Modern production of pharmaceutical lanolin relies on multi-stage refining processes aimed at obtaining a raw material of the highest possible purity.

During purification, the following are removed, among others:

• mechanical impurities,
• residues of surfactants,
• compounds responsible for undesirable odor,
• trace amounts of environmental substances,
• ingredients that could increase the risk of hypersensitivity reactions.

In parallel, quality control methods have been developed to determine the content of individual groups of chemical compounds present in lanolin.

Thanks to this, modern pharmaceutical lanolin significantly differs from the materials used just a few decades ago.

Lanolin alcohols — the key to understanding past controversies

One of the most important discoveries in the history of lanolin research was establishing that free lanolin alcohols present in certain fractions of this raw material could be of particular importance for the occurrence of some hypersensitivity reactions.

Research conducted by numerous dermatological centers demonstrated that an appropriate reduction in the content of these components significantly improves the safety profile of lanolin while preserving its most important care properties.

This discovery contributed to the development of modern production methods for highly purified lanolins intended for dermatological and cosmetic applications.

Thanks to this, modern raw materials of the highest quality retain the unique protective and emollient properties of lanolin, while simultaneously meeting stringent safety requirements for use.

11.The role of modern purification processes