Acne is a common skin disease that affects up to 80% of people in their lifetime.
It is most common among teenagers, but it can affect adults of all ages.
Some people have started using it to treat acne because of coconut oil’s many health properties.
This involves applying coconut oil directly to the skin, as well as eating it.
While coconut oil has been studied for various health benefits, very little research has examined its ability to fight acne.
We have all woken up with a red, shiny, painful zit before. It is one of the worst feelings ever and seems to always happen at the absolute worst moments, like just before picture day or the morning of prom. Even as we get older, acne can be a real downer, especially since it can seriously ding your confidence.
Treatments in the form of commercial lotions and potions can get really expensive, really fast, and honestly may not even work once you give them a try. If you are at your wit’s end, fret no more! All natural coconut oil may be the answer to your acne woes!
You may be thinking, “coconut oil? You mean the greasy white balm you find in the kitchen section?”. Yes, that very same product. Coconut oil has a host of other uses outside of being a healthy replacement for canola and vegetable oils in recipes.
From being an absolutely fantastic moisturizing hair mask to helping soothe chapped lips, coconut oil is a bit of a beauty world jack of all trades. Packed with an incredible amount of vitamin E, vitamin K, and choline, coconut oil helps your body from the inside out!
There are also large amounts of lauric, caprylic, capric, myristic and palmitic acids, which are natural anti inflammatories which means they will help aid in reducing the redness and severity of existing acne spots. Lauric acid, especially, is known to be antimicrobial and antifungal, making it an excellent choice in treating acne.
Coconut oil boosts your liver function, too. When your liver is working effectively, it filters out most toxins and harmful waste products in your body. If your liver is not functioning as it should, the backup of toxins can certainly show on your skin in the form of cystic acne, blackheads, and a host of other painful skin issues.
Coconut oil also energizes your cells to boost their own waste removal turnaround time, taking some of the load off of your liver. Ingesting coconut oil helps to stimulate your digestive system, allowing you to eliminate waste more easily through using the restroom, which prevents toxins from being reabsorbed by your body.
Coconut oil does not suit every skin type. Those with normal skin should avoid it due to it being ranked a four out of five on the comedogenic scale, meaning it is likely to clog pores when used topically. For those with dry skin, using it as an intense moisturizer sparingly is an excellent choice.
Simply massage a very small amount into the skin one a week or so then follow with a gentle cleanser. It may seem counterintuitive to moisturize then cleanse but if you use a gentle cleanser and wait a bit for the oil to absorb, you will only be removing the pore clogging excess.
Very oily skin can benefit as well, oddly enough, especially if it has been treated with very harsh cleansers. For oily skin, use the coconut oil as a makeup remover (it is excellent for taking off waterproof mascara and liquid lipsticks) then cleanse gently and moisturize with a light moisturizer.
It may sound silly to moisturize oily skin but your goal is not to strip away the natural oils here, but instead to balance everything out to create a healthy face. As a rule of thumb, always make sure you are using pure, organic coconut oil.
Non-organic oils may be bleached or otherwise processed, resulting in some pretty not skin-friendly potential situations. You are more likely to react poorly to non-organic coconut oil so be careful and always double check your label and packaging.
When you begin using coconut oil to cleanse your skin, you may notice more breakouts than you previously were experiencing. Do not worry! This is perfectly normal and referred to as a “purge” in the beauty community. Basically, all of the toxins, dirt, and oil clogging up your skin is being drawn out.
If there is a lot, you can expect some breakouts and discomfort. This is just everything being brought to the surface and pushed out; though it may be awful for a few days or a week, it is normal and will subside. Just be patient and trust that your skin will look better than ever.
Of course, if you feel your reaction is abnormal, definitely reach out to a medical professional and seek help. Sometimes allergies to coconut oil may be present or your skin may need a different method. Just keep searching and you will certainly find something that works like a charm!