When you use petroleum jelly, you would say that it’s pretty moisturizing huh? Not! Don’t be mistaken by the sheen and heavy feeling of moisture; mineral oil has this same effect. Whether using petroleum or mineral oil directly or through the use of skin care products that contain it, the heavy oil clogs the pores disabling the skin’s refreshing process, making the skin unable to eliminate toxins. These paraffin types only coat the skin but has not moisturizing properties alone. The human skin cannot absorb petroleum or mineral. This can induce skin conditions like acne breakouts and dermatitis. Recent studies also show that petroleum may contain cancer causing PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Just imagine using WD-40 all over your body, feeling all greasy and moisturized. Would you expect your skin to absorb something like that? Think about it.
What is Petroleum & Mineral Oil?
Petroleum (petroleum jelly) and mineral oil are base ingredients commonly used in many skin care products such as lotions and creams. Why you may ask? It’s because these ingredients can produce an inexpensive cream which has a nice feel to it, creates a good dermal barrier, is effective at keeping moisture in the skin, all while hydrating the skin to a small degree. Mineral oil is a form of kerosene, also referred to as paraffin oil or liquid paraffin, produced in the purification of petroleum and during the production of gasoline and other petrochemical products from crude oil. Petroleum is a form of white petrolatum or paraffin wax are the most commonly used ingredients in skin care products today, used in the base cream for creating an oil and water emulsion.
Hair Conditioner?
I remember reading on the Wikipedia website that petroleum is used to condition ethnic hair. This definitely is a huge misconception as petroleum should not be using in ANY ones hair. Okay — Yes petroleum makes your hair look shiny but that’s just an artificial luster. Petroleum makes the hair feel and look very heavy, clogs the pores and causes a buildup of oils and dirt. Petroleum used upon the hair shaft can seal the hair but since hair doesn’t absorb it, this keeps additional, needed moisture from entering the shaft. This can offset your hair’s balance moisture, discouraging growth and overall environment for your hair. It is also uneasy to washing out, making petroleum a big “no no” for hair; same thing for mineral oil!
Not All That Bad
Who’s to say that petroleum is completely bad for use on the skin and hair? It’s not and can be used in many ways that don’t include skin and hair moisturizing:
- It can be used when using a home hair dye kit, if put onto skin close to the hairline it can prevent the hair dye staining the skin.
- It is used to protect and prevent moisture loss of the skin of a patient in the initial post-operative period following laser skin resurfacing.
- It can be used as a sealing effect on cuts and burns, which inhibits germs from getting into the wound and keeps the injured area supple by preventing the skin’s moisture from evaporating.
Find Something Better!
It is not recommended to use petroleum based products for your skin or hair as it conflicts with our body’s natural processed when used repeatedly. When looking for moisture, choose an absorbable oil that has great benefits to your skin and hair. I would recommend argan, hemp seed, broccoli seed, jojoba oil – just to name a few. Do your research and find what works for your hair type.
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