Coconut oil contains health-promoting features for your skin. According to research, coconut oil may boost the hydration of your skin, minimize dryness, itching, and rashes, as well as eczema. Coconut oil is a unique natural fat that is known for its health-boosting qualities.
A portion of the fatty acids present in coconut oil minimizes common antigens that reside on your skin that aggravate cases of eczema. Coconut comes with multiple health benefits such as improving brain function for Alzheimer’s victims and minimizing LDL cholesterol levels. Coconut oil has medium-chain fatty acids with antimicrobial features that may guard your skin against germs and assist in treating acne.
Coconut oil has a close correlation with skin benefits such as skin moisturizing, minimizing inflammation and healing injuries. For individuals with sensitive or oily skin, they should begin using the product slowly and observe their skin reaction while simultaneously visiting a skin specialist for recommendations. The focus of this article is examining the evidence for the effects and benefits of coconut oil on your skin.
Benefits of Applying Coconut Oil on Your Skin
9 Essential Benefits of Coconut Oil on your Skin
Coconut oil is rich in different ingredients such as caprylic and lauric acid, essential amino acids, and vitamin E. These ingredients function to protect your skin from harmful environment as well as maintaining the natural and radiant state of your skin. The oil mainly contains saturated fats that assist in restoring skin cells. It also helps retain moisture in your skin through slowing down the rate at which water evaporates from your body.
Coconut Oil Can Destroy Harmful Microorganisms
Coconut oil contains fatty acids that have antimicrobial features that may assist in protection against dangerous antigens. This feature is vital for healthy skin because most skin contaminations like cellulitis, acne, athlete’s foot, and folliculitis are due to either bacteria or fungi. Apply coconut oil directly over your skin to prevent the spread of microorganisms. Coconut oil contains lauric acid which attributes to about half of the fatty acids present in coconut oil and are responsible for fighting harmful antigens.
A study tested antimicrobial qualities of about 30 kinds of fatty acids against various bacteria strains, about 20. Lauric acid depicted the most impact of preventing bacteria growth. Separate research depicted that lauric acid can destroy a strain of bacteria that causes the development of inflammatory acne. In addition, capric acid is also a component of coconut oil with less antimicrobial features. According to test-tube research, both capric and lauric acid effectively destroyed bacteria strains. Another study showed that the antifungal properties in capric acid can prevent the development of certain kinds of fungi.
Coconut Oil Can Minimize Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is common among various skin complications such as eczema, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis. It’s interesting to know that coconut oil contains anti-inflammatory features.
In a research, virgin coconut oil was applied on inflamed rat ears. The coconut oil relieved pain as well as reduced inflammation. In addition, coconut oil will help with easing inflammation by boosting the level of antioxidants. The function of antioxidants is to stabilize free radicals within your body neutralizing atoms that may cause inflammation.
According to a 2013 animal study, rats were fed various types of oil like sunflower, olive and coconut oil. After 45 days the study was complete and the findings showed that virgin coconut oil had resulted in a higher level of antioxidants and inhibited oxidative stress to the highest degree.
Remember that most of these studies are either animal or test-tube tests and knowing the impact of coconut oil on humans isn’t well documented. However, these findings show that coconut oil has great potential towards the reduction of inflammation when you apply it on your skin or consume the oil.
Coconut Oil For Acne Breakouts
Even though most people know coconut oil as having pore-clogging properties, research shows that the oil can assist in treating acne. Acne is an inflammatory complication and a majority of the remedies used when treating the conditions through targeting and minimizing inflammation.
Since coconut oil and its ingredients will likely assist in minimizing body inflammation, you can use it when treating acne. Coconut oil contains fatty acids that have antibacterial features which can be effective when reducing acne.
A wide pool of research shows that lauric acid, responsible for a majority of fatty acids present in coconut oil kills off the bacteria strain causing acne. Both animal and test tube studies have depicted that lauric acid has more impact when preventing the growth of acne-prone bacteria in comparison to benzoyl peroxide.
When capric acid is in use with lauric acid, it has shown to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory features. A 2014 study of both animal and test-tube subjects showed that both capric and lauric acid were effective in the reduction of inflammation and prevention of acne by destroying the bacteria. To achieve maximum results, apply coconut oil directly on the skin with acne.
Coconut Oil Will Moisturize a Dry Skin
Applying coconut oil will help in maintaining the hydration of the skin other than reducing inflammation and acne breakouts. A comparison was done between the effects of coconut and mineral oil in a study where patients had mild to moderately dry skin surface. According to findings from the study, coconut oil had a great impact on skin hydration and had the same impact as mineral oil.
Coconut oil helps in treating eczema as well. The research involved 52 adults and it was about a comparison between the effects of coconut and mineral oil. Individuals who applied coconut oil reduce dryness and reduced the effects of eczema. Separate research had similar findings that application of coconut oil led to a 68 percent reduction in eczema severity, making it more effective when treating eczema in comparison to mineral oil. Maintaining your skin’s hydration will assist in preserving it’s protection function, as well as promoting scar healing and maintaining overall skin health.
