Lately I ve seen a number of articles that recommend lard for dry skin everything from stories of grandmothers with their hands soaking in bowls of fat to modern women smearing lard on their face. Even dermatologists sometimes recommend it for skin problems such as eczema. Many women have found it offensive to smear animal fat on themselves and have chosen vegetable shortenings instead. I thought I would do a little investigation to see if there really was a place for lard and vegetable shortening in the dry skin care larder.
Lard is a saturated fat rendered from pigs. In days gone by, it was a dietary staple in many countries. People in rural areas slathered it on bread like we do peanut butter and during the hard times of World War II it was a substitute for butter. Lard (is) also widely used as a cooking oil and was a common ingredient in many dishes - including mince meat pie. However, in the late 20th century scientists proclaimed that saturated fat was dangerous for the cardiovascular system.
Lard fell out of use and was replaced by hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils - vegetables shortenings - and unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and other substances that we now know to contain trans fats. The tides have since completely turned and there is now so much evidence on the dangers of trans fat that a law was just passed in New York banning the use of trans fats in restaurants.
So, how does all this relate to dry skin care? As smearing pig fat on one s face is somewhat unsavory, vegetables shortenings and other hydrogenated oils became the substitute for those who wished to use a product similar to lard for dry skin care. In fact, hydrogenated oils became, and still are, a common ingredient in cleansing and cold creams. However, hydrogenated oils cause free radicals damage - which we now know to be one of the primary causes of dry skin, wrinkles and aging exactly what we re trying to prevent by using dry skin care products. So, in truth, we were better off with the lard - although I realized that knowing that doesn t make the idea of smearing pig fat on your face any more palatable.
Fortunately, there is a relatively new product on the market called shielding lotion. A good shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin to lock in natural moisture and protect our skin from harsh chemicals and pollutants that cause most dry skin conditions - which is exactly what our grandmothers were recommending shielding lotion for dry skin care, you can put the lard back in the pantry where it belongs, as thousands of dermatologists are now trying to do.
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