Mother inlaw.

[Madge17]

Hi im just asking for my mother inlaw she has been put on portable oxygen today and been told to only use water based moisturiser has anybody got any ideas as to the best one to try please.thankyou in advance.

[sassy59]

I believe Garnier and L’Oréal do a water based moisturiser. Check online to be sure or ask in any chemist. Hope that helps. Take care xxxxxx

[Madge17 in reply to sassy59]

Thank you so much.

[stone-UK]

Hi

It applies to all skin creams. Petroleum based products are a no no.

Your pharmacy will be able to guide you. Look at ingredients the first is the main ingredient starts with “Aqua”.

[Madge17 in reply to stone-UK]

Thank you.

[HungryHufflepuff]

I use Animal Aid’s own brand unscented vitamin E lotion, a gentle moisturiser for face and body as it says on the label. I get all my toiletries from them as everything is natural and there’s a good selection of unscented toiletries. And an amazing range of chocolate and confectionary but that’s a whole other story! I’m not on oxygen but I use these toiletries because they’re all natural so don’t irritate my skin or breathing.

[Madge17 in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Thank you.

[Topcat71]

Hi have they mentioned creams without parabens? We had to buy moisture creams including foot for my dad who is using oxygen and found there's a general aqueous cream from asda and bodycare shops which is cheap but for a facial moisturiser we had an organic cream from Holland & Barrett though on the pricey side. I would think these would be water based and be suitable

[Madge17 in reply to Topcat71]

Thank you.

[mskpjb in reply to Topcat71]

I think most general aqueous creams, including those often prescribed by a doctor, have liquid paraffin in them. So not recommended for oxygenx users. Sheila x

[Topcat71 in reply to mskpjb]

Yes there probably are some aqueous creams which do contain paraffin we got lucky with the one from Asda there wasn't any in this one and is an excellent moisturiser so would definitely recommend

[mskpjb in reply to Topcat71]

Good to know Topcat71 . Thankyou for that info. Sheila x

[barbs47]

I have been researching the question of petroleum based moisturiser and oxygen and found this article which I found very interesting. Thought others might like to read it. Barbs x

Title:Petroleum jelly myth

Author(s):Philip Woodrow

Source:Nursing Older People. 16.6 (Sept. 2004): p41.

Document Type:Brief article, Letter to the editor

Library links:HuskyFetch

Full Text:

In the otherwise excellent article, 'Oxygen therapy for older people', in your last issue, the myth of not using petroleum jelly (eg Vaseline) on patients' lips if they are receiving oxygen is perpetuated.

There is very little literature or evidence on this issue, but the one valid piece of nursing evidence I have seen is Winslow EH, Jacobson AF (1998) Dispelling the petroleum jelly myth. American Journal of Nursing. 98, 11, 16.

Some American nurses researched this issue. They tried setting fire to petroleum jelly, and only succeeded in melting it. They traced the myth back to manufacturers of oxygen equipment, who meant grease should not be placed on connections for oxygen piping, but unfortunately were not sufficiently specific in their wording. The above article seems to allude to a similar source.

My colleagues and I who work in intensive care regularly place petroleum jelly on the lips of our patients. We probably use more oxygen per patient than any other clinical area and I have never seen nor heard of any patient in ITU either exploding or (the lesser version of the myth) suffering burns to their lips. I have, however, during the course of my career seen many nil-by-mouth patients who suffered from cracked lips.

Further nursing research on this issue would be very welcome, but in the meantime the evidence from the above American research indicates that it is safe to apply petroleum jelly to the lips of patients, and to fail to do so if the patient is at risk of tissue damage (which patients receiving oxygen are) is potentially negligent.

Philip Woodrow Practice Development Nurse Critical Care

Woodrow, Philip

Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition)

Woodrow, Philip. "Petroleum jelly myth." Nursing Older People Sept. 2004: 41. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Oct. 2012.

[Madge17 in reply to barbs47]

Thank you.

[stone-UK in reply to barbs47]

Hi

There is some truth in what they say , it’s more to do with the equipment, I use to use industrial gases.

But the test mentioned is flawed. There is no mention of oxygen saturation which is the main risk.

However unlikely if you use petroleum based skin products then your bedding and clothing can become saturated, combine this with 90% oxygen purity saturation then any ignition source could be a disaster with fatal consequences.

This risk is reduced if you use pulse delivery system.

The risk is eliminated if you use water based products.

[WheezyAnne]

I had Very bad Eczema as a Child and even now use creams and moisturisers, some of which are loaded with petroleum jelly, and have not caught fire yet. I don't use oxygen, but grew up with gas fires and gas cookers. Used it when in hospital, with no problem. There are a couple of points I would like to mention whilst here, which are only really of interest to people with allergies. Anyone allergic to peanuts should avoid moisturisers containing Arachis oil (peanut oil) and anyone with wool allergies should avoid Lanolin (made from sheep's woolfat). The Eczema Society does not recommend the use of Aqueous Cream because it contains a preservative that some people are allergic to. I hope this is of interest.

[Madge17]

Yes very helpful thank you very much.

[Hayley_]

I was on oxygen for nearly 2 years and didn’t even know that was a rule. I just carried on using which ever one I bought. (I never stick to the same brand, cheapest will do for me). Either I was very lucky or it’s just myth. Surely a spark would be required. But it’s probably better to be safe than sorry. I just wonder why I was never told this. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️