Coconut Oil May Help With Healing Skin Wounds
Majority of studies show that coconut oil plays an important role when healing wounds. An animal study on the effect of applying coconut oil on wound healing in rats showed that using virgin coconut oil on wounds speeds up the healing process. The wound depicted higher antioxidant level and more collagen concentration which is a vital protein that helps with healing wounds.
It found that treating the wounds with virgin coconut oil speed up healing. It also increased levels of collagen which is important for wound healing and improved antioxidant status. A separate animal research depicted that coconut oil together with an antibiotic spread on the skin surface had an impact on healing burn wounds. Other than improving wound healing, coconut oil has antimicrobial qualities that assist in preventing contamination which would slow down the healing process.
Coconut Oil is a Skin Relaxer
Coconut oil comes with relaxation abilities, particularly during body massages. The oil functions as an effective moisturizer and also has exotic coconut scents that will relax your senses. Coconut oil is ideal for massages because your skin will easily absorb the oil. Massaging your body with coconut oil will assist in soothing and relaxing tight muscles within your body, and a great option for massage oil is Pure Fiji’s exotic bath and body oil. Using this oil to massage will assist in maintaining skin hydration, promoting wound healing and reviving your skin’s health.
Coconut Oil is an Antimicrobial and an Ideal Makeup Remover
Dermatologists recommend coconut oil as an ideal makeup remover after a long day. The coconut oil attracts both buildup and dirt, it is a natural anti-yeast and antimicrobial product. You need to get quality coconut oil if you want to apply it on your skin, low-quality oil will likely be highly processed with risks of infection, leading to acne breakouts and many other skin complications. Stick to a particular brand when you choose your coconut oil, preferably go for a purified type of coconut oil available in liquid form.
How To use Coconut To Remove Makeup From Facial Skin?
- For coconut oil to be effective as a makeup remover, rub it on your palm, it will liquefy due to the warmth.
- Massage it slowly and consistently into your face, it will gradually dissolve the dirt buildup.
- Lastly, wash it off with warm water and dab it dry.
Add Coconut Oil in Bath Water to Revive Your Skin
You don’t have to apply coconut oil directly on your skin to reap the skin benefits. An alternative way of integrating coconut oil into your daily beauty regime is by adding it to your bath water to assist with skin moisturization across your entire skin. A good example is Pure Fiji’s coconut milk bath soaked is a mix of fresh coconut with milk, macadamia nut oils, and dilo that nourish, revive and re-hydrate dry skin surface. After the bath, you will notice your skin revitalizing and becoming supple.
Face Cleansers Contain Coconut Oil that Nourishes the Skin
Majority of the face cleansers in the market contain powerful chemicals that strip away the skin’s natural oils resulting in skin complications like clogged pores and acne. There’s a good reason most natural face agents contain coconut oil as an ingredient, it has moisturizing, antibacterial and antifungal properties. This oil contains nourishing fatty acids that have a high level of lauric acid. Coconut oil also has healthy fats and Vitamin E that assist in smoothing the skin. Most beauty products have benefits for your face whether on its own or as a part of nourishing cream. Coconut oil is likewise popular for its anti-aging qualities. This oil contains antioxidants like Vitamin A and E that assist in minimizing the effects of free radicals and harmful ultraviolet rays.
Can I Use Coconut Oil for My Skin?
Who Shouldn't Use Coconut Oil?
Even though most findings show that coconut oil has multiple skin health benefits, using it on the skin may have side effects on some individuals. A good example of these individuals are those who have oily skin, they should avoid spreading coconut oil because it will lead to the formation of blackheads and end up clogging pores.
If you have sensitive skin, coconut oil may cause irritation, as such you should use a small quantity when applying it on your skin as you test. The sure way of realizing the side effects of coconut oil on your skin is through trial and error. Spread the oil on a small area of your skin for the experiment. Since cooking with coconut oil or eating it doesn’t have side effects on most individuals, you should opt for these choices to enjoy its benefits, rather than spreading it on your skin especially if you have oily or sensitive skin
How to Choose Best Coconut Oil For Skin Health?
Best Coconut Oil For Skin, Refined or Unrefined
Refined coconut oil comes from dry processing, this kind of oil contains a higher smoking point and a more neutral scent. Unrefined coconut oil is generated from wet processing, this procedure retains the coconut scent and also has a lower smoking point. Although refined coconut oil is ideal for cooking at high temperatures, virgin coconut oil is a better option for healthy skin.
Most of the current studies focus on the impacts of virgin coconut oil, we can attribute this research approach towards the multiple health benefits it contains. During a 2009 animal research, it was found that virgin coconut oil boosted the level of antioxidant and improved the feature of neutralizing disease-prone free radicals, in comparison to refined coconut oil.
Studies, therefore, proves that virgin coconut oil could have more impact in comparison to refined coconut oil regarding neutralizing free radicals and preventing oxidation, which can kill cells, resulting in diseases and inflammation.
