Curly Hair and Cosmetic Mineral Oil

Curly hair, and "African-American" hair in particular can be dry. Often, products marketed for the latter contain not only mineral oil but petrolatum and lanolin and sometimes vegetable oils. Petrolatum is greasy, sticky and contains wax ^[1], lanolin is a greasy, sticky wax and both can be difficult to remove from hair. Cosmetic (USP/BP) mineral oil used on its own can be lightweight, enhance curls and moisturize hair. It can be removed easily even with a sulfate-free shampoo or conditioner only, when used in small amounts. It is a non-drying oil, not a liquid wax like jojoba oil. A drying oil can leave “a dry, hard and tough film” on hair and have environmental consequences as well ^{[2, 12, 15]}.

"African-American" hair is often said to be more fragile than other hair types, yet there are no actual differences between it and Caucasian and Asian hair to explain this, except as it has been shown in research, it has less apparent moisture, not less protein. It is believed that the difference in observed fragility is down to hair care practices. One of the hair care practices mentioned, aside from the obvious ones like chemical processing and combing and brushing, or a less obvious one like over twisting hair, is the manipulation of the hair when using styling aids ^[3].

With its emollient, moisturizing, and detangling properties, mineral oil may reduce or eliminate the friction and breakage manipulation can cause when using styling aids, and they may no longer be necessary. Better curl formation can result by using mineral oil alone. Unlike other natural products, oils, or butters, it does not make hair "stiff".

Mineral oil sold as baby oil is usually inexpensive, lightweight and can be fragrance-free. Lightweight fragrance-free USP/BP mineral oils are sold to keep wooden cutting boards from warping. Fragrance-free USP/BP mineral oils are sold as laxatives in different weights.

Mineral oil can rehydrate dry hair, and prevent unneeded trims of previously dry ends for those wanting to grow their hair longer. When a small amount (small drops) are evenly applied to damp to wet hair for hair lacking moisture, it can help keep moisture in the hair as it can in skin by slowing down evaporation "even under extremes of low humidity" [4], and allow good curl retention. It also slows but does not seal out access to the hair by atmospheric moisture ^[6], and help to, or prevent frizz. For hair with a good moisture level, it can be used on dry hair to help maintain that level.

There is no reason why mineral oil should not moisturize even severely damaged hair caused by chemical processing, or heat styling. Damaged hair can be very dry. Mineral oil is used for thermal protection in other applications [17], and USP/BP mineral oil is often added to thermal protection hair care products. It may be sufficient used on its own for thermal protection for hair, depending on the temperatures used for heat styling [18].

Mineral oil is not sticky. Used in small amounts it is not greasy, which can result in hair looking stringy. Mineral oil can reduce or eliminate tangles, and it is antistatic ^[7]. It can work effectively on hair that has been conditioned or unconditioned. It works most effectively when hair does not have a lot of conditioner on it at one time, or residue (build-up), and when it is not combined with other oils. Reapplication between washes is usually not necessary.

Mineral oil is known to moisturize skin more effectively than vegetable oils and silicones ^{[4, 5, 20]}. It is also known in the cosmetic industry for: ease of spreading; shine; and slip thereby reducing friction ^[5].

The best choice of mineral oil is one with the least ingredients because it is the mineral oil itself that is the effective ingredient needed. Other ingredients may cause build-up, or cause hair to look stringy. Baby oil is often sold with just two ingredients, paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil), and fragrance. Sometimes tocopherol actetate (Vitamin E) is listed. It is used as a stabilizer for cosmetic mineral oil and is often not listed.

USP/BP mineral oil is safe ^{[5, 7, 13]}, classified as natural ^[8], can be biodegradable ^[9], does not clog pores ^[13], has a very long shelf life, and is resistant to bacteria ^{[5, 16]}. Unless there is a rare allergy to it, unlike other natural oils, or butters, mineral oil with its lack of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, is not known to cause issues, or make skin or scalp issues worse ^{[13, 14, 20]}. It is also used as a lubricant to manage wounds ^[19]. With such a small amount needed for great results, using mineral oil for hair and skin is managing a limited resource very well ^{[10, 11]}. There is no downside to it at all.

References
1. "Petrolatum/Petroleum Jelly"
http://cosmeticsandskin.com/bcb/petrolatum.php

2. “Understanding the Drying Capacity of Oils”

http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/2011/12/understanding-drying-capacity-of-oils.html

3. “Hair Breakage in Normal and Weathered Hair: Focus on the Black Patient”

http://www.jidsponline.org/article/S0022-202X(15)52656-0/fulltext

4. “Clinical Evaluation of Baby Oil as a Dermal Moisturizer”
http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc1975/cc026n05/p00227-p00234.pdf

5. “THE SCOPE OF MINERAL OIL IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS AND ITS ROLE IN COSMETIC FORMULATION”

6. “Effect of oil films on moisture vapor absorption on human hair”
http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2007/cc058n02/p00135-p00145.pdf

