Neonatal Emollient Flammability by Darlene McCord, Ph. D.

Emollients such as Aquaphor are composed of highly flammable hydrocarbons. Petrolatum itself is a semisolid mixture of hydrocarbons obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum. Each year numerous medical centers report chamber fires caused by ignition in an oxygen-rich environment. Hydrocarbon-oxygen mixtures are extremely explosive, especially in confined spaces11. Furthermore, endotracheal tube fires frequently occur due to the low index of flammability held by the tubing material.

Utilizing advanced silicone excipients over petrolatum-based products diminishes risks associated with flammability. Silicones are currently used in numerous transdermal delivery systems, catheters and specialized medical devices. A substantial advantage of using silicone over petrolatum-based products for neonatal skin care is the substance’s oxygen-compatibility. Silicone-based products such as Remedy Nutrashield and Remedy Skin Repair Cream are the only emollients certified for use in enclosed oxygen-rich environments.