Lanolin, also called, Adeps Lanae, wool wax, wool fat, or wool grease, a greasy yellow substance from wool-bearing animals, acts as a skin ointment, water-proofing wax, and raw material (such as in shoe polish).

Lanolin is "wool fat" or grease , chemically akin to wax. It is produced by wool-bearing animals such as sheep, and is secreted by their sebaceous glands. These glands are associated with hair follicles. Lanolin acts as a waterproofing wax, and recent studies indicate that antibiotics are also present in the lanolin. It aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin, and the extraction can be performed by squeezing the wool between rollers. Most or all the lanolin is removed from wool when it is processed into textiles e.g. yarn or felt.

Lanolin is chiefly a mixture of cholesterol and the esters of several fatty acids. Crude (non-medical) grades of lanolin also contain wool alcohols, which are an allergen for some people. It is insoluble in water, but forms an emulsion.

Lanolin is used commercially in a great many products ranging from rust-preventative coatings to cosmetics to lubricants. Some sailors use lanolin to create a slippery surface on their propellers and stern gear to which barnacles cannot adhere. Its water-repellent properties make it valuable as a lubricant grease where corrosion would otherwise be a problem, particularly on stainless steel, which becomes vulnerable to corrosion when starved of oxygen.

Using cosmetic products which contain too much lanolin can result in an allergic reaction to the chemical in some people.

Medical grade lanolin is used as a cream to soothe skin. Lansinoh cream, a product that some breastfeeding mothers use on sore and cracked nipples, is pure, hypoallergenic, bacteriostatic medical grade lanolin. This grade of lanolin can also be used to treat chapped lips, diaper rash, dry skin, itchy skin, rough feet, minor cuts, minor burns and skin abrasions. As an ointment basis, it readily absorbs through skin, facilitating absorption of the medicinal chemicals it carries.

Lanolin is often used as a raw material for producing vitamin D3.

The name Lanolin comes from a trademark that became known as the generic term for a preparation of sheep fat and water. Jaffe v. Evans & Sons, Ltd., Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York (March 21, 1902).

Animal glandular products | Waxes | Lubricants

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