Prosthetic Skincare Ingredient Focus: Castor Oil
Castor oil has been used for years for its medicinal properties and has many pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Today, castor oil is a popular natural treatment for common conditions like constipation and skin ailments, and you will find it in many natural beauty products.
Castor oil is rich in omega-6, omega-9, and vitamin E, which makes this skincare ingredient super nourishing and hydrating for prosthetic users. The inside of a prosthetic socket can be a harsh environment, leaving your skin at risk for irritation and trauma.
Let's take a closer look at this well-rounded "super" ingredient and how it's used in today's skincare products.
1. Moisturizer
Castor oil is comprised mainly of ricinoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid which acts as a humectant. Humectants are vital in skincare because they moisturize the skin by drawing water from the air and preventing water loss.
Because of its humectant properties, castor oil is an excellent alternative to commercial moisturizers, some of which contain potentially harmful ingredients like fragrances and dyes which could irritate the skin.
Castor oil is found in numerous prosthetic moisturizers, including Amputee Essentials Resilience Prosthetic Salve. Amputee Essentials added castor oil to its best-selling prosthetic salve as it offers a whole host of benefits, including soothing irritated and inflamed skin.
The salve is formulated to offer a long-lasting and soothing barrier for the skin. It also contains ingredients—like castor oil—that possess disinfectant, fungicidal, and healing properties. The best part about this prosthetic salve is it doesn't contain parabens or synthetic fragrances.
2. Anti-inflammatory
Another great benefit of ricinoleic acid is its anti-inflammatory properties. Castor oil, which contains a lot of ricinoleic acid, is known to not only reduce inflammation but also relieve pain. These qualities are helpful for those who have inflammatory diseases like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.
3. Anti-acne
Castor oil's anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties make it a useful ally against acne. It offers a two-part attack. First, it soothes irritated skin, thereby curbing acne inflammation. Second, it can help fight bacterial overgrowth. This makes castor oil an excellent prosthetic skincare ingredient as a targeted treatment.
4. Heals wounds
One of the most popular wound-healing ointments is Venelex, which contains Peru balsam and castor oil. Castor oil works by stimulating tissue growth, forming a barrier between the wound and the harmful elements in the environment. This decreases the risk of infection.
And because castor oil also has moisturizing properties, it reduces dryness and the buildup of dead skin cells that can delay wound healing.
Have you tried Resilience Prosthetic Salve? Where do you apply this targeted treatment? Please share your tips with the rest of the community in the comments section below.
