Panthenol on your skin: a safety profile

What is panthenol?

The IUPAC name is 2,4-dihydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-3,3-dimethylbutanamide.

Also known as: 2,4-dihydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-3,3-dimethylbutanamide, provitamin B5, dl-panthenol, dexpanthenol.

IUPAC name

2,4-dihydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-3,3-dimethylbutanamide

CAS number

16485-10-2

Molecular formula

C9H19NO4

Molecular weight

205.25 g/mol

SMILES

C(CC(=O)[O])CO

PubChem CID

5359418

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Panthenol. The classifications differ — that's the data.

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where you encounter panthenol

• moisturizer
• sunscreen
• hair_conditioner
• body_lotion
• facial_serum
• wound_care

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Panthenol:

• Plant-derived oils with established safety profiles (jojoba, squalane, shea butter)
  Trade-offs: Consumer preference for 'natural' label; many natural fragrance compounds are potent allergens (limonene, linalool, eugenol); 'natural' ≠ 'safe'; often more expensive than synthetic equivalents.
  Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
• Ceramide-based formulations (biomimetic skin barrier repair)
  Trade-offs: Alternative emollient; skin feel, spreadability, and occlusion properties differ; comedogenicity should be assessed for facial use; stability in final formulation needs verification.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×
• Glycerin-based humectant systems as partial replacement
  Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.
  Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions