A form of vitamin B5 used on skin and hair.
Why it’s used: Helps hair hold moisture and feel smoother.
Panthenol is the alcohol form of pantothenic acid, better known as vitamin B5, and is often called pro-vitamin B5. On ingredient lists you will usually see panthenol or D-panthenol, also called dexpanthenol, the biologically active form. It mixes easily into water-based products, which helps make it one of the most widely used ingredients in shampoos, conditioners, creams and balms.
Pantothenic acid itself was discovered in 1931, and the first skin preparation containing dexpanthenol appeared in 1944. Unlike pantothenic acid, panthenol is well absorbed through the skin, where it is quickly converted into pantothenic acid, a building block of coenzyme A. Coenzyme A helps the skin make the fatty acids and lipids that keep its outer layer healthy.
Panthenol is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts and holds on to water. That is why it helps hair hold moisture and feel smoother, and why it is so common in conditioners. On the skin, studies have shown that dexpanthenol creams improve hydration and support barrier repair, for example a 5% cream used twice daily for a week on experimentally irritated skin.
3 findings behind this ingredient. Hover a card for the detail and the source.
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study tested dexpanthenol in two lipophilic creams on human skin. After seven days, dexpanthenol improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss significantly more than the vehicle.
Skin was irritated with sodium lauryl sulphate, then used twice daily with a dexpanthenol cream, the cream base or nothing. The dexpanthenol cream gave faster barrier repair, more hydration, less roughness and less redness.
In a randomised intra-individual study, 23 healthy adults applied a panthenol emollient for three weeks to irritated and normal skin. Water loss fell more than in unused control areas, and skin hydration and lipid structure improved.
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Panthenol attracts and holds on to water, so it helps hair hold moisture and feel smoother and softer. That is why it is one of the most common ingredients in shampoos and conditioners.
Not quite. Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5, the alcohol form of pantothenic acid. When applied to the skin it is absorbed and converted into pantothenic acid, the active vitamin.
Yes. Studies show that creams containing dexpanthenol improve skin hydration and help the skin barrier recover. It is a gentle, well-tolerated ingredient often found in balms and moisturisers for dry or sensitive skin.
Videos from doctors, research scientists and registered dietitians, for general education. They are independent of Nutra Formulations, do not refer to our products and are not medical advice for you.
Let's Get Intimate: Panthenol
Dr Shereene Idriss, MD, board-certified dermatologist · Dr. Shereene Idriss on YouTube
Panthenol: Products That Repair and Strengthen Your Skin Barrier
Dr Andrea Suarez (Dr Dray), MD, board-certified dermatologist · Dr Dray on YouTube
Information only, not medical advice. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your GP or pharmacist first.
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