Lanolins prove effective for dermatological treatments

Of the studies, presented at the 7th European Society of Contact Dermatitis Congress, 2004, the first revealed that the treatment of cracked, xerotic skin with Medilan, lanolin, gave reportedly dramatic improvements in clinical signs and reduced scaling, cracks, abrasions, pain and itch to zero over the two-week treatment period.

Croda​ says that Medilan's performance was compared with industry-standard petrolatum and proved to be more effective.

The study took a group of people suffering from clinically dry skin conditions. Individuals were treated on one hand with Medilan and standard petrolatum on the other hand over a period of ten days. Over the period, dryness was said to be greatly reduced, whereas itching and irriation was completely eradicated in all the subjects.

In the second study the effect of Medilan Ultra, Super Refined lanolin, was evaluated on superficial wounds over a period of ten days. It was said to have increased the rate of wound healing and was clinically proven to be superior to petrolatum at promoting wound healing.

The second study claimed that the more refined ingredient improved clinical parameters more effectively than petrolatum, reducing erythema, drying, scaling and crusting.

As early as day 2, wounds treated with Medilan Ultra were reported to be less swollen and inflamed than the comparative treatments or controls. By day 8, glyphic lines, which are a measure of stratum corneum barrier restoration, were becoming visible in some subjects treated with the ingredient. On day 10 the glyphic lines were more advanced in the Medilan Ultra treated wounds than in those treated with petrolatum.

"These are highly significant findings which will be of great interest to dermatologists everywhere",​ commented Dr Ian White, consultant dermatologist at St John's Institute of Dermatology, London. "Petrolatum has always been considered the gold standard emollient and excipient for wound management. Medilan and Medilan Ultra set new standards",​ he said.

Croda's Medilan range already finds application in a number of established dermatological brands including E45, which is currently a UK market leader in emollients and commonly used by individuals suffering from dry skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Lanolin are a refined derivative of an unctuous fat-like secretion from sheep. Obtained from the wax deposited on sheep's wool, it is a complex mixture of esters, steriods, triterpenoid alcohols and fatty acids that is refined and purified for cosmetic applications.

It is widely used in the cosmetics and personal care industry as a skin lubricant and protector and is known for its water absorbancy properties, as well as its skin friendly sterols.