What is paraffin wax?
Paraffin wax is a white or colorless soft, solid wax. It’s made from saturated hydrocarbons.
It’s often used in skin-softening salon and spa treatments on the hands, cuticles, and feet because it’s colorless, tasteless, and odorless. It can also be used to provide pain relief to sore joints and muscles.
Paraffin wax has many other uses, too. It’s often used as lubrication, electrical insulation, and to make candles and crayons.
Read on to learn more about the uses, benefits, and side effects of paraffin wax.
What are the benefits of paraffin wax?
Paraffin has cosmetic and therapeutic benefits.
Cosmetic benefits
Cosmetically, paraffin wax is often applied to the hands and feet. The wax is a natural emollient, helping make skin supple and soft. When applied to the skin, it adds moisture and continues to boost the moisture levels of the skin after the treatment is complete.
It can also help open pores and remove dead skin cells. That may help make the skin look fresher and feel smoother.
Therapeutic benefits
Paraffin wax may be used to help relieve pain in the hands of people with:
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- fibromyalgia
- other joint mobility issues
It acts like a form of heat therapy and can help increase blood flow, relax muscles, and decrease joint stiffness. Paraffin wax can also minimize muscle spasms and inflammation as well as treat sprains.
