What are the uses of liquid paraffin?

Liquid paraffin is a widely used substance, which is mainly a by-product separated from petroleum processing. Its viscosity is relatively low, which makes it suitable for industrial use. It is widely used in various light industries, heavy industries and the manufacture of medical equipment. Of course, many people have never seen or understood liquid paraffin. Let’s take a look at the uses of liquid paraffin.

Liquid paraffin is a colorless and odorless mixture obtained from the distillation of crude oil. It can be divided into light mineral oil and general mineral oil, and light mineral oil has lower specific gravity and viscosity.

Liquid paraffin is a colorless, transparent, oily liquid that does not fluoresce when observed under sunlight. It is odorless and tasteless at room temperature, but has a slight petroleum odor after heating.

Insoluble in water, glycerol and cold ethanol. Soluble in benzene, ether, chloroform, carbon disulfide, and hot ethanol. It can be mixed with most fatty oils except castor oil, and can dissolve camphor, menthol and most natural or artificial musks.

Function: It can be used as a base for ointments, liniments and cosmetics.

(1) Mineral oil is hypoallergenic and has good occlusive properties, which can block the evaporation of moisture from the skin. Therefore, it is often used as a smoothing moisturizer in skin care products such as baby oils, lotions or creams.

(2) Because it has good oil-soluble properties, it is also used in makeup removers such as cleansing oils or cleansing milks.

(3) Because it is not digested in the intestines and is absorbed very little, it lubricates the intestinal wall and feces, and can prevent water absorption in the intestines, softening the stool and making it easier to excrete, so it is used as a laxative. [Oral] 15-30 ml each time, before bed.

Liquid paraffin is divided into crude paraffin oil and refined paraffin oil according to its purity. Crude paraffin oil is considered a "carcinogen" in medicine. The "toxic rice" that once caused a sensation across the country was adulterated with crude or industrial paraffin oil.

It can be used as filling material for saddle nose correction and rhinoplasty. In the 1920s, liquid paraffin was widely used as a filler and continued to be used for decades until it was widely reported that the material was prone to causing paraffinoma, and its use was stopped.

Liquid paraffin is also used to disinfect and prevent rust on medical devices, with mixed results.