7. “European Commission Health and Consumers Cosmetics – Cosing, Mineral Oil”

http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.details_v2&id=35850

8. “Myths About Mineral Oil :: Part 2”

http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/11/myths-about-mineral-oil-part-2/

9. “USP WHITE OIL”

http://www.ochsoil.com/Food%20Grade/PDS%20data/Guardian%20USP%20White%20Oil.pdf

10.”Petrochemicals: Confusion and Hypocrisy”

http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/08/petrochemicals-confusion-and-hypocrisy/

11. "The oil industry" OPEC

12. “Vegetable Oils and Animal Fats | Emergency Response | US EPA"
http://www2.epa.gov/emergency-resp

13. “Truly Natural"
http://www.happi.com/contents/view_features/2012-03-01/truly-natural

14. "Use of Olive Oil for the Treatment of Seborreic Dematitis in Children"
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1308503

15. "LIPIDS"
http://www.citycollegiate.com/biochemistry5.htm

16. "The Infant Skin Barrier: Can We Preserve, Protect, and Enhance the Barrier?"
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/drp/2012/198789/

17. "Heat Transfer Oils - Cutting & Grinding Fluids"
http://www.exol-lubricants.com/c/heat-transfer-oils-cutting-fluids-quenching-thermal/

18. "WHITE MINERAL OIL TYPICAL PROPERTIES"
http://www.hollandchemicals.com/Documents/Ctrl_Hyperlink/White_Oil_Specifications_and_Applications_uid62320091115061.pdf

19. "A 10-Step Guide To Applying Split Thickness Skin Grafts"
http://www.podiatrytoday.com/10-step-guide-applying-split-thickness-skin-grafts

20. "Moisturizers: The Slippery Road", India

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4885180/

UV, Skin And Oils, Psoriasis And Phototherapy Risks

I sent an email to Health Canada about mineral oil baby oil use on skin and UV and received this back some time ago, colour and bolding added by me. I asked for references too and received them as well. This email information was posted by me online previously but not in this blog. Outside of phototherapy, a lot of oil is not going to do much to protect you from UV without a decent SPF, and a broad spectrum SPF is best. A thicker application of petrolatum (Vaseline), or a cream is about such use negatively affecting desired phototherapy results, and possibly the safety of some types of phototherapy. Risk factors include the number of treatments and the UV dose used. See the end of this post for SPF information in previous blog posts. 

"There are a number of resources that support the fact the baby oil (oils in general) can intensify the absorption of UV rays. First of all, oils applied to the skin causes less reflection and refraction (bouncing-off) of the UV rays, therefore allowing larger proportion of the UV radiation to be absorbed by the skin. The skin surface on close inspection is quite irregular and by applying oils you make the surface smoother and more uniform, allowing a larger proportion of the UV radiation to be captured by the skin. Lastly, there are tiny air pockets between the horny scales in the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the skin), creating spaces that allow a lot of scattering of the UV radiation. Oil is the perfect substance that is able to seep between these horny scales and minimizes diffusion of UV rays allowing more of it to penetrate deeper into the skin to be absorbed.

Here are a number of resources/references.

Penetration of epidermis by ultraviolet rays. Everett MA, Yeargers E, Sayre RM, Olson RL.
Photochem Photobiol. 1966 Jul;5(7):533-42.

The light barrier of the epidermis Dermatol Wochenschr. 1965 Jul 24;151 (30):887-9.

Increased penetration of epidermis by high intensity ultraviolet rays following the application of vaseline oil.
Leroy D, Dompmartin A, Deschamps P. Photodermatol. 1986 Feb;3(1):51-2.

Change in ultraviolet (UV) transmission following the application of vaseline to non-irradiated and UVB-exposed split skin K. Hoffmann, K. Kaspar, T. Gambichler, P. Altmeyer British Journal of Dermatology
Volume 143, Issue 3, pages 532–538, September 2000"


It is the thickness of the vaseline or petrolatum application, or cream used, which can make a difference in phototherapy. Thicker application of either can result in a higher dose of UV used, or an increased number of phototherapy treatments.

"Effects of topical preparations on the eyrthemogenicity of UVB: implications for psoriasis phototherapy." 1995, colour added by me.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7868718
"Thick application of petrolatum and emollient creams can reduce transmission of UVB. Mineral oil and a clear liquid emollient did not significantly affect transmission or erythemogenicity of UVB."
erythema defined

"Change in ultraviolet (UV) transmission following the application of vaseline to non-irradiated and UVB-exposed split skin." 2000, colour added by me.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10971325
"The thicker the layer of vaseline applied, the lower was the difference in transmission between non-irradiated split skin and UVB-exposed split skin. 
CONCLUSIONS: Application of the correct amount of vaseline can enhance transmission in either the UVA or UVB range, and would enable dose reduction during a course of phototherapy."


While NB-UVB treatment appears to have lower risks, more research needs to be done.

