for systemic use are our patches (nicotine, nitroglycerin, scopolamine)
In cases of drugs going into to your blood stream, there is are specific physicochemical characteristics of the drug that will allow it to enter the skin. The two most important ones are molecular weight and lipophilicity (how much your substance can be attracted to oil). If you have a small mw and high lipophilicity, that drug can be absorbed through the skin, example is pesticides such as organophosphates or for more malicious examples nerve gas such as vx and sarin. If the drug does not have those properties it won’t be absorbed.
To answer the second question: no, since apple juice is not oil soluble, and won’t pass through your skin since your skin is relatively waterproof due to the horny layer
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