What is Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5)?
Panthenol is a provitamin form of vitamin B5, meaning the body converts it into pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) once absorbed. In skincare, the specific form most commonly used and studied is called dexpanthenol. Panthenol has one of the longest and best-documented track records of any skincare ingredient for both everyday moisturization and supporting skin recovery after injury or medical and cosmetic procedures.
Source
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Found in |
A provitamin form of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid); the cosmetic-grade form is typically dexpanthenol |
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Origin |
Synthesized for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use; vitamin B5 itself is found naturally in many foods |
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Also known as |
Dexpanthenol, Pro-Vitamin B5, D-Panthenol |
Top features and benefits
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Helps skin attract and hold onto moisture |
Supports skin barrier repair |
Has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties |
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Supports wound healing and post-procedure skin recovery |
Backed by decades of clinical research |
Generally very well tolerated, including on sensitive and compromised skin |
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Commonly used after laser treatments and other skin procedures |
Suitable for daily use |
How Does It Work?
Panthenol works on skin in a couple of connected ways. As a humectant, it helps bind and hold water in the outer layers of skin, supporting hydration and a plumper, more comfortable feel. Beyond hydration, research shows panthenol increases the mobility of certain molecular components within the skin's outer layer that are important for maintaining a healthy, flexible skin barrier.
Panthenol's other major, well-documented role is in wound healing and post-procedure skin recovery. Research has shown it activates fibroblasts, the cells responsible for rebuilding skin tissue, and supports faster re-epithelialization, the process by which skin regrows its outer layer after injury. A 2020 systematic review of clinical and laboratory studies concluded that topical dexpanthenol reliably promotes healing of superficial and postprocedure wounds, such as those from laser treatments, microneedling, or minor cosmetic procedures, and more recent controlled clinical trials have continued to support this, including a 2025 study showing a panthenol-containing mask improved skin barrier recovery after facial laser treatment.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown topical dexpanthenol can reduce redness associated with UV-induced skin irritation, which is part of why it is so frequently included in products meant to calm and soothe compromised or recently treated skin.