Petroleum jelly, petrolatum, white petrolatum, soft paraffin, or multi-hydrocarbon, CAS number 8009-03-8, is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons (with carbon numbers mainly higher than 25),[1] originally promoted as a topical ointment for its healing properties.[2] Vaseline has been an American brand of petroleum jelly since 1870.
After petroleum jelly became a medicine-chest staple, consumers began to use it for cosmetic purposes and for many ailments including toenail fungus, genital rashes (non-STI), nosebleeds, diaper rash, and common colds. Its folkloric medicinal value as a "cure-all" has since been limited by a better scientific understanding of appropriate and inappropriate uses. It is recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an approved over-the-counter (OTC) skin protectant and remains widely used in cosmetic skin care, where it is often loosely referred to as mineral oil.
- ^ "Petrolatum (white)". inchem.org. International Programme on Chemical Safety and the Commission of the European Communities. March 2002. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
- ^ Speser, Phyllis L. (2012). The Art and Science of Technology Transfer. John Wiley & Sons. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-118-42893-1.