Skin oils

Authors: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer, Prof. Dr. med. Martina Bacharach-Buhles

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Last updated on: 18.05.2021

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Synonym(s)

Body Oils

Definition
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Skin oils have a high significance in dermatology. Likewise in Ayurvedic medicine ("it is better to buy and massage oil every day than to carry large sums of money to the doctor").

Pharmacodynamics (Effect)
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Many skin oils are based on jojoba oil which chemically is not a vegetable fat but a liquid wax (does not go rancid, thus long-lasting without preservatives). Its low intrinsic odour and the fixing effect on essential oils have made it a popular base oil in cosmetics for body and massage oils and for the production of natural perfumes. Besides jojoba oil, other mono oils such as:

can be used. Skin oils are applied thinly and spread best on damp skin. This creates a fat-water mixture that is absorbed well into the skin.

  • Scalp oils:
    • The indication for scalp oils is generally scaly scalp conditions. Patients frequently suffer less from the disease of the capillitium itself than from its desquamation with the consecutive cosmetic problems of "scaling" (see below pityriasis simplex capillitii).
    • Salicylic acid based on vegetable, fatty (poorly washable) oils like olive oil, almond or castor oil is frequently used for the therapy. A disadvantage here is the hydrolytic cleavage of the fats by salicylic acid into free fatty acids (unpleasant smell; skin irritations).
    • The optimal solution for this problem is a classic formulation, a 2%-10% washable salicylic acid top oil on peanut oil (or rhizinus oil or octyldedocanol) basis. This formulation is easily washable. As a purely nourishing scalp oil, this formulation can also be used without the active ingredient salicylic acid with an added fragrance (e.g. with the quantity q.s.).
    • The odorless jojoba oil can also be used for the scalp care of sensitive skin. Essential oils can be incorporated as fragrance components.

Recipe(s)
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Salicylic acid head oil (with eutanol G)

  • Acid.salicyl. 2.0
  • Macrogol-4-lauryl ether 10,0
  • octyldodecanol 80,0
  • S: Usage period: 6 months above 8°C (glass bottle)