The Municipal Health Commission said that wind oil essence and cool oil have the effect of refreshing the mind, repelling mosquitoes and itching, what is the specific difference? In fact, there are similarities and differences in the composition of the two, differences in usage, contraindications to use, and principles for antipruritic. Take a look at the professional answers.
There are similarities and differences in the composition
The main components of aeolianthrin include menthol, methyl salicylate, camphor, eucalyptus oil, eugenol, and excipients are liquid paraffin, chlorophyll, and fragrance.
The main ingredients of cooling oil are menthol, peppermint oil, camphor oil, camphor, eucalyptus oil, clove oil, cinnamon oil, ammonia, and the excipients are paraffin, ground wax, and yellow petrolatum.
Both contain menthol, camphor, and eucalyptus oil, but the components are not the same.
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menthol
Also known as menthol, it has the effect of wind removal, heat removal and detoxification. When applied to the skin, when the concentration is low (<2%), it can cause the skin blood vessels to constrict, making people feel cold, and have a cooling effect. However, as the concentration increases, the cooling effect gradually weakens and the discomfort response gradually increases. Menthol is often used in combination with camphor to enhance antipruritic effects, but cannot be used in the eye and mucous membranes.
camphor
When applied to the skin, it will stimulate the cold receptors of the skin, so that people have a cool feeling, so that the itchy feeling is suppressed and has an anti-itching effect. In addition, camphor also has a certain local anesthetic and antiseptic effect.
Eucalyptus oil
Spicy and cool, it can be used for skin itching and relieving neuralgia.
methyl salicylate
There is a local irritation effect, can promote local blood circulation, external or local rubbing can produce skin vasodilation, skin redness and other irritation reactions, and reflexively affect the skin, muscles, nerves and joints of the corresponding parts, play a role in swelling, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, but also have antipruritic effects.
Eugenol
It is an extract of pure natural plants, which has good bacteriostatic, anesthetic and analgesic effects.
Cinnamon oil
It is a volatile oil obtained by the dried branches of cinnamon and the leaves of the lauraceae plant by water vapor steam, which has the effect of aromatic stomach and wind repellent, and is used externally to treat rheumatism and skin itching.
ammonia
It is weakly alkaline and has a neutralizing effect on formic acid produced when mosquito bites, thus producing an antipruritic effect.
Camphor oil, peppermint oil, clove oil
Extracts of camphor, menthol, and eugenol are similar to their efficacy.
There is a difference in usage
In terms of traits, wind oil is liquid (usually green), while cool oil is a white or yellowish paste.
In terms of usage, in addition to external application, wind oil essence can also be taken orally, generally 4-6 drops at a time, but regular use may cause addiction, which requires close attention. Cool oil can only be applied externally.
Wind oil essence
Wind oil essence is definitely a "generalist" that can be used for headaches, dizziness, motion sickness and discomfort caused by mosquito bites and colds.
For cold abdominal pain caused by wind chills, eating too many cold drinks, etc., a few drops of wind oil essence are dropped in the navel (Shen Que Point), which can play a role in dispelling cold and relieving pain.
For small-scale mild burns, such as no skin breakage, wind oil essence can be used to relieve pain, but it is strictly forbidden to use for burns deeper than 2 degrees.
If the throat is swollen and sore, you can also take a few drops internally.
Applying wind oil essence also has a certain effect on athlete's foot and itching.
In addition, it can also be used to wash hands to remove odors such as fishy. As a solution, it can be used to remove stains and nail polish, etc.
Cooling oil
Cool oil can cool heat dissipation, wake up the brain, relieve itching and pain, and is used for headaches, motion sickness, mosquito bites and so on caused by heat injury.
For burns and burns, if the skin is not broken, cool oil also has a pain-relieving effect.
For hemorrhoids, it can play an anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, analgesic, promote blood circulation and other effects, so it can also be used to treat hemorrhoids swelling, itching and pain.
For rheumatic pain, simple diarrhea, corns, etc., it is also possible to apply cooling oil for topical treatment.
There are contraindications to use
Both wind oil essence and cooling oil are inexpensive, but they are not suitable for everyone, especially expectant mothers and infants, and need to be used with extra caution.
The common components contained in the two are camphor and menthol. Among them, camphor will show toxicity to the ovaries, testicles, nerves, liver, and heart, especially in fetuses and pregnant women. Menthol can cause adverse reactions such as the central nervous system (eg, mental confusion), the respiratory system (eg, pulmonary edema, lung damage, asthma), and the digestive system (eg, burning sensation in the mucous membranes).
In addition, in the areas of skin breakage, mucous membranes, and eyes, it is also forbidden to use wind oil essence and cooling oil, otherwise it will cause strong irritation and pain.
There are literature reports of anaphylactic shock when people use cooling oil outside the home. Therefore, it is also not suitable for people with allergies.
There is a principle for antipruritics
What people often call "being bitten by mosquitoes" is not really bitten, but the mosquito pierces the epidermis of human skin with its beak, looks for flowing blood vessels in the dermis layer, and releases "saliva" to the wound, which contains anticoagulant components to maintain blood flow, so as to ensure that it can calmly "feast".
But the body's immune system is strong, and when it is realized that an "invasion event" is taking place, the body's plasma cells produce immunoglobulins (i.e., antibodies), causing mast cells to release histamine to fight the mosquito "saliva". When histamine reaches the attacked site, it will cause the blood vessels there to swell, and a red lump will appear afterwards, which is often referred to as a "mosquito block". When blood vessels dilate, swelling stimulates the nerves in the area and people feel a strange itch.
In addition, studies have shown that mast cells may also release another non-histamine substance, which causes peripheral neurons to send itching signals to the brain.
Apply wind oil or cool oil to the part that is bitten by mosquitoes, after contact with the skin, menthol, camphor and other ingredients can cause cold receptors on the skin to produce cold reflexes, thereby triggering a cool feeling, that is, through the "cool" feeling to achieve the purpose of anti-itching.
However, as far as the treatment of itching caused by mosquito bites is concerned, no literature has reported the advantages and disadvantages of the two, that is to say, the effect is similar and can be used to stop itching.
Source: Municipal Health Commission
Source: Published in Shanghai