Is glycerin safe?

Is glycerin safe for skin?

Glycerin is among the ingredients dermatologists recommend looking for in creams or ointments for dry skin. Choose the whole formula, not just that one ingredient: a gentle, fragrance free product is the better choice for dry, sensitive skin. "Unscented" is not the same as fragrance free; products with that label can contain chemicals that hide other ingredients' odors and irritate sensitive skin.1

Gels, lotions, creams and ointments all count as moisturizers, which makes the category name less specific than the packaging would like. Moisturizers add moisture and help prevent water from leaving the skin. Creams are thicker and more hydrating than lotions, while ointments are thickest and most effective for dry skin. If your skin is oily, a lighter gel is an option. For combination skin, moisturize dry areas rather than automatically covering oily areas too.2

How should you use a glycerin moisturizer?

1. 1Wash with a gentle cleanser. If you are bathing or showering to care for dry skin, use warm water and keep it to five to ten minutes.
2. 2Gently pat your skin with a clean towel rather than rubbing it dry.
3. 3Apply your moisturizer while your skin is still damp, and gently massage it in.
4. 4Reapply after washing your hands and whenever your skin feels dry. Dry skin can need moisturizer several times a day.

For excessively dry skin, choose a moisturizer you feel comfortable using at least twice a day. Pick a texture you can comfortably use regularly, because a moisturizer left on the shelf has chosen a career in decor. Applying moisturizer to damp skin helps trap water and prevents it from evaporating.2

When should you get help?

Tell a dermatologist if moisturizer causes burning, stinging or irritation. Persistent dryness despite changes to your routine also deserves an appointment. If dryness worsens and becomes painful, cracked, bleeding or very irritating, a dermatologist can assess whether you need prescription treatment as well as a different moisturizing routine.12

Is glycerin safe to eat?

Skin use is not a reason to assume a glycerin product is suitable to swallow. For oral medicines, contamination is a serious safety issue: glycerin and other drug ingredients contaminated with diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol have been linked to fatal poisonings from liquid medicines, including cough and allergy medicines. That warning concerns contaminated ingredients, not a finding that glycerin itself caused those poisonings. A food safety answer needs the specific edible product and its intended use.3