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| Coal tar is a messy and smelly - but effective - topical treatment for various skin conditions. It can also stain clothing and irritate the skin. Source Crude coal tar is obtained by the destructive distillation of bituminous coal at very high temperatures. It is believed that over 10,000 different compounds make up coal tar but only a few hundred have been identified. It is most often obtained in solution form (ranging in strength from 0.1 to 20%) and mixed with other ingredients, such as salicylic acid and sulphur, to make lotions, creams, ointments and shampoos. Function; Reasons For Use Exactly how coal tar works to treat various health conditions is not completely understood. Crude Coal Tar has been used for decades to help treat the scaling, itching and inflammation of psoriasis, eczema, and other skin disorders. Coal tar is still used to treat a variety of skin disorders, particularly conditions where the skin is flaky and scaly:
Side-Effects Most patients tolerate coal tar preparations well. It may initially cause mild stinging or skin irritation as your body gets use to the medicine. However, if this continues stop using the preparation and see your doctor. When used on the scalp, it may temporarily discolour bleached, tinted, light blond or grey hair. Coal tar also stains skin and clothing. The stain on the skin will wear off after you have stopped using the preparation. Coal tar may cause photosensitivity, hence the need to stay out of direct sunlight when using these preparations. This has been found to be particularly successful for treating psoriasis. There is some controversy over the carcinogenic (cancer-causing) potential of coal tar. However, in human studies using safe doses, an increase in the incidence of cancers has not been found after 75 years of documented use. It's safe to use coal tar if you follow your doctor's instructions. |
| Psoriasis |