A lotion is a low-viscosity topical preparation intended for application to unbroken skin. By contrast, creams and gels have higher viscosity.
Lotions are applied to external skin with bare hands, a brush, a clean cloth, cotton wool, or gauze. While lotion may be used as a medicine delivery system, many lotions, especially hand lotions and body lotions are meant instead to simply smooth, moisturize and soften the skin. These may be used in anti-aging lotions, which can also be classified as a cosmetic in many cases, and may contain fragrances. The Food and Drug Administration voiced concern about lotions not classified as drugs that advertise anti-aging or anti-wrinkle properties.
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Medicine delivery
Dermatologists can prescribe lotions to treat or prevent skin diseases. It is not unusual for the same drug ingredient to be formulated into a lotion, cream and ointment. Creams are the most convenient of the three but are inappropriate for application to regions of hairy skin such as the scalp, while a lotion is less viscous and may be readily applied to these areas (many medicated shampoos are in fact lotions). Historically, lotions also had an advantage in that they may be spread thinly compared to a cream or ointment and may economically cover a large area of skin, but product research has steadily eroded this distinction. Non-comedogenic lotions are recommended for use on acne prone skin.
Lotions can be used for the delivery to the skin of medications such as:
- Antibiotics
- Antiseptics
- Antifungals
- Corticosteroids
- Anti-acne agents
- Soothing, smoothing, moisturizing or protective agents (such as calamine)
Occupational use
Since health care workers must wash their hands frequently to prevent disease transmission, hospital grade lotion is recommended to prevent skin dermatitis caused by frequent exposure to cleaning agents in the soap. A 2006 study found that application of hospital grade lotion after hand washing significantly reduced skin roughness and dryness.
Care must be taken not to use consumer lotions in a hospital environment, as the perfumes and allergens may be a danger to those who are immunodeficient.
Production
Most lotions are oil-in-water emulsions using a substance such as cetearyl alcohol to keep the emulsion together, but water-in-oil lotions are also formulated. The key components of a skin care lotion, cream or gel emulsion (that is mixtures of oil and water) are the aqueous and oily phases, an emulgent to prevent separation of these two phases, and, if used, the drug substance or substances. A wide variety of other ingredients such as fragrances, glycerol, petroleum jelly, dyes, preservatives, proteins and stabilizing agents are commonly added to lotions.
Since thickness and consistency are key factors in lotions and creams, it is important to understand the manufacturing process that determines viscosity.
Manufacturing lotions and creams can be completed in two cycles:
- Emollients and lubricants are dispersed in oil with blending and thickening agents.
- Perfume, color and preservatives are dispersed in the water cycle. Active ingredients are broken up in both cycles depending on the raw materials involved and the desired properties of the lotion or cream.
A typical oil-in-water manufacturing process might go like this:
- Step 1: Add flake/powder ingredients to the oil being used to prepare the oil phase.
- Step 2: Disperse active ingredients.
- Step 3: Prepare the water phase containing emulsifiers and stabilizers.
- Step 4: Mix the oil and water to form an emulsion. (Note: This is aided by heating to between 110-185 F (45-85 C) depending on the formulation and viscosity desired.)
- Step 5: Continue mixing until the end product is completed
Careful note should be taken in choosing the right mixing equipment for lotion manufacturing to avoid agglomerates and long processing times. It can make all the difference in manufacturing time and costs. Conventional agitators can present a number of problems including agglomerates and longer processing times. On the other hand, high shear in-line mixers can produce quality lotions and creams without many of the complications encountered with conventional mixers. Sonolation is also a process that is growing in popularity.
