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In this day and age of a great return to natural, herbal and traditional methods, we hear voices from time to time about the harmfulness of petroleum jelly or paraffin, argued by the origin of these substances. A common (though not the only possible) method of obtaining liquid paraffin used in the cosmetology and pharmaceutical industries is its separation from crude oil – which raises suspicion of herbalists.
At the same time, ingredients such as petroleum jelly and liquid paraffin can be found in almost every cosmetic, including those intended for easily irritated skin of babies and in a series of emollient products for particularly sensitive atopic skin. Is it not surprising that a substance that is a component of crude oil has been used in this type of preparation for decades?
How is paraffin made?
Paraffin is isolated from crude oil using advanced technologies that guarantee the highest level of purification of the final product, and substances of this type used in pharmacy and cosmetics are constantly subjected to strict quality control at every stage between the initial separation of paraffin and the production of a bath emulsion or medicinal preparation.
It is not contamination with oil components that should wake up our ecological sensor – if anything, it is worth considering paraffin in the same context in which we think about heating our homes or moving around: oil will end one day. Nevertheless, there are more ways to obtain solid and liquid paraffin, so let’s focus on its actual properties and effects on the body.
What makes liquid paraffin different from vegetable oils?
First: liquid paraffin is a mineral oil that does not react with most of the factors causing the degradation of vegetable oils. The stable structure of paraffin means that the heat of the human body and naturally occurring substances on the skin do not make it go rancid, as is the case with the use of natural vegetable oils.
Sensitive skin needs something like a protective mantle that will insulate it from harmful factors and prevent water loss, which is the biggest problem of atopic skin. In the case of liquid paraffin, the protective layer does not change due to heat, friction or contact with microorganisms, so it does this job perfectly and does not require additional chemical stabilizers.
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However, it is worth remembering that liquid paraffin is not used for the same cosmetic purposes as oils of vegetable origin. The latter, unlike paraffin, have a huge wealth of ingredients to offer, because in addition to fat, they contain a lot of valuable elements.
Liquid paraffin is a thoroughly purified product which is why it does so well in its role. Therefore – vegetable oils should be expected to have advantages that bring their additional ingredients (and disadvantages in the form of short shelf life, if they are without preservatives), and paraffin oil will prove to be a stable protective barrier (without providing additional benefits, unless combined with other ingredients) .
Applications of liquid paraffin
Liquid paraffin is used as the only safe home remedy to get rid of earwax plugs from the ear canal. The procedure of instillation of liquid paraffin heated to the temperature of the human body (36,6 degrees Celsius) into the ear can be repeated up to 2 times a week to clean this organ of wax deposits.
After introducing a few drops of the substance, allow the paraffin with the softened earwax to come out – for example by placing the head with the dropped ear downwards and placing a paper towel under it.
The use of liquid paraffin on hair has also a long tradition – both for dry ends, which allow you to retain moisture for a longer time, and in the case of a remover for the so-called cradle cap in toddlers.
The exfoliating epidermis on the crown is usually combed out with a soft brush after the scalp has been moistened to prevent irritation and to make it easier to get rid of the cradle cap. In the case of hair ends, the paraffin applied to them will effectively prevent the loss of the proper level of hydration.
Due to the fact that paraffin oil does not react with water or various substances in our body, it is an inert substance that the body gets rid of very easily – this feature is used when paraffin is given as a remedy for constipation. This method is also effective for dogs and cats during food poisoning.
Further paraffin as a substance with properties is also used in thermotherapy. This is due to the fact that paraffin can release the accumulated energy in contact with human temperature. Equally important, as the paraffin cools down, it increases in volume, which results in compression of the tissues.
It is important because it is able to positively influence the stimulation of microcirculation as well as cell metabolic processes. This leads to faster wound healing. The emission of thermal energy is also important in reducing muscle tension and is also a factor preventing muscle and tendon contractures after orthopedic injuries (muscles and tendons are warmed up). The same property is also responsible for improving the nutrition of the joints.
Paraffin in cosmetics
Speaking of paraffin, it is worth mentioning more about its properties, which are effectively used in cosmetics. Paraffin is able to create a protective layer on our skin that retains moisture inside the epidermis. By using paraffin compresses, we can open the pores of the skin, which will improve not only blood circulation, but also the absorption of nutrients from skin care products.
Interestingly, in the production of cosmetics such as, for example, lotions, creams or protective lipsticks, soft paraffin is mostly used, and liquid paraffin is used in the production of face, neck and neckline masks, as well as bath preparations for children and adults ( e.g. an emulsion which, thanks to the properties of paraffin, forms a special coating on the stratum corneum to prevent excessive evaporation of water from the surface of the skin).
Enter the Medonet Market and choose skin care cosmetics suitable for the needs of your skin, such as a body lotion for children or a soothing mask for sensitive skin.
Read: Body lotion – how to choose the one that suits your skin needs?
Paraffin treatments
The paraffin treatments include:
- paraffin wraps – a given place on the body is covered with a brush with many layers of paraffin at a temperature of about 60 degrees C. The final effect is a layer of paraffin 1 to 2 cm thick on the skin. Then the place of lubrication is wrapped with waxed paper, foil, and at the very end with a blanket, for about 30 minutes;
- paraffin wrapping – (the procedure most often used on joints) involves wrapping a given area with several layers of gauze soaked in hot paraffin. Then the procedure is the same as for the previous treatment;
- paraffin socks for feet – it consists in immersing the limbs in hot paraffin several times, and the further procedure is the same as in the case of paraffin baths.
It is worth knowing that before the procedure, petroleum jelly is applied to the hairy part of the patient’s body, thanks to which it will be easier to remove the paraffin later.
Paraffin bath
A paraffin bath is one of the treatments that you can do yourself at home without any major problems. This is an ideal method thanks to which the skin of our hands will be soft, smooth and will gain protection against external factors. To perform this procedure, we will need: cosmetic paraffin, foil bags, terry gloves, hand cream and peeling, a pot and a bowl.
We start the whole process by heating the paraffin in a saucepan (we use paraffin sold in cubes). When the paraffin has melted, we have to leave it to cool down, and then pour it into a bowl where we will soak our hands.
While the paraffin is cooling down, wash your hands and peel them. Now we check if the paraffin is at the right temperature, to do this we put a drop of paraffin on the arm. If the temperature is correct, we soak our hands up to the wrists in paraffin.
We repeat this activity several times (from 3 to 5) and then put plastic bags on our hands, and then on them terry gloves. We wait about 15 minutes. After this time, it is enough to take off the gloves and remove the paraffin from our hands.
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Contraindications to the use of paraffin
Among the contraindications to the use of paraffin, we can mention:
- early stages of trauma (paraffin may increase traumatic exudate and bleeding);
- acute inflammation of the joints;
- early healing scars;
- cavities and skin ulcers at the treatment site;
- necrotic and trophic changes after injuries (e.g. Sudeck’s syndrome);
- damage to the veno-lymphatic system at the site of the procedure;
- osteoporosis (paraffin dressing causes pressure, which in turn leads to poorer blood supply to the tissues and may eventually cause necrosis).