Lanolin

Lanolin is "wool fat" or grease, chemically akin to wax, it is produced by wool-bearing animals such as sheep. It helps them to shed water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin and the extraction can be performed by squeezing the wool between rollers. Lanolin is used commercially in a great many products ranging from rust preventitive coatings to cosmetics. Most or all the lanolin is removed from wool when it is processed into textiles e.g. yarn or felt.

Lanolin is secreted by all mammals, and is secreted by the sebaceous glands. These glands are associated with hair follicles. Lanolin acts as a waterproofing wax, and recent studies indicate that antibiotics are also present in the lanolin.

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