"Incidence of skin cancers in 3867 patients treated with narrow-band ultaviolet B phototherapy", 2008, colour and bolding added by me.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18834483
"CONCLUSION: We found no significant association between NB-UVB treatment and BCC, SCC or melanoma. There was a small increase in BCCs amongst those also treated with PUVA. These reassuring results do not demonstrate the early increase in skin cancers that was found associated with PUVA treatment. However, cautious interpretation is required as the cohort contained relatively few patients who had a high treatment number and because the slow evolution of skin cancers may result in a delayed incidence peak. Ongoing risk assessment is therefore essential."

"Enhanced response of childhood psoriasis to narrow-band UV-B with preirradiation use of mineral oil." 2008, colour added by me.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18950402
"The cumulative dose for clearance was significantly lower on the emollient pretreated side. No adverse effects were observed with mineral oil or narrow-band ultraviolet-B phototherapy. We conclude that preirradiation use of mineral oil enhances the therapeutic efficacy of narrow-band ultraviolet-B phototherapy in children with widespread psoriasis."

Phototherapy risks 2009
"[Narrow-band UVB therapy in psoriasis vulgaris: good practice guideline and recommendations of the French Society of Photodermatology].", colour and bolding added by me.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20110064  
"(2) Adverse effects. The immediate adverse effects were generally of little consequence, with later effects alone posing problems. Because of the risk of induction of cataract, ocular protection must be used during sessions. In the absence of symptoms or known ocular disorder, prior ophthalmologic control is not considered necessary. The risk of skin cancer remains poorly defined, and this risk has not been clearly shown to be lower than with broad-spectrum UVB therapy or PUVA. The studies give no indication of the number of sessions after which therapy must be completely discontinued." 

More and larger studies need to be done. 
"Carcenogenic risks of psoralen UV-A therapy and narrowband UV-B therapy in chronic plaque psoriasis: a systematic literature review." 2012, colour and bolding added by me.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22512677
"CONCLUSION: There is an increased risk of skin cancer following PUVA, shown by both US and European studies. The greater risk measured by the US studies may be at least partly explained by high UVA dose exposure and the lighter phototypes of the treated patients. The lack of prospective studies in psoriasis patients treated with NB-UVB constitutes a barrier to the robust assessment of carcinogenic risk of this phototherapy technique." 

See more about phototherapy at the Mayo Clinic 2015

See Also
The New York Times Article "Phototherapy" 2013, information review date "12/3/2013"
http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/psoriasis/phototherapy.html
and these blog posts, here, here and here, for more details on SPF and hair and scalp protection. 

Do You Need To Cut Damaged Hair Short And Start Regrowing It Longer Again?

The short answer is no. However, it can depend on the extent and type of damage and your patience. I had gone from longer hair to pixie short hair long ago, to deal with that. I know better now because of help I received from the cosmetic industry, my experience and research I have done.

I consulted years later, also long ago, with the head cosmetic chemist of the Research and Development division of a fairly large cosmetic company regarding my own hair, which had become damaged by one of the company's products, by my over zealous use of it, not realizing how badly it could and did, dehydrate my hair. It was a clarifying product. The cosmetic chemist created a regimen for me with the company's products, that re-balanced the moisture level of my hair and strengthened it, while I trimmed off split ends and kept my overall hair length.

The products I used then to help my hair are gone. The company was sold and the products I used were replaced with others I later tried, only to find they were not as effective for my hair. The point is that it can be done. The moisturizing product I used in the regimen contained mineral oil.

Protein treatments along with moisturizing treatments can be a solution to well-balanced hair care. Protein treatments do not last though. They can wash out easily and should not be repeated too often on their own as that can be drying to hair. The balance of the two types of treatments can be tricky. I learned that firsthand with my own hair, during the regimen I used. My hair before starting the regimen had a lot of splits and breakage.

It is important to not continue to abuse your hair when it is damaged by: rough handling, the overuse of product, heat styling at too high a temperature, or processing and more. I never used that clarifying product again. I could not even look at it, although I overused it. The reality is that many people do continue to abuse their hair while trying to deal with hair damage.

When I first theorized about mineral oil, I did not know everything it alone can do for damaged and undamaged hair but as I said here, there is absolutely no reason why mineral oil should not help even severely damaged hair. Through subsequent research here, in other posts in this blog, plus my own experience as well as reports from friends and others, I realized just what it is capable of doing on its own and importantly to me, how and why it can work so well.

The keys to damaged hair "recovery" are about protection and the hair's moisture level, which can help the hair not continue to break or split and be subjected to abrasion through tangling and any more abuse, while new growth is happening.

The protection mineral oil can provide is fivefold and can also strengthen hair.

1. It can take the place of lost cuticles by coating hair.

2. It can reduce the amount of water vapour and water absorbed by hair, by coating hair.

3. It has superb slip or detangling properties.

4. It can supplement, or replace lost lipids within the cuticle structure of hair.

5. It can protect hair from heat during thermal styling.

The moisturizing mineral oil can provide is twofold.

1. It can retain or reduce the loss by evaporation of added needed water in hair, by coating hair.

2. It can retain or reduce the loss by evaporation of needed water present in hair, by coating hair.

Regarding needed water, colour added by me, "Hair is composed of proteins, lipids, water, and small amounts of trace elements." Hair also typically contains "pigments", See "Result 1" or "Page 105".

