Paul Pluss: One of the biggest differences is in the hand and body lotions. It's not known to the general public, but amongst many professionals in the industry it's known that with most hand and body lotions on the market you're going to find petrolatum oil and mineral oil right at the top of the ingredients list. Petrolatum is a crude oil byproduct -- not much different than what you'd find in the wheel bearing grease you'd use in cars.
By using petrolatum oil, most hand and body lotions create an inclusive barrier that blocks the breathing of the pores, the evaporation. Experts have taught us that this stops the natural moisturizing of the skin and dries it out. Emu oil penetrates through the dried dead skin, without blocking the pores' evaporation, and nourishes the cells before they die. This is why burn centers are using it, and cancer centers are using it for treatment of burns and swells caused by radiation treatments.
Emu oil is a non-inclusive barrier. It doesn't plug your pores, and it's nearly identical to fats found deeper in the dermis layers of your skin. Studies done by Dr. Robert Nicolosi of the University of Massachusetts have proven that emu oil is a transdermal, and it has been published as such in medical journals. It's one of only a few substances known to be a good transdermal, meaning that it can easily pass through skin. It's also published as an effective anti-inflammatory.
Steve: What's emu oil's most popular use right now?
Pluss: It's mostly known for its pain relieving properties. There are many different pain relievers with emu oil as the base ingredient. We have an effective muscle and joint product that uses MSM, glucosamine, chondroitin and Cox-2 inhibitors as the key ingredients. With the proper formulation of emu oil and some base dilators, these ingredients can pass through the skin, making the product very effective for pain relief.
It's also used at a number of burn centers. Dr. John Griswold [of the Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center at Texas Tech University Medical Center] is the author of a study using emu oil as burn treatment. Studies so far say that it is superior to Silvadene and other standard burn treatments.
Burn centers are sometimes reluctant to use it because it is not USFDA approved for that use, and because it doesn�t come from a drug company with multi-million dollar insurance policies. So you won't hear about its use for burn treatment that much, but many of the burn doctors are aware of it and use it as requested, usually with a signed waiver.
Nursing homes are also finding it great for treatment of bedsores and thin skin on seniors.
Steve: Which are the newest forms?
Pluss: The face cream and the conditioner. The gel caps have also been proven to lower cholesterol very effectively. The acne lotion and soaps have also been effective.
Steve: Is there a website or any other places people can purchase emu oil products?
Pluss: Yes, at www.jsemuoil.com . They can buy it directly from the website, or they can call (888) 805-2535. It can also be found in health foods stores mostly along the West Coast, like Henry's Marketplace, Boney's Marketplace, Orchard's Marketplace and Mother's Natural Foods.
Steve: Which forms of emu oil are the best sellers?
Pluss: The bestsellers are the muscle and joint cure and the pure oil. The pure oil is used for skin and skin problems like eczema, psoriasis, rashes, burns, wounds, cosmetic surgery and these sorts of things.