Lanolin sensitivity can cause an itchy and tingling feeling on your nipples, rash and swelling which can worsen over time if not appropriately addressed or stopped. This is one of the primary reasons why we choose all-natural ingredients for our nipple balm.
If you have a sensitivity to wool, lanolin may not be the best option for your sore nipples. It can cause further pain and be quite unpleasant, often leaving a tingling or itchy feeling. In fact, many mothers who live in warmer climates might not be aware that they have a sensitivity.
Lanolin has been found to contain traces of pesticides. It's commonly used as a treatment by breastfeeding mothers for sore nipples and these pesticides can be passed to the baby. The pesticides have been strongly linked to skin irritations.
Medical-grade lanolin is not very poisonous. Nonmedical grade lanolin sometimes causes a minor skin rash. Lanolin is similar to wax, so eating large amounts of it can cause a blockage in the intestines.
Since it is obtained through the wool industry without harming or killing the animals, lanolin can best be described as an 'animal harvested' natural product.
The science of lanolin.
It holds up to 400% of its weight in moisture, behaving as a moisture reservoir for your skin. And it's vegetarian and animal cruelty-free. With lanolin, your skin has literally met its match.
Many people believe that lanolin is a cruelty free item that comes from the wool of sheep as they are shorn. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The majority if the time, the sheep have been slaughtered for their meat and the lanolin is a by product of this meat industry.
These by-products have many names to hide their true source, such as Glycerin and Lanolin. Mineral oil is a by-product of the distillation of petroleum (what they make your gasoline from). It is often listed as petrolatum, paraffin wax, or mineral oil. All of the ingredients listed above can act as hormone disruptors.
This difference in the properties between the petroleum jelly and lanolin-based products, combined with the fact that lanolin has a high-fat content (skin loves fat) makes lanolin better for skincare. It keeps your skin plump, preventing evaporation especially in dry environments.
Summary of Use during Lactation
Lanolin is a yellow fat obtained from sheep's wool. It has traditionally been used topically to treat sore, cracked nipples during breastfeeding.
There are rising numbers of bloggers and marketing agents cautioning you against this ingredient called 'lanolin'. Unfortunately, this hysteria is affecting the huge number of nursing mothers using lanolin to soothe their cracked / sore nipples.
Humanely (and cruelty-free) sourced from Australian sheep farmers. Lanolin mimics the skin's own oils to heal and hydrate and is so safe doctors recommend it to treat burns, and mothers can use it with nursing infants.
The reason is simple. While lanolin is commonly used for chapped skin and can therefore help chapped nipples, it does not have any healing properties like coconut oil does. Coconut oil is also antimicrobial and antifungal, which are benefits other nipple creams also lack.
Dermatologist Emily Rubenstein, D.O., director of Swedish Covenant Medical Group's Swedish Skin Institute in Chicago, confirms that lanolin "is a nontoxic, safe soothing cream that can help heal cracked and dry lips."
Safe for baby, relief for mom
Our cream is 100% natural and safe for baby, so there's no need to remove before breastfeeding. It's also the #1 recommended nipple cream, thick and rich to soothe and protect sore nipples.
In general, lanolin can be used daily and is found in many different skincare products and formulations. You will more than likely reap the most benefits by applying your chosen product and leaving it on overnight—or for an extended period—while lanolin penetrates the skin to aid in moisture retention.
Simply put, lanolin is extremely hydrating and has the ability to soften skin to help improve the appearance and the feel of rough, dry, or flaky areas.
Do not put on 2 doses or extra doses. Many times lanolin is used on an as needed basis. Do not use more often than told by the doctor.
Lanolin may increase fungal infections.
Frequent use of lanolin on nipples may increase the risk of nipple infections, particularly fungal infections such as thrush.
Endocrine disruptors are found in many everyday products, including some plastic bottles and containers, liners of metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides.
Researchers report they have found traces of cancer-causing pesticides in lanolin, an ointment base derived from sheep wool and used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and body creams.
Orange Wax is your vegan lanolin alternative.
You can substitute orange wax on a 1:1 ratio for lanolin. Orange wax is derived from orange peels and works as an emollient in your skincare and body care products.
If it is taken from a slaughtered animal – or an animal that is about to be slaughtered – it is not vegetarian. If lanolin is taken from wool sheared from a live sheep, not bred for slaughter for the meat industry, this is considered to be vegetarian.