Mineral oil's long lasting moisturizing capabilities and its application, without timing, or needing to cover the hair, or needing to be washed out after use, or fuss in general, can make it a very user friendly, cost effective, easy way to deal with hair damage. It can simply be applied in a small amount, after your hair is washed, can work beautifully without causing build-up and not need reapplication until after your hair is next washed.  

Mineral oil can protect and moisturize damaged and undamaged hair without leaving either looking or feeling greasy, heavy, or sticky.

See Also this blog post, for a research study included in the book Aging Hair here, in 2010. More information about the book can be found here, See "Result 2" or "Page xv".
Update March 25, 2013
This research study applies to hair, not skin. While mineral oil and sun or UV filters in cosmetic products may protect hair, with no SPF do not take UV exposure risks.

When there is no or a low SPF on a hair sunscreen product, cover both hair and scalp to prevent sun exposure and wear a sunscreen with a high enough SPF on your skin. To me that is 30 or more.

More information on SPF and protection can be found here.

Hair Protein Loss And Coconut Oil, Hygral Fatigue And Mineral Oil

This is often referred to as the "definitive study"on coconut oil and hair protein loss. However, it is not said in the study, as is often stated on the Internet, that the observed protein loss coconut oil can prevent is from inside the hair shaft. An explanation is given as to why in detail. The hair tested was washed with sodium laureth sulfate only, not shampoo, after initially being cleaned, See Pages 178, 179 and 180. Most commercial shampoos today contain one or more quaternary ammonium compounds, e.g. polyquaternium 10, which also acts as a combing aid.

This text below is quoted directly from the study, on Pages 185 and 186, colour added by me. See Page 180, which names the protein loss testing method used.

"RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
PROTEIN LOSS

The process of cuticle chipping that results from abrasion of hair against objects such as grooming devices or even other hair is a major factor in hair damage. The proteins that constitute the cuticle cells are lost during wet combing. It is well known that wet combing is accompanied by the breaking of the surface cuticle cell because of its brittleness. Histologically, the major component of the cuticle cell consists of the exocuticle and the endocuticle. The exocuticle, being highly cross-linked is not swollen by water. The endocuticle and the cell membrane complex, on the other hand, are less cross-linked and are more vulnerable to swelling damage. This leads to the lifting of the surface cuticle via bending. Such cuticle cells can be broken in the process of combing or teasing. The protein loss observed in these measurements results mostly from the cuticular region. Because of the short time involved in the combing and brief immersion of the combed tress in water, it is unlikely that proteins from the bulk of the fiber are involved in this measurement."

In the first study undertaken by the same company, a commercial shampoo used (shampoo 1), showed almost the same results on curly and straight hair as the use of coconut oil as a "prewash treatment", See the graphs on Page 334. The text on the left underneath the graph "Figure 6.", should have said without coconut oil. See this blog post on pre-wash treatments.


After rereading their 2001 study on coconut oil hair penetration, hygral fatique and mineral oil, it supports what I wrote in the post below and in this one, plus research in this blog post and the 2012 COSSMA reference here.

The researchers submerged untreated and oil-treated hair in water for one hour, See Page 182 and quoted from Pages 183 and 184, colour added by me.

"While both oil-treated categories show a significant decrease in swelling, it is slightly greater for the coconut-oil-treated fibers than the mineral-oil treated specimens. In coconut-and mineral-oil-treated specimens, swelling is reduced by 48% and 33%, respectively. This strongly suggests that the fiber is protected from damage by hygral fatigue (swelling and de-swelling).

It should be emphasized that the reduction in moisturization of the fiber does not make the fiber rigid because of the plasticizating action of the absorbed coconut oil. ...

Mineral oil also shows lower levels of swelling compared to the untreated fiber, suggesting that it may have penetrated into the cuticular regions, thereby preventing further penetration of water into the hair shaft during the swelling experiment.

Significant reduction in swelling suggests that this will prevent swelling and deswelling (hygral fatigue) of the fiber. Hygral fatigue can lead to cuticular damage as well as damage to the cortex, which can, in turn, affect the mechanical properties."

In other words, mineral oil can also reduce too much water from entering the hair shaft and it can penetrate deeper than just the surface of the hair. Coconut oil in experiments on hair without barrier coatings does not make hair stiff when it penetrates hair, See Pages 170 and 171 for information on the hair used and how it was prepared just before the testing for oil penetration (washed with sodium laureth sulfate). 

From results reported on oil shampoo and my own results with it, lauric acid penetration and penetration to a lesser degree by the other fatty acids in coconut oil did not result in stiff or "crunchy" (very dry) hair either, even when coconut oil was used over a period of time. I have read numerous reports online of coconut oil use causing hair to become "hard" feeling and dry.

See Also

This blog post for more details

Consensus On Favorite Hair Oils, From Emails I Received

I get feedback on products used in hair care and how they are used. Here are results from the emails I received, on the top 2 favorite hair oils. Both of the following oils are natural, cost-effective and are preferred for different reasons and applications.

