Petroleum Jelly Dangers
One of the most common things that you are bound to find in almost any and every home is petroleum jelly. Yes, that age-old miracle cure that your grandmother used for just about any and everything - right from burns to chapped lips! It is little wonder then that petroleum jelly is one such product that is found in every house, and the fact that it costs barely a fraction of what other creams and ointments cost further adds to its popularity. However, would you have ever thought that there are a few petroleum jelly dangers that you need to wary of? Yes, as hard as it may be to believe, there are certain possible side effects that you must be aware of when using this product. These possible side effects have been enlisted below.
Moisturizing Misconception
It may shock you to know that despite the unquestionable popularity of petroleum jelly when it comes to dealing with dry skin, this compound is not really a skin moisturizer. On the contrary, petroleum jelly acts as a barrier when applied on the skin, and by itself, it has no moisturizing properties. What it does is, it reinforces the moisture that is present in the skin by trapping it within. This is the reason why many people wonder 'is petroleum jelly bad for lips'? Well, if your lips are always chapped and dry, then you may need to put more than just petroleum jelly on your chapped lips.
Dangerous Absorption
So, now that we know that one of the petroleum jelly dangers lies in the fact that it is a sealant rather than a moisturizing agent, let us see what other effects the various petroleum jelly use brings about. The fact is that while petroleum jelly acts as a sealant, it is useful when you need increased absorption of topical medications. Thus, there have been cases where people slather on this product after topically applying some kind of medication, to enhance the rate and extent of absorption. However, this may lead to effects like very rapid and dangerous rates of absorption, which may even make the medication toxic. And as white petroleum jelly forms a layer on the skin, it does not allow the natural toxins to escape from the skin. So, it may actually hamper the rate of elimination of toxins in the form of sweat and sebum.
Other Possible Dangers
Not many people know this, but one should not use petroleum jelly as a lubricant during sexual intercourse. This is because as petroleum jelly is oil based, it affects the structure of the latex condom and makes it weaker. Thus, there are higher chances of conception as there is a great likelihood that the condom may tear during sexual intercourse. This is one of the major but relatively lesser known petroleum jelly side effects. Also, one of the other biggest petroleum jelly dangers is the speculation surrounding its potential as a cancer causative agent, or a carcinogen. Nothing has been conclusively said about this though, despite the fact that some people claim that it may have a role to play in the development of breast cancer.
One of the other dangers is that it should not be used on fresh burns, because as mentioned earlier, it leads to trapping of elements within it. So, it can trap the heat in the burn wound, which would actually worsen it. Also, the efficacy of using petroleum jelly for scars is doubtful. In the end, if you do wish to use a moisturizing agent, then try something more natural like cocoa butter or shea butter. And when you need to treat a medical condition like a burn, it is best to used a prescribed and certified medication, rather than petroleum jelly in such cases.
