原文: Telofski LS, Morello AP, MacK Correa MC, Stamatas GN (2012) The infant
skin barrier: can we preserve, protect, and enhance the barrier? Dermatol Res
Pract 2012. Art no:198789
網頁好讀版 http://tinyurl.com/nda9zun
並不是所有的植物油都適合用在皮膚上[1]，每一種植物油的組成都不一樣，像是不
同油有不同的亞麻油酸(linoleic acid)和油酸(oleic acid)的比例差異。一些植物油，
如橄欖油、大豆油和芥子油(mustard oil)，對皮膚的保護功能(skin barrier)是有害的
[2]，不飽和的游離脂肪酸(unsaturated free fatty acids)是潛在的滲透促進劑[3]，
這可能會增加過敏的機率[4-7]。而且，大多的植物油通常都不穩定且容易氧化降解，尤
其是在高溫潮濕的環境下，油的降解易造成細菌孳生且腐敗。皮膚上的痤瘡丙酸桿菌
(propionibacterium acnes) 和顆粒丙酸桿菌(propionibacterium granulosum)會分泌脂
肪酵素(lipase)，將皮脂上的三酸甘油脂催化分解成游離脂肪酸[8]，同理，痤瘡丙酸桿
菌、顆粒丙酸桿菌或皮膚上的其他細菌可能也會分解擦在皮膚上的植物油而形成游離脂肪
酸。
因此，建議還是使用一些含安定成分(如：礦物油mineral oil)的乳液會比較適合。
礦物油不溶於水，能在皮膚角質層上層形成一半覆蓋(semiocclusive)的保護層[9]，不會
導致粉刺[10]，有長期的使用安全史[11]，且在潮濕溫熱的環境下也不易腐敗。研究顯示
[9]，礦物油能藉由減少經皮水分散失量(TEWL，trans-epidermal water loss)來增加皮
膚保護功能，若角質層含水越高，膚質看起來會越好。
根據作者實驗室內部做的實驗，乳液(lotion)、水和礦物油擦於皮膚上的比較，未擦
礦物油的皮膚角質層水分蒸發的都非常快，但擦礦物油的展現了很高的保水能力，圖一是
礦物油使用在皮膚上的假想模型，說明礦物油如何改善皮膚的保護功能，右圖在塗上礦物
油後，形成半覆蓋的保護層，減少皮膚水份的蒸發。
圖一 http://imgur.com/z7VhiCv
參考資料:
1. G. M. M. El Maghraby, M. Campbell, and B. C. Finnin,“Mechanisms of action
of novel skin penetration enhancers: phospholipid versus skin lipid liposomes,
” International Journal of Pharmaceutics, vol. 305, no. 1-2, pp. 90–104,
2005.
2. G. L. Darmstadt, M. Mao-Qiang, E. Chi et al., “Impact of topical oils on
the skin barrier: possible implications for neonatal health in developing
countries,” Acta Paediatrica, vol. 91, no. 5, pp. 546–554, 2002.
3. A. C. Williams and B. W. Barry, “Penetration enhancers,” Advanced Drug
Delivery Reviews, vol. 56, no. 5, pp. 603–618, 2004.
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or irritant?” Contact Dermatitis, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 5–10, 1997.
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from olive oil,” Contact Dermatitis, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 251–252, 2006.
8. S. M. Puhvel, R. M. Reisner, and M. Sakamoto, “Analysis of lipid
composition of isolated human sebaceous gland homogenates after incubation
with cutaneous bacteria. Thinlayer chromatography,” The Journal of
Investigative Dermatology, vol. 64, no. 6, pp. 406–411, 1975.
9. A. Patzelt, J. Lademann, H. Richter et al., “In vivo investigations on
the penetration of various oils and their influence on the skinbarrier,”
Skin Research and Technology, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 364–369, 2012.
10.J. C. DiNardo, “Is mineral oil comedogenic?” Journal of Cosmetic
Dermatology, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 2–3, 2005.
11.J. F. Nash, S. D. Gettings, W. Diembeck, M. Chudowski, and A. L. Kraus, “
A toxicological review of topical exposure to white mineral oils,” Food and
Chemical Toxicology, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 213–225, 1996.