Coconut Oil
1. Works best on well clarified hair as a treatment (fractionated coconut oil did not work nearly as well and most contain no lauric acid for hair penetration)
2. Works best added to shampoo that does not cause build-up, after the hair has been well clarified, with no need of conditioner to follow
3. Works best for hair more frequently washed, as it cannot hold moisture in hair too long, without reapplication between washes, just like any other vegetable oil
4. Not the best detangler, or used over a lot of residue (it causes "crunchy" or dry hair) and not the oil to use when there are certain scalp conditions, like real dandruff, or in conditions of high or low humidity, or under conditions that can cause it to break down on the hair or skin (no vegetable oil is recommended under those conditions), See this post
5. Very little needs to be used as a grooming oil, or the hair can become heavy, greasy, sticky and stringy.
6. Works superbly as a pre-treatment before dyeing with a dye that contains peroxide, or lightening with peroxide alone, or bleach, to help with dye uptake and help prevent hair damage
7. Can work well  used as a pre-wash oil, or added to any shampoo as a surface oil, or used over conditioner, as a surface grooming oil
8. Although it is a honey lightening recipe booster oil, it has not been reported to lighten hair used on its own, in the applications listed above.

Cosmetic Mineral Oil (USP/BP)
1. It is the best oil for moisturizing, or keeping hair moisturized, detangling and preventing static hands down, compared to any other oil, or silicone. It can hold moisture in hair longer than other oils, silicone, natural sebum, or other detangling products, without causing build-up.
2. No need for reapplication between hair washes, if small drops of it are distributed well throughout the hair
3. It is the easiest oil to use. You do not need to use it as a pre-wash oil to prevent hair from getting too much water in it while washing. It is already on the hair coating and protecting it used post washing.
4. Can work very well used with other products, like conditioner, if too much conditioner or other product is not used, or residue present
5. It is lightweight enough as baby oil to prevent hair becoming heavy, greasy or stringy, when not too much is used. It spreads most easily to do that. It is never sticky. It is very easy to wash out. No need to clarify or use a sulfate shampoo to remove it
6. The best oil to help hair recover from any type of damage, by reducing mechanical friction, keeping needed water in hair longer than any other oil, or product and help protect hair from further abrasion, split ends and breakage
7. Can replace the need for conditioner, treatments and thermal protectants
8. Works well when there is real dandruff, or other scalp conditions present, without issues and works well under all atmospheric conditions, especially high and low humidity to help prevent frizz
9. I received several more reports of it helping protect hair from UV damage and helping protect hair from swimming in pools and sea water. I still believe the best protection to prevent UV damage to hair is covering it with a tight weave hat, scarf or using an umbrella. Regarding using it before swimming, very little of it is needed to coat the hair.

For those who do not want to pollute swimming waters, as any amount of oil, added conditioner or product can be seen as too much, rinsing hair with club soda following swimming and using it to saturate hair or help saturate hair, prior to swimming is a hair and environmentally friendly option. Club soda neutralizes chlorine and needs no dilution, as its pH is about 5 and it helps remove sea water minerals from hair, that can cause hair to become very dry. Club soda is different than plain soda water. A typical example of its ingredients can be found here. The sodium bicarbonate in it is used as a buffering agent, to keep the pH stable. Potassuim sulfate information can be found here.

The 3rd and 4th favorite oils are argan and camellia, respectively. Both are classified as vegetable oils and coconut oil is too. Argan oil is great as a pre-treatment before dyeing and lightening, used on top of coconut oil because it cannot penetrate hair as deeply to saturate it, or instead of coconut oil. Camellia oil is fairly lightweight and can help with tangles. The only issues with those oils are price and quality. The best quality pure oils, yielding the best results, tend to be expensive but definitely worth it, compared to lower priced versions. All 4 oils are safe to use. The only caution with argan oil is that it can make skin photosensitive (the link to that text no longer works) and it is best used at night for that reason.

Lipoid Pneumonia And Oils: Important Health Information

Lipoid pneumonia is sometimes referred to online as a reason for not using cosmetic or food grade USP/BP mineral oil. I have extensively researched scientific literature on the subject and here are the results.

I first wrote about the topic in this blog post.
"Of the types of oils that can be aspirated, animal oil causes more problems than vegetable oil, which causes more than mineral oil."  
More details on oils and lipoid pneumonia can be found here. 

The abstract for the lip gloss reference, dated 1984, in other study references can be found here. While there is a second reference here for ChapStick, dated 1972, neither the full text nor an abstract for it is available online. The use of any formulation of lip balm, lipstick or lip gloss on a regular basis has not been reported in recent case studies in research articles, that I have seen for lipoid pneumonia. Here is an overview of lipoid pneumonia, dated 2010, that contains details not in the other links. It does not take the following into account.

This article dated 2005, this one dated 2008, this one, dated 2009, and this one dated 2010. They further illustrate that in a number of cultures, while mineral oil may be recognized to be a cause of lipoid pneumonia because it has been more publicized and studied more rigorously, vegetable and animal oils are still considered to be safe used as remedies for a number of conditions and traditional practices. That is simply not true and the evidence supports this fact.

