Production and potential application of wood tar in dermatology and cosmetic

In recent years, the limited supply and strong demand for fossil fuel led to its fluctuating prices. Biomass has attracted a lot of attention as a renewable resource to replace fossil fuels in the production of energy. Pyrolysis provides an efficient method to convert solid biomass into transport fuels and valuable chemicals. As such fuel, charcoals are produced with earthen kiln by smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Traditional kilns release combustion smoke which is very harmful to the environment as well as human health. The products of the processes taking place include, in addition to charcoal, a distillate comprising non-condensable, condensable gases (Pyroligneous acid and Tar) and vapours. In this review, it is attempted to explore tar's potential use in dermatology and cosmetic in the SSA region. Consequently, considering the long experience with wood tar therapy and its worldwide usage suggests at least that their use should still be considered for skin care in dermatology and cosmetic. This paper highlights the potential benefits arising from wood tar application in dermatology and cosmetic.