Vitamin B5, also called Pantothenic Acid, is a naturally occurring component of the skin and hair, necessary for them to form properly. Each of us knows the problem of dry skin, caused by the water loss from the top layer of the skin. Its deficiency causes skin roughness and scaling, accelerates graying of hair and makes them more porous and dull. Pure form of Pantothenic acid is not very stable in aqueous solutions, therefore the cosmetic uses a stable vitamin B5 derivative called panthenol. Panthenol is a component of products with moisturizing, soothing and healing effect. It is used as a basic ingredient of cosmetics:
used after sunbathing
mitigating redness
mitigating itching and skin irritation
and shampoos and hair conditioners. The latter application results from a high similarity to hair keratin, and thus it is easily absorbed, making hair shiny, smooth, moisturised and thickened.
PROPERTIES
Specification of Panthenol makes it substance of multiple properties:
it is easily absorbed into the skin, hair, and even nails
is very well tolerated by the skin, it does not irritate it, nor it is allergenic
it is non-comedogenic and has antibacterial and preserving properties
ACTION
Panthenol has a wide range of action:
- it effectively moisturizes the skin by reducing water loss from the epidermis
- it restores and maintains proper moisture level of the skin
- it improves the epidermal lipid barrier, so that the skin moisture increase can be noticed after 7 days
- it improves elasticity and softness of the skin by stimulating the renewal of the epidermis, it improves healing of wounds, minor skin lesions or scar treatments
- it has a soothing and anti-inflammatory function, and therefore the products based on Panthenol are recommended for skin irritations, sunburn and thermal burn, after shaving and depilation
- soothes redness and itching
- it helps to moisturize, smooth and thincken hair
- it facilitates combing hair and prevents ends splitting.
