"Inert" vehicles do affect wound healing.

The effect of a single daily application of U.S.P. petrolatum, an oil-in-water vanishing cream or a lotion on the rate of epidermal wound healing was determined in domestic white pigs. The superficial wounds were made with a dermatome and were not infected. In these studies, applications of U.S.P. white petrolatum retarded the rate of epidermal healing by 17% compared to untreated control wounds. Applications of an oil-in-water vanishing cream increased the rate of epidermal healing by 24% and a lotion increased the rate 15% compared to untreated control wounds.