r/chemistry • u/THARSISthechemist • 10h ago
DMSO safety
I want to write this because I’ve seen a lot of questions on here that are from high schoolers ect.
DMSO can carry what it contains through your skin. It’s a fantastic solvent and that’s why that’s a concern. It’s a seemingly harmless thing to handle but its polarity makes it uniquely good at getting into your body. ((It takes what’s in it with it.)) things like essential oil on your fingers no big deal. Mix that amount of oil in DMSO and then skin contact and you have a toxicity problem. <<Don’t trust YouTubers cavalier attitude.>>
Long winded way to say, in chemistry it’s very easy to get in way over your head very fast. DMSO is not special in its hidden risk. Be careful out there.