Potential health risks
What you put on your skin may impact just more than the exterior of your body. In a lab experiment, mice were coated with Dermabase, Dermovan, Eucerin, or Vanicream for 17 weeks. The results of this experiment had shown a significant increase in the formation of tumors. This also increased the size of the tumors in each mouse. The use of lotions and tanning oils will increase your chances of this. Many skin lotions and tanning oils contain mineral oils, which isn't a good sign. Mineral oil is a derived from petroleum, which is what you put in your cars engine. The reason for the usage of this product is due to the fact that it is slippery and easy to spread around. Petroleum is known as a carcinogen, which means that it is capable to cause cancer in living tissue. Petroleum is also comedogenic, which means that it blocks the pores on your skin and prevents its natural process of sweating. With having this product clogging your pores, it means that there is a more increased chance of blackheads and pimples. Since mineral oil is able to create a film on your skin which is unable to be absorbed, it may block your skins natural process of absorbing ingredients, which are beneficial to your skin that may exist in the product. Lotions that contain mineral oil may also increase your risk of tumors. In a study published by Journal of Investigative Dermatology, they found that when they placed lotions containing mineral oils on UVB-pretreated high-risk mice, it increased the chances of the formation of tumors. In this study, they tested the four most common skin lotions, Dermabase, Dermovan, Eucerin Original Moisturizing Cream, Vanicream. Each one of these lotions contains mineral oil, which is plausible to create the formation of tumors. In this study, mice that were at high risk of developing skin cancer were applied with 100 mg of one of these lotions once a day, for five days each week, for seventeen weeks. With the conclusion of this study, they found that the rate of formation of tumors increased along with the tumor size.
Your skin is the largest and thinnest organ on your body, which means that the items your rub on your skin will end up right in your bloodstream and will be distributed throughout your body. Putting harmful lotions on your skin, containing parabens, is possibly worse than eating these chemicals. This is so because they go right into your bloodstream, there is no filtering. Once these chemicals find their way into your body, they often sit there for a period of time while more and more of this same chemical build up. This is because you will most likely lack the enzymes needed to break it down.
Allergens
There is currently no regulation over use of the term "hypoallergenic", and even pediatric skin products with the label were found to still contain allergens. Those with eczema are especially vulnerable to an allergic reaction with lotion, as their compromised skin barrier allows preservatives to bind with and activate immune cells.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology warns that lotion containing ingredients commonly found in food (such as goats milk, cow's milk, coconut milk, or oil) may introduce new allergies, and an allergic reaction when those foods are later consumed.
Parabens
A 2015 study funded by the California Breast Cancer Research Program found that parabens, a common ingredient in cosmetic lotions, stimulate breast cancer cell proliferation.
Most breast cancers are caused by parabens, which are found in many cosmetic products, including lotions. This contributes to the creation of breast cancer due to females ER. The breast cells that women have are called estrogen receptors, or ER. Cosmetics used contain chemical preservations, which are known as parabens. Studies have shown that parabens have estrogenic activity on ER+ breast cells. Paragons are found in a widespread amount of cosmetics used by females for example, body mists, skin cream, hand lotions, moisturizers, lip gloss and so on. Each of these products contain proprietary ingredients that are known as estrogen producers.
It has been known that if you are a breast cancer survivor, your usage of cosmetics containing carcinogens or ingredients with proven estrogenic activity should be very limited. The usage of these products after previous breast cancer diagnosis will increase your chances of it returning, and further harm your body.
Impacting Bodies Natural Process
Lotions are mainly intended to help the skin, but it can also harm your skin. Christina Marino, who practices at Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, has conducted much research on this aspect. Moisturizers contain ingredients that are either occlusive or humectant. Occlusive agents are used to help block the loss of water from the skin. Humectant agents are used to attract water to the skin. With significant water exposure to the skin, it can cause the loss of soluble natural factors in your skin. With persistent moisturization to the skin, from exposure to water will result in: penetration of foreign objects, it may contribute to an allergic reaction, or irritant contact dermatitis. Changes in the skins normal ecological environment in or on the skin, can support the overgrowth of pathological organisms. Lotions contain 65-85% of water. Water acts as an agent to disperse the active and inactive ingredients in the lotion. A high water content also serves as a way for the absorption of some components and evaporation of the moisturizer. Water acts as a temporary hydration agent.
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Source of the article : Wikipedia
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