5 Benefits Of Allantoin For Skin, How To Use, & Side Effects

Many products contain allantoin for skin care. But, have you ever heard of it? Don’t be concerned. You are not to blame! This skin-beneficial substance has never received the attention it truly deserves. Due to its great skin advantages, allantoin is commonly used in Korean cosmetic products. You will adore this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin. Let’s take a look at what allantoin does to your skin. Just keep reading!
In This Article
What Is Allantoin?
Allantoin is a chemical ingredient and diureide of glyoxylic acid, often used to treat dry, rough, and itchy skin due to its moisturizing, skin smoothing, and wound healing properties (1),(2).
Allantoin also occurs naturally. Comfrey, a shrub that grows in some parts of Asia, North America, and Europe, is a reservoir of allantoin. The roots of comfrey contain allantoin and are often used to prepare ointments, creams, and lotions (3).
However, the comfrey plant contains toxins, which may cause serious side effects if used in its natural form. Luckily, its extracts are refined and processed in the labs to remove all toxins to make them suitable for cosmetic and skin care products (4).
Allantoin is also found in sugar beets, chamomile, wheat sprouts, and in certain types of bacteria and animals but not as abundantly as in comfrey.
The allantoin developed in laboratories is just as potent as its naturally occurring counterpart, and it can help your skin in many ways. Scroll down to know more about its benefits.
Benefits Of Allantoin For Skin
1. Heals Wounds
Allantoin helps heal wounds, skin injuries, and scars faster. It stimulates the fibroblasts (cells that produce collagen) and boosts extracellular matrix synthesis. This helps re-establish normal skin on the wound site, making it less visible (5), (6). Comfrey extract may also help manage skin irritation. However, researchers concluded that it is because of the interaction of allantoin with other ingredients present in the extract (7).
2. Anti-Aging Benefits
A study showed that topical application of allantoin and other ingredients could improve skin texture and drastically reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines (8). It also facilitates collagen synthesis, which gives your skin a youthful appearance.
3. Keeps Your Skin Moisturized
Allantoin keeps your skin hydrated, plump, and soft by preventing transepidermal water loss. Meaning, if you have dry and flaky skin, allantoin can help it retain more water and stay moisturized (8), (9), (10).
4. Promotes Skin Exfoliation
Allantoin is a keratolytic agent (10). This means it helps exfoliate dead skin cells and manage conditions where your epidermis produces excess skin cells (such as lesions and warts).
5. Help Manage Eczema
Allantoin, along with other ingredients, can help manage mild to moderate eczema by improving skin hydration, reducing itchiness (11). It exfoliates the dry and damaged skin cells to improve skin texture and radiance (12).
Allantoin is available as serums, moisturizers (creams and lotions), and gels. You can easily incorporate it into your daily skin care routine. Let’s understand how.
How To Use Allantoin
Cream Or Moisturizer
- Cleanse your face with a mild face wash.
- Apply a toner and follow up with the cream.
Serums And Gels
- Cleanse your face and neck with a mild cleanser.
- Apply a toner.
- Apply the serum or gel all over your face and neck.
- Seal the ingredients with a sleeping mask or night cream.
Allantoin is a safe ingredient for your skin. However, avoid combining it with certain ingredients.
Ingredients To Combine And Avoid With Allantoin
Allantoin works well with almost all ingredients (including retinol), especially silicone-based moisturizers and other emollients. However, avoid using it with alpha and beta hydroxy acids, such as glycolic, lactic, mandelic, and salicylic acids.
It is because allantoin and AHAs and BHAs exfoliate the skin. Combining them may cause over-exfoliation, redness, and skin irritation.
The FDA-approved topical application of allantoin at 0.5% to 2.0% concentration is considered safe (13). However, it may cause some side effects. Scroll down to know more.
Side Effects Of Allantoin
Allantoin works as a conditioning agent for your skin. Like most other emollients, it is considered safe. However, if you are allergic to it, you may experience minor side effects, such as:
- Itching
- Skin irritation
- Redness
- Burning
- Stinging
If you use any skin product with allantoin and experience any of these side effects, stop using it immediately and consult a doctor.
Allantoin is a well-known and widely used ingredient in various popular skin care products. It is one of the more flexible compounds in usage as a chemical compound that is excellent for the skin. If you have sensitive skin that easily becomes inflamed and red, allantoin can help. With so many advantages, it is easy to see why allantoin is so popular among cosmetic formulators. Now is the moment if you have not already incorporated it into your skin care routine. However, discuss your skin concerns with a dermatologist, and introduce products gradually. If you experience an allergic response, discontinue use.
Key Takeaways
- Allantoin is a chemical substance that also naturally occurs in a shrub called comfrey.
- This ingredient can aid in wound healing, help you manage eczema, and fights the signs of aging.
- It is found in creams, gels, serums, and moisturizers.
- You may experience mild irritation, redness, and burning if you are sensitive to it.
Sources
Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.
- Allantoin
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Allantoin - Profile of wound healing process induced by allantoin
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20877959/ - Comfrey: A Clinical Overview
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491633/ - Final report of the safety assessment of allantoin and its related complexes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20448269/ - Profile of wound healing process induced by allantoin
https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&&pid=S0102-86502010000500014 - An Investigation into Multifaceted Mechanisms of Action of Allantoin in Wound Healing
https://www.amicusrx.com/app/uploads/2017/11/Multifaceted-Mechanisms-Allantoin.pdf - Comparative Study of the Biological Activity of Allantoin and Aqueous Extract of the Comfrey Root
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25880800/ - Efficacy and Safety of an Anti-aging Technology for the Treatment of Facial Wrinkles and Skin Moisturization
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5774901/ - The effects of heat on skin barrier function and in vivo dermal absorption
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24445121/ - Moisturizers: The Slippery Road
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4885180/ - A pilot study investigating the efficacy of botanical anti-inflammatory agents in an OTC eczema therapy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26596512/ - In-vitro Antioxidant Activities of the Ethanolic Extracts of Some Contained-Allantoin Plants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5963650/ - Final report of the safety assessment of allantoin and its related complexes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20448269/
