Lanolin has been used for thousands of years for its ability to soften and relieve dry, painful, and cracked skin. Its popularity peaked in the mid-1900s but is now declining due to its potential to cause skin allergies. Read on to find out more about the uses of lanolin, precautions, and user experiences.

What is Lanolin?

Lanolin comes from wool grease, which is a wax secreted by sheep glands. Lanolin protects sheep wool from the weather and harsh environments.The ability of lanolin to help cleanse the skin and retain its moisture makes it a common component in cosmetics and medical creams. However, its potential to cause allergies in sensitive people is a potential downside.

To be safe for use, lanolin must contain only a small percentage of fatty acids, moisture, ash, and chloride. There must be no alkali, ammonia, glycerin, petrolatum, or other impurities present.

Mechanism of Action

Lanolin has strong emulsifying properties. This means that lanolin is able to break large fat particles, mix them with an aqueous phase, and distribute them evenly. It also helps with absorption. Because of these properties, lanolin combines well with materials used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Lanolin also has soothing, cleansing, and lubricating properties. These make it useful in the medical field as a base for creams and ointments.

Uses of Lanolin

1) Dry & Damaged Skin

Medilan is a medical-grade lanolin that is ultra-purified and hypoallergenic, meaning that it causes very little irritation to the skin. Lanolin increases the water content in your skin. The hypoallergenic, soothing, and moisturizing nature of lanolin makes it useful for eczema and other dry skin conditions.

Premature babies do not have an effective skin barrier. In one randomized study of 60 premature infants, the infants received topical lanolin treatment twice daily for 2 weeks. Topical lanolin decreased the amount of water lost through the skin, the severity of dermatitis, and the bacteria on the outer layer of skin.

A second, 4-week study of 173 premature infants compared lanolin use to emollient cream use. The infants undergoing lanolin treatment showed a bigger decrease in dermatitis symptoms.

Lanolin helps increase new skin growth, which supports wound healing. In a pig study, topical lanolin applied to skin wounds significantly increased new skin growth. However, lanolin also increased skin inflammation.

Nipple Cream

A traumatic nipple is one of the most common problems for breastfeeding mothers. Many studies have found that lanolin is an effective nipple cream. In one 14-day study of 126 breastfeeding mothers, lanolin was among the most therapeutic creams in relieving nipple pain.

In another study of 151 breastfeeding women, women in the lanolin group reported higher satisfaction with their feeding method and were able to withstand longer feedings compared to the group that used a commercial product.

A third study of 84 mothers showed that lanolin cream was more effective than breast milk. Thus, lanolin is an effective way to reduce nipple pain and promote healing of nipple trauma.

Chapped Lips

Chemotherapy can cause problems with the lips that can lead to infection. In a study of 57 chemotherapy patients, those that used lanolin showed less dehydration. However, lanolin did not reduce lip pain.

2) Dry Eyes

Lanolin has an effect on treating dry eyes and corneal abrasions. Corneal abrasions are when the outer layer of the eye (cornea) is scratched.
One study of 120 patients tested lanolin’s protective effects on the cornea. Lanolin and polythene both prevented corneal abrasions.