Mineral oil like any other oil needs to be used with safety in mind. The fact is that any oil can be aspirated or taken into the lungs, by those with an impaired or temporarily impaired swallow response. Giving an oil by mouth, or by other methods to the very young, or the use of one by older individuals, the two most vulnerable categories for such a response can have serious medical consequences. However, the causes of lipoid pneumonia are not restricted to taking oils by mouth directly, or the other methods described in the links above.

Lipoid pneumonia caused by silicone injection for cosmetic enhancement: 2006

Lipoid pnemonia caused by silicon injection to the breast: 2010

Surprising Research On The Topical Use of Cosmetic Mineral Oil Versus Vegetable Oils

I will be adding to this post.

This research article, dated 2012 is an easy read, very well referenced and contains some surprising to me, information. Aside from vegetable oils feeding yeasts, See this blog post, their degradation once on skin can be a potentially serious issue. This information makes cosmetic mineral oil use for hair and skin even more of a better choice and again, its moisturization properties are highlighted.

While the thrust of the article concerns infants, there is information that olive oil for example can and has been reported to cause contact dermatitis. I am constantly reading about and hearing from people with scalp issues. The causes of some of those problems may in fact be the results of products used, they may not have connected to the problems. For any dandruff or suspected dandruff or other scalp conditions that cause severe symptoms, like extreme itching or worse, consulting a doctor or dermatologist is best. I do not give advice when medical intervention is required, except to recommend that if you are unhappy with your doctor or dermatologist, seek another medically qualified opinion. I like the fact that a number of the article reference abstracts are linked and can be easily viewed.

Highlights From The Above Linked Research Article Text
"Not all vegetable oils are appropriate for use on skin [118]. Vegetable oils can vary in composition ... the ratio of linoleic to oleic acid. Some vegetable oils, including certain olive, soybean, and mustard oils, can be detrimental to the integrity of the skin barrier [119]. Some unsaturated free fatty acids can act as permeation enhancers [120], an effect that may cause contact dermatitis in adults [121–124]. 

In addition, many vegetable oils are unstable and degrade by hydrolysis and oxidation. Degradation can increase the likelihood of microbial growth and spoilage, especially in hot, humid environments. Cutaneous Propionibacterium acnes and Propionibacterium granulosum secrete lipases, enzymes that hydrolyze sebum triglycerides to free fatty acids [125]. By extension, Propionibacterium acnes, Propionibacterium granulosum, and possibly other cutaneous bacteria may hydrolyze vegetable oils present in topicals into free fatty acids, accelerating the degradation of vegetable oils on the skin surface. ... 

Emollients that contain inert, stable ingredients such as mineral oil are preferable for use on the maturing infant skin. Mineral oil, a semiocclusive ingredient that penetrates the upper layers of the SC [126] ... is noncomedogenic [127], has a long record of safe use [128] ... unlikely to go rancid even in hot, humid climates. Mineral oil helps to enhance the skin barrier as shown by a reduction in TEWL following topical application of the oil [126]."

Properly preserved cosmetics are crucial to skin and scalp health.
"Several studies have found very high concentrations ... of microbial contaminants in consumer products that are poorly preserved or preservative-free [135, 136]."  

"Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)Treatment Skin Care at Home", 2016, bolding added by me, @NIAIDNews
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/eczema/Pages/treatment.aspx
"Lubricate or moisturize the skin two to three times a day using ointments such as petroleum jelly. Moisturizers should be free of alcohol, scents, dyes, fragrances, and other skin-irritating chemicals. A humidifier in the home also can help."  

"Patient information: Atopic dermatitis (eczema) (Beyond the Basics)"
Keep the skin hydrated", 2016, bolding added by me
https://shar.es/129nJY via @sharethis   

"best emollients ... for atopic dermatitis ... Eucerin, Cetaphil ... Nutraderm or ointments ... petroleum jelly, Aquaphor, and Vaseline"

"Systematic review ... What are the effects of different models of delivery for improving maternal and infant health outcomes for poor people in urban areas in low income and lower middle income countries?", 2012 color and bolding added by me
http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/PDF/Outputs/SystematicReviews/Health_outcomes_2012Coast_report.pdf 
"the use of sunflower seed oil (albeit not as effective as Aquaphor) is likely to be more sustainable as treatments costs are at a level that is much more affordable to people in Bangladesh paying out of pocket for medicine – $1.55 per month compared with $29 per month for Aquaphor (the average monthly salary is $39). There is a strong case, however, for public funding of Aquaphor, given the highly favourable cost-effectiveness ratio." 

Further reading on infant mortality rates and the use of Aquaphor and sunflower seed oil: Aquaphor use resulted in a lower infant mortality rate.

