With the advancement of the scientific world, many new products are coming into the market that were previously unknown to all of us. Beef tallow lotion is one such thing. Beef tallow cream or beef tallow lotion is the new skincare sensation making a lot of noise on the internet, especially in the USA.
A lot of young social media fashion influencers are promoting the use of tallow cream. The tallow has eventually gained some popularity among the common citizen but at the same time, there are also many questions around tallow cream. The most important one among them is whether it's medically safe or not!
What Dermatologists have to say about Beef tallow cream?
Now one thing we need to understand is that our skin is a very sensitive organ and it requires extreme care otherwise we will have to face several problems or severe diseases too. Now all the social media beauty influencers that you see on the internet are mostly good with their makeup skills and beauty product recommendations but not with the medical science behind these products.
These questions about the medical credibility of any beauty product can only be answered by someone who is a medical student and has expertise in this particular subject.
So a dermatologist who has expertise on skin problems can actually give us the truth about the effects of tallow, like whether it's truly beneficial for our skin or not.
Dr. Ife Rodney, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Eternal Dermatology and Aesthetics in Fulton, Maryland said “As a medical professional, I cannot recommend or endorse the use of beef tallow for any medical purposes, including skin care”.
She also adds “While some people may have positive experiences with it, and it does contain vitamins and minerals typical in skin care, there are other medically approved and proven alternatives to treat your skin issues.”
Dr Hadley King who is a New York-based board-certified dermatologist in an interview with HuffPost said “Many people are looking for options that are cruelty-free, sustainable and ‘clean,’ and beef tallow is none of these”.
Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Modern Dermatology in Westport, Connecticut mentioning the benefits of beef tallow said - “It’s also packed with linoleic acid, or omega-6 fatty acid, known for its anti-inflammatory benefits and antioxidant properties”. Robinson also added “As you age, the skin produces less of certain lipids, which can lead to volume loss, skin dullness and laxity accentuating the signs of ageing. Topical lipids (or fats) can support the deeper skin structures as they hydrate the skin and improve skin barrier function.”
Dr. Jaimie DeRosa, a Boston-based board-certified facial plastic surgeon said “There are so many other fantastic products that one can use for the skin; I don’t think this is worth the risk”.
Is Beef tallow safe to use?
Now after all that we dermatologists have to say about beef tallow creams. But these questions give rise to another important question that needs to be answered which is - whether using beef tallow is safe or not.
Let's know that,
People who face different kinds of skin problems like dry skin acne or ageing can surely opt for beef tallow cream because it has some solution to all these problems.
Firstly there are some really good benefits of beef tallow that we can't ignore. Like beef tallow balm is very effective for people who have dry skin. Beef tallow balm has an answer because it gives your skin a lot of hydration. It is easily absorbed and, without stifling your skin's barrier, helps prevent dryness at the cellular level.
Beef tallow balm is also effective as an anti-ageing element. Tallow is nourishing in nature as it contains various vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K. However, the most important of these vitamins is Vitamin E. Vitamin E has powerful anti-ageing properties that help the skin to recover from the effects of ageing.
It also helps to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. In addition, tallow helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin surface.
Beef tallow contains vitamin D. Vitamin D helps in the production of genes that fight various viral skin infections by the production of antiviral peptides.
Beef tallow also contains CLA. CLA is also beneficial for the skin in grass-fed tallowers. CLA has been shown to have anti-cancer benefits and may reduce the risk of skin cancer. Tallow moisturiser is one of the top types of moisturisers for sensitive skin.
These are some of the benefits of using beef tallow that we have mentioned, which make it safe for your skin. But at the same time, there are some worries around it too.
One of the biggest problems with beef tallow is that it is not FDA approved. Using beef tallow can put you in front of risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.
You might not always know what's in beef tallow because it's not regulated like skin care products, so there could be issues with its origin, purity, consistency, stability, and preservatives. This may make you more susceptible to irritation or an allergic reaction.
The fat's high emollient content could block pores and increase the risk of acne breakouts.
One most important factors that creates concern around the safety of beef tallow cream is the purity of the tallow that's used to make the cream. The purity of the tallow can never be identified as it totally depends on how the animal was treated and its diet.
Conclusion -
The issue around the safety of the beef tallow cream remains a suspense as it's a totally new product in the market. It takes a lot of research around a product, to detect whether that product is medically perfect or not. The question of whether beef tallow is safe or not can only be answered when a proper amount of research is done on the product.
