VG, PG and moisture

[Alien Traveler]

Glycerin is popular component of moisturizing skin care products. It is because it is humectant - substance that keeps things moist by attracting water. PG is humectant also. So, when VG and PG are absorbed by mouth and lungs they should keep them moist, isn't it? How come vapers believe they are dehydrating? What's the catch?

 

[Cacique]

I would assume it has to do with the matter it is used. It's great for moisturizing in when applied topically but I assume as it's only being inhaled then it only attracts and absorbs the water instead of retaining it on the skin. How much this affects dehydration, I'm not sure, but I know I have cotton mouth more often and it makes me sip at water frequently.

 

[Alien Traveler]

I would assume it has to do with the matter it is used. It's great for moisturizing in when applied topically but I assume as it's only being inhaled then it only attracts and absorbs the water instead of retaining it on the skin. How much this affects dehydration, I'm not sure, but I know I have cotton mouth more often and it makes me sip at water frequently.

How it can be? Why lungs should be any different from skin, tobacco, food, creams, etc?

 

[skoony]

PG and VG are hygroscopic.
they absorb water relative to the humidity
in the environment.
regards
mike

 

[Princessdee]

Let's say you put pg on your skin to moisturize it. It will draw moisture from the air and trap it against your skin. If the humidity of the air is low, it will draw moisture from your skin and trap it at the surface, also causing a moisturizing feel on the surface. It doesn't care where it gets it, it just wants to draw moisture.

Now if it is in the form of vapor and you inhale it, the mucus membranes of the mouth are higher in moisture than the pg, so it attracts the moisture to itself away from the the mouth. You expel that moisture when you exhale the pg.
Hope that helps a bit.

 

[bluecat]

People got headaches from vaping too much. Since PG/VG attract moisture people figured that the pg/vg was absorbing the moisture causing headaches. What baffled me, is someone that vapes 30 mls of liquid in a day.. if the liquid absorbs as much water as what is vaped.. 30 mls.. One would rationalize that only 30 mls of water would be needed to replenish that which was taken by the pg/vg.

Is pg/vg absorbed by the mouth and lungs? Honest question.

I am a lung inhaler as well as a mouth inhaler. I exhale through the nose. My nose is always slippery as are my devices. This tells me that the pg/vg is not being totally absorbed. I guess it would good for my skin.

 

[Princessdee]

Honestly, Bluecat, I dunno. Honest question, honest answer.

 

[VHRB2014]

I understand it is due to the moister you are exhaling as a result. The vapor exhales more moister than he takes in.

 

[Cacique]

Better explanations than I could come up with. I thought myself that also because it's a vapor and not a liquid it can't do a moisturizing coat, but that's just my thoughts about how it might work.

 

[FlamingoTutu]

PG and VG are hygroscopic.
they absorb water relative to the humidity
in the environment.
regards
mike

Thank you, never had the word to put with it. Interesting video that is neither here nor there but thought was interesting.

I understand it is due to the moister you are exhaling as a result. The vapor exhales more moister than he takes in.

That's always been my understanding too.

 

[nopatch]

Glycerin is popular component of moisturizing skin care products. It is because it is humectant - substance that keeps things moist by attracting water. PG is humectant also. So, when VG and PG are absorbed by mouth and lungs they should keep them moist, isn't it? How come vapers believe they are dehydrating? What's the catch?

I will try to answer it.PG and Vg are humectants. That means they absorb moisture and keep it with them.When you apply on skin they absorb moisture both from AIR (If it has certain humidity) AND from your skin. If you apply concentrated VG(Or say 100% vg) to your skin it will initially dry your skin because it absorbs moisture from skin surface.

If VG diluted with water is applied to skin it will moisturize your skin by supplying excess moisture it cannot hold.Also it supplies moisture to Air if it has excess water, provided the AIR is not excessively humid. That is why VG and Pg are used in humidors.

In a similar way when PG is inhaled it absorbs some moisture from your respiratory tissues and carries it while exhaled resulting in drying of tissues.

 

[Bunnykiller]

VG and PG do "collect" water but only up to 40% of its volume in optimal conditions... so if one vapes 10 ml of VG/PG type of juice, one can expect a maximum loss of water from the body of only 4 ml.... about 1 tablespoons worth....

 

[WattWick]

I have honestly not noticed a whole lot of this dehydration since I cut down considerably on flavorings.

 

[Papillon61]

For me personally the answer is because all the moisture goes out through my nose, literally. Especially on VG higher than 50% my nose is like a dripping faucet.