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Horse Ointment
Horse ointment,(chinese name: 馬油) as known as horse oil and horse fat, is a topical formulation derived from subcutaneous fat of horses. With its thick and highly viscous properties, horse ointment is intended for topical use on skin and mucous membranes to provide moisturization and boost the restoration of damaged skin. Horse ointment preparations was traditionally used in ancient China for the treatment of Chinese Qi deficiency, haemorrhoids, burns and xeroderma. Due to a high proportion of fatty acids in horse ointment, which are similar to human skin fat, it can effectively penetrate through skin surface. Nowadays, it is commonly applied to skin for the purpose of soothing redness and irritation. It is considered a natural skincare product with low risks of sensitization and irritation. It is safe for people of all ages, including infants and elderly.

Use of horse ointment in ancient Chinese medicine
Horse ointment is a valuable preparation for the treatment of various skin conditions. Horse ointment originated in China, and has a history of more than 4,000 years. Its usage was recorded in many ancient Chinese medical books. Lingshu jing(靈樞經) was the first pharmacopoeia that stated that horse ointment is highly moisturising and is effective in the treatment of milia. Li Shizhen, a well-known Chinese physician and writer of Campendium of Materia Medica (本草綱目) mentioned the use of horse ointment in the treatment of dyschromia, eczema and burns. Famous doctor Tao Hongjing has mentioned in (名医别录) that horse oil can help to promote hair growth.

Ingredients and their functions
The following table summarises the major ingredients commonly found in horse ointment formulations, effects on skin as well as the safety score determined by the US Environmental Working Group (EWG). Horse oil cream of different brands may have slight variations in their formulations.The table below only indicates the major ingredients commonly found in horse oil cream formulations.

Ingredient safety points are quoted from the EWG US Environmental Working Group. It is used to indicate the potential risks of long-term use of the ingredient to human skin and health. Ingredient safety points range from 1-10. With 10 representing the highest risk and 1 representing the lowest risk.

Production
Horse oil extraction is a complex process that requires the use of large-scale machines. Horse fatty tissues are first ground with a meat grinder followed by mixing with water. Rendering of horse oil adopts a step-wise approach. Horst fat is first extracted in a vacuum system at a temperature between 60–110 °C. Rendered horse oil is then collected, filtered and neutralized with 0.2% sodium hydroxide which is then transferred to a stainless steel container in a water bath at 100 °C for 30 min for precipitation of impurities. Modern manufacturing of horse ointment usually involve purification to remove an unique odour of horse oil and thus enables it to be an useful cosmetic product widely used nowadays.

Composition/ Chemistry
A typical high-purity grade of horse ointment is composed predominantly of unsaturated acids. Compared to saturated acids, unsaturated acids are more suitable for skin applications. Two major substances in horse ointments made it a good remedy for skin conditions, namely alphalinolenic acid and linoleic acid. Alphalinolenic acid is an essential omega-3 fatty acid that exerts anti-inflammatory effects while linolenic acid is an omega-6 fatty acids for the moisturization of skin to prevent dryness and reduces inflammatory mediators. In addition to its skin repairment property, a recent study discovered that horse ointents could also provide a protective effect against oxidative stress. Experimental results showed that horse ointments absorb UVB radiation and remove reactive oxygen species thus protecting human HaCaT keratinocytes from UVB-induced oxidative stress and prevent cell structural damage, skin necrosis and ageing.

Cosmetics Use
Prevent acne and fade scar

Horse ointment is rich in vitamin F which exerts a natural anti-inflammatory effect and prevents flare ups of acne. It also boosts the repairment of damaged skin cells and sped up the fading of scar.

Reducing Pore Size

Some horse ointment contains natural moisturizers extracted from plants; for example: rosemary, horsetail, hops, pine and lemon. These natural moisturisers have a strong skin repair ability which is essential in boosting skin metabolism, maintaining skin health, as well as reducing pore size.

Long-lasting hydration of skin

Horse ointment contains coenzyme Q10, hyalurnic acid and collagen that can maintain the natural moisture barrier of skin to prevent water loss from skin. High oleic acid content in horse oil disturbs the natural lipid bilayer of cuticle and allows effective penetration into skin. Besides, it also contains deep sea shark essence which allows deep penetration to the skin.

Anti-Aging (Reduce formation of spots and wrinkles)

Horse oil contains sophorolipids and natural ingredients such as horsetail, pine hops which promotes the synthesis of collagen in skin and thus maintain elasticity and prevent wrinkles formation.

Promote hair growth

Liposomes in horse oil stimulate hair follicles to enter the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle, thus shortening the time for hair growth.

Other uses
Healing benefits for skin burns

It has been shown in research that horse oil has an anti-inflammatory effect that can treat skin burns. By absorbing UVB radiation and eliminating reactive oxygen species, horse oil protects human HaCaT keratinocytes from UVB-induced oxidative stress, reducing structural damage and death of cells. In addition to that, horse oil is rich in vitamin E and linolenic acid. After these substances are well absorbed and utilized by skin, they can improve the cell activity or the skin. It can also enhance the resistance of the skin, which helps to prevent inflammation and other skin diseases, thus maintaining a healthy state of the skin.

Treat eczema

Horse ointment contains glycyrrhetinic acid, which is a medicinal ingredient obtainted from herb liquorice. In the treatment of atopic dermatitis ,glycyrrhetinic acid has a similar effect to topical hydrocortisone. It was also suggested as an alternative for infants who show allergic reactions to the use of Vaseline.

How to apply
Horse ointment can be used as a day and night cream. Apply directly to the skin. Wash and dry your hands before applying. Affected areas should be cleaned and dried. Best applied after a shower. Gently circle and massage a small amount of horse oil cream into the affected area to help with absorption, which can satisfy the metabolism of the skin. Do not apply to open wounds. Wash your hands after application unless your hands are being treated.

Potential Health Risks
Although it has been proven that horse oil moisturizer can cure atopic dermatitis, there is still a possibility that some people may trigger abnormalities such as swelling, eczema, irritation, skin rash, colour loss or darkening appear after use. Therefore, should any irritations occur, patients are recommended to discontinue usage and consult a dermatologist. Avoid getting ointment into the mouth, nose and eyes. If it spreads into these areas, wash it off with water. If the situation does not improve, consult a doctor. Keeping out of the reach of children and storing it in a cool dry place is also recommended for this product.

Studies on horse ointments
Horse oil is a common ingredient involved in formulations of cosmetic products in Asian countries. It has been claimed that horse oil has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effect on the skin. Nevertheless, most researches related to the efficacy of horse oil are written in Japanese or Korean without any English translations, thus making it difficult for dermatologists to analyse and discuss the findings.

Ethical concerns
Horse oil is extracted from a mixture of fat from the manes, tail roots and abdomens of horses in alpine regions. Therefore, ethical concerns arise. Some vegetarians and animal-lovers hold firm to their belief that using horse for the production of horse ointment is extremely cruel and unsustainable.

Most prominent brands of horse ointments

 * Loshi by Cosmetex Roland  from Hokkaido, Japan
 * Showa Shinzan Bear Ranch from Hokkaido, Japan
 * Gudoyun from Korean

Market value
After refining, horse oil is a high quality raw material for the production of high-end cosmetics, with a huge market potential. With the development and production of horse oil ointment and other associated cosmetics products, the chain of horse product development has been extended and the output value has increased year by year. Horse ointment is now widely produced mainly in the Kyushu area.