World Health Organization International Bulletin 2010, bolding added by me 
"The 26% reduction in mortality with SSO ... translated to 19 deaths averted per 100 neonates" SSO is "sunflower seed oil" ... "Aquaphor reduced mortality by 32% ... 23 deaths averted ... per 100 neonates"

See Also 
“Vegetable Oils and Animal Fats | Emergency Response | US EPA", 2016, @EPA
http://www2.epa.gov/emergency-resp
"Like petroleum oils, vegetable oils and animal fats and their constituents can:
Cause devastating physical effects, such as coating animals and plants with oil and suffocating them by oxygen depletion; Be toxic and form toxic products; ... Form products that linger in the environment for many years." 

And this blog post

Replies To Frequent Email Questions

I reply to emails privately. I reply publicly to email questions that are frequent, to help others with similar issues.

Mineral Oil Baby Oil Use
1. Only use mineral oil baby oil on damp to wet hair if your hair is dry or lacking moisture for the best results. Use it on dry as opposed to damp or wet hair, if your hair is not lacking moisture.

2.Try to find a baby oil with as few ingredients as possible, preferably just mineral oil and fragrance or without fragrance, if you are sensitive to it. In Europe, Johnson's makes one called Natusan. Any extra additives can be sensitizers, create build-up or if they are added oils, leave hair greasy easily. Vitamin E listed is a stabilizer and is not a problem.

3. If mineral oil baby oil is not easily found there are laxative mineral oils in pharmacies and Ikea makes one for wooden cutting boards. That size bottle should last a very long time. Mineral oil has an indefinite shelf life.

4. If cosmetic or USP/BP mineral oil is used, you do not need to separately use a pre-wash oil treatment to help prevent protein loss. When the mineral oil is being washed out, it helps prevent tangles and protein loss from tangling abrasion and helps reduce the amount of water that enters the hair shaft.

5. Usually, mineral oil does not need reapplication between hair washes. However, if sections of the hair have been overlooked during the initial application, redampen or rewet the areas of the hair (misting works well for this) and add the extra amount needed, if the hair is dry (lacking moisture). If the hair has a great moisture level, just apply the extra needed amount to those areas on dry hair.

Coconut Oil
1. Most fractionated coconut oils contain no to almost no lauric acid, making them unsuitable for treatments and oil shampoo, where deep penetration of the hair shaft is the goal. I have added this information as a "Note" in the appropriate posts.

2. Both refined and virgin coconut oils can be used for deep treatments and oil shampoo. It depends on the degree of refining as to the quality of the oil but expensive coconut oil is not necessary. It just needs to be pure coconut oil and food grade is perfectly fine to use. All coconut oil is processed and with a degree of heat, whether it is virgin coconut oil or not.

3. The lauric acid in coconut oil cannot penetrate through barrier ingredients that include: many polymers, waxy ingredients, natural butters and other oils used in any quantity. I do not recommend using mineral oil and oil shampoo at the same time. To get the best results from both, use them separately.

Protein Treatments And Hair Dryness
I learned these facts about protein and how added protein affects hair moisture levels from Redken research, when I worked in the cosmetic industry. Protein binds water. When protein treatments or products are used on hair, whether they are a surface coating only, or penetrating, the added protein acts like hair protein, to bind the water that is in the hair, including in the upper levels of the hair, like the cuticles. If the water content of your hair is low, it is thus further reduced. That is why moisture treatments are recommended and most often needed, after the use of protein products. Protein products and treatments in general are drying. 

The answer to "protein overload" is to add moisture to hair. That moisture is simply water. The fastest, easiest and most efficient way to do that is to use mineral oil alone on damp to wet hair. Mineral oil holds needed water in hair longer than other products, natural sebum, vegetable oils or silicones and can rehydrate hair. See Also this post.

USP/BP Mineral Oil And UV Hair Damage

I wrote about UV protection for skin and hair here. I have not changed my mind that the best protection for both is to use a good product with a high enough SPF, which is usually about 30. That is much more difficult to do for hair. While sun or UV filters are used in hair care products and can help protect hair, the best protection for hair is still covering it, with a tight weave, or SPF treated: hat, scarf, or umbrella.

What I did not expect to read is this research study, which shows that mineral oil applied to hair may actually reduce UV hair damage.

This research supports a report from a friend of mine here, where mineral oil, in her case mineral oil baby oil, helped protect her hair from sun damage. At the time I could not reply with scientific literature to back that up.

The more I research cosmetic mineral oil and more possible uses of it for hair, the more I am pleasantly surprised to find positive, reputable, scientific research, that tells me it may have benefits that are not widely known.

Added in response to an email inquiry:
While in the study, they soaked hair in mineral oil, that is not what is being suggested for its use to reduce hair UV damage. My friend had mineral oil drops in her hair and not many of them. The research study says,

"... the tryptophan decomposition rate was found to be substantially slower in mineral oil-treated hair, compared to water-treated control. These data suggest that hair care formulations containing non-chromophoric material may also reduce photodamage. ... we show that conventional UVB sunscreens in hair care formulations can provide photoprotection. ... our data suggest that non-chromophoric compounds, such as mineral oil, also reduce hair photodamage."

