There are various beauty salons and spas offering a luxurious treatment that is claimed to help excessively dry skin, the paraffin wax treatment. This type of wax has been used for arthritis treatment and has also been popular with painful-joint relieve. For these purposes, paraffin wax—derived from petroleum, instead of kerosene, as the standard wax is—works by promoting proper blood circulation, which will alleviate painful sensation on the affected joints and muscles.

Does paraffin wax help dry skin?

Paraffin wax is softer than kerosene-based wax, because of its oil content. This type of wax is safe to be used topically, since it melts in lower temperature and thus, do not cause skin burning and blistering. Because of its characteristic, it is used widely as a gentle moisturizing agent. Paraffin wax is specifically useful in the winter, because it helps excessively dry skin. Paraffin wax maintains skin moisture on hands and feet, and thus, reduces the effect of cracking and scaling during extreme temperature. Manicurists also use paraffin wax to nourish the nail cuticles and keep the skin of the hands hydrated.

How paraffin wax improves dry skin

In order to use paraffin wax for improving skin moisture, it needs to be melted at certain temperature. Different from harder types of wax, this wax contains oil, preventing it from hardening and getting adhere to the skin. When hands or feet and other treated body parts are covered with paraffin wax, the heat from melted wax helps open the skin pores and let oil absorption to enhance skin moisturize. Because of the natural oil contained by paraffin wax that has been absorbed by the skin pores, the treated skin is commonly left slick and soft after the treatment. In order to maximize the shooting effect of paraffin wax, calming or aromatherapy oils can also be added during the treatment. This will promote nutrition absorption, skin moisturizing, and calming effects.  Maximum absorption is also possible, because the waxed hands are covered with pore-less paraffin, which does not only transfer its content oil, but also trap your skin moisture from getting out of the pores, leaving the hands softer.

Paraffin wax treatments that are meant to soften dry skin is beneficial during winter, wherein cracked heels and knuckles, and peeled hands are common. Paraffin wax treatments will not only give a soothing, warming effects during cold seasons, but also moisture and nourish the skin. Its “waterproof” coating also helps keeping your hands and feet from external elements, which can be disadvantageous for your skin health. To get these benefits, it is important to choose high-quality paraffin wax and trusted salons and spas with proper hygiene.

Other beneficial effects of paraffin wax treatments

In addition to its function as a pain reliever and skin moisturizer, paraffin wax also starts to be used for hair removal. Although the wax is softer than the kerosene-based was used for waxing, paraffin wax can be melted into certain consistency that is possible for hair removal. Since its oil content is also more natural, paraffin wax can be used for facial hair removal without causing allergy reactions to those with overly sensitive skin. Beauticians start to use paraffin wax for eye brow and upper lip fine hair, as well as body hair. Paraffin wax tends to be colorless and odorless, making it hypoallergenic with a lot of people.

Paraffin wax treatments are also beneficial for those expecting proper toxin disposal from the body, since the treatment aids the process properly. When your body parts are immersed in the liquefied paraffin wax, the pores are opened. These pore exposal is promoted during hand, foot, and other body part treatment with preheated paraffin wax. One of the most beneficial results from opened pores are toxins disposal. The toxins are derived from the body through these opened pores in the form of sweat. As a result, dirt is also removed and disposed out of the body. These excreted dirt and sweat are attached to the hardened paraffin, which will be disposed after each treatment session. In relation to toxin disposal and body health, paraffin wax is also used to promote blood circulation, which is essential for the body physiological function.