Allantoin

TYPE OF INGREDIENT​
Skin soother and moisturizer.
COMMONLY FOUND IN
Creams, serums, cleansers and exfoliators.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ALLANTOIN?

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient with many skin benefits. It calms, moisturizes and improves wound healing in the skin. It’s also a gentle exfoliator, helping remove dead skin cells and improve skin texture. With its anti-inflammatory properties, allantoin also helps reduce redness and swelling of the skin.

WHAT IS ALLANTOIN?

Allantoin, or aluminum dihydroxy allantoinate, is a naturally-occurring ingredient found in several plants, such as beets, chamomile, tobacco seed, wheat sprouts and comfrey. Many cosmetic products contain lab-created allantoin, which is chemically equivalent to naturally-occurring allantoin.

allantoin-powder-on-light-background

IS ALLANTOIN SAFE FOR ALL SKIN TYPES AND TONES?

Allantoin is safe for all skin types and ideal for sensitive skin types. It is beneficial for those with dry, itchy or rough textured skin.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

There is currently no evidence to suggest that allantoin is unsafe. Allantoin is generally a well-tolerated ingredient. Though rare, some people may experience skin irritation or dryness when using products with allantoin. Do not combine allantoin with other exfoliating products as this could cause excess irritation.

Sources:

Paller A et al. An investigation into multifaceted mechanisms of action of allantoin in wound healing. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, June 2017, Volume 76, Issue 2, Supplement 1

Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Klaassen CD, Marks JG Jr, Shank RC, Slaga TJ, Snyder

Toral Vaidya, MD, MPH

Author

Toral Vaidya, MD, MPH, is a dermatology resident physician at Weill Cornell Dermatology in New York City. Her clinical interests include skin of color dermatology, cosmetic dermatology and skincare education. She has been involved with medical writing for the last 10 years.