Consumers interested in using mineral oil for skin care will inevitably come across negative information about this ingredient. Some skin care experts claim that this ingredient clogs pores, some call it a carcinogen, and other simply write it off as completely useless. This can lead to a lot of confusion on behalf of the consumer. If mineral oil is so bad for skin care, then why is it so widely used? Can it really cause cancer and other health problems? These are great questions to ask, especially in the United States, where regulation of personal care products is less strict than in other parts of the world and the consumer must be vigilant about doing their own research. To help you better understand how companies use mineral oil for skin care applications, we’ve put together a basic overview of this ingredient. However, no amount of internet research is a substitute for the advice of a licensed skin care expert. Therefore, the consumer is advised to speak to a dermatologist before using skin care products containing mineral oil.