Added in response to another email inquiry:
Your hair is drying faster than usual and you have less tangles with using mineral oil baby oil instead of conditioner because there is enough oil on your hair during shampooing, to prevent excess water from entering your hair and swelling it too much. Less excess water entering the hair shaft = less hair drying time. The baby oil is also helping to prevent tangles while you wash your hair. Silicone is added to shampoo for the same reason, extra slip.

It does not take too much baby oil to do all of that as your hair is not greasy and you have not had problems with build-up or residue, so your shampoo is removing the baby oil sufficiently each wash. If you do use too much baby oil or not wash it out well enough one wash, your regular shampoo should take care of the excess, the next time you wash your hair.

When you then apply the baby oil after washing, its slip or detangling properties help prevent friction and hair abrasion. Hair abrasion causes hair damage as cuticles get chipped and eroded, when hair is tangled and stressed. 

Reference
Html cached version of the research study pdf linked in the above text
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc1993/cc044n02/p00109-p00122.pdf
See Also
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/07/skin-care-product-for-clothes-to-add.html

The "Skinny" (details) On Mineral Oil Baby Oil

My condolences to any and all who have lost love ones and property in the devastation caused by tropical storm Sandy. Its effects hit here in Canada too and have had lasting repercussions.

I use Johnson's Original Baby Oil and I have also sometimes used a generic, unfragranced store brand baby oil. The generic brand is somewhat heavier. I have also tried a sample of a laxative "heavy" mineral oil on my hair. Results from all three compare equally, in terms of lasting moisturization or in my case, maintenance of the good level of moisture in my hair and slip or detangling. All three have washed out of my hair easily. My hair is mostly fine, wavy and thin.

However, the Johnson's washes out the easiest. The shampoo I always use is a little different this new batch that I bought the end of last year and I have found that I now need less than I normally used, to clean my hair and scalp and remove enough catnip not to have it build-up. I am not sure what has changed. My hair and scalp are not dry or reacting differently to account for it. The shampoo does not appear to have any different ingredients and I checked that out to be sure. It is a bit thicker than it used to be but not by much. When I used the other mineral oils, I did need to use my previous normal amount, which is not a lot of shampoo at all and I needed no extra amount in addition to that. With the Johnson's, I can use less shampoo to remove it completely. Johnson's is the most lightweight of the mineral oils I have tried.

The more lightweight a non-drying oil is in consistency, the easier it can be removed from hair with shampoo. I have had no problems with any of the mineral oils tried but I do prefer the lightest weight version. So, for those of you with finer hair, the more lightweight a mineral oil baby oil is in consistency, the easier it can be to remove completely, when the hair is next washed. Not all mineral oil baby oils are equally lightweight, even without extra ingredients.

I recently needed to be out in very humid weather and while I prefer to use baby oil and catnip separately, I tried something different. I used less than one small drop of the Johnson's in total, to "polish" my catnipped hair, used on the length and top and canopy or the top layer of the back of my hair. It worked perfectly to give my hair just that extra bit of style. I used it on mostly dry hair.

See Also
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/10/hair-and-build-up-and-moisture.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2011/12/understanding-drying-capacity-of-oils.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/10/how-to-avoid-winter-hair-blues.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/10/some-types-of-hair-damage-are.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2011/12/mineral-oil-and-hair-care-and-skin.html
and
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/04/tips-for-applying-cosmetic-mineral-oil.html

Mineral Oil And Dandruff Update 2012

I wrote about mineral oil (cosmetic or USP/BP) being recommended for cradle cap previously. Now there may be another reason to use it, to not exacerbate dandruff. The same way mineral oil does not support bacterial growth and go rancid, it cannot feed the yeasts that cause dandruff, like vegetable and other organic oils are able to do.

This research article that made the news in August of this year, makes sense to me.

Using a dandruff shampoo or treatment and then oiling the hair from root to tip with a vegetable oil to deep condition it, or as an addition after conditioning may also be counterproductive, given this evidence. The same would apply to using any products containing vegetable oils to condition or style hair, while such dandruff or other scalp problems are present. It is about the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the oils.

Update in reply to recent blog emails: Any oil that is overused, lightweight or otherwise, can make hair greasy, in spite of marketing claims to the contrary. Mineral oil is harder to overuse than vegetable oils because it spreads so easily and usually does not need reapplication between washes. Mineral oil can need reapplication to make up the difference if enough has not been used the first time (on areas of hair that have been missed). It has proven superior longer lasting moisturizing effectiveness, compared to silicone and vegetable oils. I added a reference regarding this topic, specific to vegetable oils.

Using a product as often as every day on hair between washes to keep it moisturized and oiling, accelerates build-up on the hair and that is counterproductive to hair being moisturized. Using a drying oil on its own that frequently, creates build-up that usually requires clarifying out of the hair.

References

http://www.akamaiuniversity.us/PJST10_2_927.pdf

http://www.cossma.com/fileadmin/all/cossma/Archiv/SciencArtic/COS1202_26_ScientHauserOil.pdf
See Also

http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2011/12/understanding-drying-capacity-of-oils.html