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The things I do in the name of science...
Tuesday, 29 September 2009 07:23 amIt is sometimes frustratingly difficult to find reliable information on the qualities of oils and butters. One book or site makes an outrageous claim, and three more copy it. Then five more see those claims, tone them down into something that sounds reasonable, and put them out there again. Next thing you know, every oil and butter out there is supposed to be just great for skin conditions, but none of them can tell you the hows or whys of it.
Mango butter, for instance, "treats eczema and dermatitis," says site after site with the same copied and pasted text.
Even though it's high in oleic acid, which is believed to exacerbate dermatitis? Even though "[d]uring mango's primary season, it is the most common source of plant dermatitis in Hawaii" and "[c]ross-reactions between mango contact allergens and urushiol [the itch-inducing chemical in poison ivy and oak] have been observed"? (Hello Wikipedia!). Even though it is supposed to have 'regenerative qualities' that restore skin cells and reduce wrinkles, which would be a problem with forms of dermatitis characterized by overproduction of skin cells?
I want to believe because I have mango butter. I've made some lovely hand lotions with it, and I love that rich, velvety feeling. But I simply don't trust it on afflicted areas because it doesn't make sense as a dermatitis treatment, and I don't trust it on my face or scalp (where I'd need it) as it's fairly heavy and I have yet to find any information on its comedogenicity.
Well, reliable information. I find plenty on websites that also insist that cocoa butter won't clog your pores, which is like saying that cheesecake won't go straight to your ass and thighs.
If you poke around long enough, someone, somewhere, will try to explain that these oils and butters work because they're great moisturizers. That's nice, but it's pure nonsense, because eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis aren't simply fancy words for 'dry skin'. While moisturizing may alleviate the discomfort, so would slathering on a petroleum-based store-bought goo that simply blocks moisture from crossing the skin. It feels better, but that doesn't mean it's actually helping.
Thus my experiment in dandruff/dermatitis soap hit a rocky patch. I can compile a list of ingredients, rate which ones I think are more likely to help and why, but the process of soap-making is rough on the oils involved and without testing the oils themselves beforehand, I can't know, if the soap fails, whether it's because of the ingredients or the saponification process.
So formula #1 is going out for testing in butter/balm form instead! It's not exactly what I wanted (I was hoping a soap would get around the assorted inconveniences of oils), but it's a nice compromise and will probably work out better for my willing test monkeys, since it's more lotion-like and thus more familiar and soothing to the skin. Let the experiment begin!
First test monkey: me! More than twelve hours after applying it to my own patches, I've got smooth, soothed skin, no scales or flakes, and no itching. Yay! On the downside, I smell a bit like spice rack.
Mango butter, for instance, "treats eczema and dermatitis," says site after site with the same copied and pasted text.
Even though it's high in oleic acid, which is believed to exacerbate dermatitis? Even though "[d]uring mango's primary season, it is the most common source of plant dermatitis in Hawaii" and "[c]ross-reactions between mango contact allergens and urushiol [the itch-inducing chemical in poison ivy and oak] have been observed"? (Hello Wikipedia!). Even though it is supposed to have 'regenerative qualities' that restore skin cells and reduce wrinkles, which would be a problem with forms of dermatitis characterized by overproduction of skin cells?
I want to believe because I have mango butter. I've made some lovely hand lotions with it, and I love that rich, velvety feeling. But I simply don't trust it on afflicted areas because it doesn't make sense as a dermatitis treatment, and I don't trust it on my face or scalp (where I'd need it) as it's fairly heavy and I have yet to find any information on its comedogenicity.
Well, reliable information. I find plenty on websites that also insist that cocoa butter won't clog your pores, which is like saying that cheesecake won't go straight to your ass and thighs.
If you poke around long enough, someone, somewhere, will try to explain that these oils and butters work because they're great moisturizers. That's nice, but it's pure nonsense, because eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis aren't simply fancy words for 'dry skin'. While moisturizing may alleviate the discomfort, so would slathering on a petroleum-based store-bought goo that simply blocks moisture from crossing the skin. It feels better, but that doesn't mean it's actually helping.
Thus my experiment in dandruff/dermatitis soap hit a rocky patch. I can compile a list of ingredients, rate which ones I think are more likely to help and why, but the process of soap-making is rough on the oils involved and without testing the oils themselves beforehand, I can't know, if the soap fails, whether it's because of the ingredients or the saponification process.
So formula #1 is going out for testing in butter/balm form instead! It's not exactly what I wanted (I was hoping a soap would get around the assorted inconveniences of oils), but it's a nice compromise and will probably work out better for my willing test monkeys, since it's more lotion-like and thus more familiar and soothing to the skin. Let the experiment begin!
First test monkey: me! More than twelve hours after applying it to my own patches, I've got smooth, soothed skin, no scales or flakes, and no itching. Yay! On the downside, I smell a bit like spice rack.
