Does mineral oil or petroleum oil harm the skin in any way? It is known that technical grade mineral oil has carcinogens, but the kind of mineral oil that you get at the pharmacy is supposed to be highly refined. Mineral and petroleum oil is also in many of your lotions.
Some people say it clogs and irritates the skin, while some don’t. Some sources claim mineral oil is bad because it doesn’t have any nutrients in it to nourish the skin. Some claim that it can still contain trace amounts of carcinogens even though it has been refined.
Nothing you put on the skin is going to “nourish the skin.” That happens from inside.
I have no answers to the rest of your post.
The short answer is "No, mineral oil is not known to contain carcinogens, nor does it “clog” or “irritate” the skin. From here:
The article also addresses that issue and your other concerns in a bit more detail.
It doesn’t harm my skin. My skin just sucks it right in. I have very dry skin, especially in the winter. Most lotions contain some form of mineral oil or petrolatum. The ones that itch me have lanolin as an ingredient.
Drink lots of water and moisturize liberally.
just a note to consider: virtually every ointment a doctor prescribes to be applied to your skin for whatever condition contains petroleum jelly as a base.
Some gels for sensitive skins use propylene glycol or glycerine. I know someone with psoriasis
Some prescription ointments are nothing but Vaseline.
Back when I was doing massage, all of the oils were vegetable-based, not because of any health concerns but rather because mineral oil was so slick it was difficult to get traction to manipulate the tissues under the skin. When I was at my girlfriends’ and she wanted an impromptu massage. I reached for her cooking oil. When I was working on her butt she commented, “That feels good; what are you using?” figuring I had brought some of mine.
“Huile d’Wesson,” I replied in my best phony French accent.
Most baby oil is made from mineral oil and – besides the sickly-sweet fragrance – thus is not recommended for massage. There are sites that rail against mineral oil for babies, but then, they are selling something. The “nutritive oils for baby” dropped a big red flag for me.
Are you suggesting that substances that are absorbed into the skin are always safe?
Can you provide an example to support this claim?
Mineral oil can cause acne. Some of the reasons mentioned here is
And here
But it is very individually. Mineral oil is not only component of cosmetics which can clog pores, olive or coconut oil can do the same, but they still considered as effective home remedy and widely used in cosmetology.
Links to beauty magazines are meaningless.
No, I don’t say that at all. I have no idea what poisons there are that could seep in your skin and cause havoc. The OP wanted to know if mineral oil is bad for your skin. I stand as a testament to the fact that no it won’t hurt you, and it does help me.YMMV.
As for prescription ointments they are most likely based on petroleum jelly. It’s kind what is meant by the word ointment as opposed to cream. My husband had an eye infection the eyedoctor gave him a script it was Vaseline in a tube. He particularly said it was a virus, no antibiotic needed.
That’s all I got.
Forgive me for harping. But you did not answer Anaptyxis’ inquiry. Can you provide a citation with respect to “Some prescription ointments are nothing but Vaseline.”?
You might be correct, but a citation is in order. Your experience with your husband and the description “gave him a script it was Vaseline in a tube,” is not convincing. Please try again on this particular claim.
Can’t come up with other. Sorry. When I posted earlier I didn’t realize what forum I was in. All I have is my experiences. I do know in fact the OTC eye ointment called STYE is purely petroleum jelly. My husbands doctor prescribed what we thought was a medicine turned out to be Vaseline in a tube like a skinny toothpaste tube.
I don’t relish arguing the fact with those who know better than me, so I will bow out with my apology for posting in a forum that calls for cites and better proof than I can provide. Again I am sorry.
creams with at least 5 % urea will change everything for you! I know exactly your problem Don’t know if you can get the brand eucerin where you arebut if you can get your mitts on their night cream ( one night will make you all dewy and soft, stuff is wonderful!)
Thank you, I have seen the brand. Never used it. I will give a try.
For most people, applying mineral oil topically is harmless and may even be beneficial in someone with extremely dry skin. If in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
BTW, creams are water-based and will wash off easily. Ointments are oil-based and harder to remove, and Vaseline falls into that category.
Beck’s husband probably got an antiviral eye ointment that was some medication in a petroleum jelly base, and not drops because PJ stays in the eye longer.
We definitely do not recommend using mineral oil regularly as a laxative, because it’s really just a lubricant, can leak out the “other end”, and impairs the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Occasional use of a product like Haley’s M-O, which is milk of magnesia and mineral oil, is usually okay.