From the Research
Difference between Petrolatum and Aquaphor
- Petrolatum, also known as Vaseline or white petrolatum, is a petroleum-based moisturizer that is often used to suppress water evaporation from the skin surface 1, 2.
- Aquaphor, on the other hand, is a petrolatum-based ointment that is designed to provide long-lasting moisturization and protection for dry, cracked, or irritated skin 3, 4.
Key Differences
- A study compared the effectiveness and usability of a newly developed petrolatum-based ointment (NOV® II Moisture Balm) with white petrolatum, and found that the petrolatum-based ointment had superior usability, with subjects feeling that it spread better and was less sticky and shiny than white petrolatum 1.
- Another study found that Aquaphor Healing Ointment, a petrolatum-based ointment, provided equivalent efficacy for wound healing as a combination antibiotic first-aid ointment, and had fewer adverse effects 3.
- However, a study comparing Aquaphor with onion extract gel found no statistically significant difference between the two treatments in improving the appearance and symptoms of new surgical scars 4.
- A comparison of two commonly used petrolatum-based ointments, Aquaphor Healing Ointment and white petroleum jelly, found that surgical wounds treated with Aquaphor had a higher incidence of wound redness than those treated with plain white petrolatum 5.