Tallow, Rendered Animal Fat, and Its Biocompatibility With Skin: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Cosmetic Science
• Natural Product Research

Background:

• The skincare industry is witnessing a trend towards natural ingredients.
• Western markets are increasingly emphasizing naturally derived skincare products.
• Tallow, an animal-derived fat, has traditional uses in cooking, soap, and biofuels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of current research on the therapeutic benefits of tallow for skin.
• To investigate tallow's suitability, benefits, therapeutic properties, side effects, and reef safety for human skin.
• To identify research gaps concerning tallow's application in skincare.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was performed following PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.
• Searches were conducted in EMBASE and PubMed using keywords: tallow, skin, dermatology, dermatitis, emulsion, cosmetics, eczema.
• Nineteen studies out of 147 screened met the inclusion criteria (English, mentioned tallow's effect on skin, animal-derived tallow).

Main Results:

• Evidence supports tallow's use in animal feed, cooking, soaps, and biofuels.
• Information was found supporting tallow's composition suitability, general skin benefits, and therapeutic properties for skin conditions.
• Significant research gaps exist for tallow as a human cosmetic product, with discrepancies in side effect data and limited information on reef safety.

Conclusions:

• Current research partially supports the first three objectives regarding tallow's skin benefits.
• More controlled research is needed on the side effects of topical tallow application in humans.
• Further studies, including randomized controlled trials and case studies, are recommended to explore tallow's cosmetic potential and safety.