Coconut oil is oil from mature coconuts. It has been used as a food for hundreds of years, but many people are unaware that it can be used externally to combat acne and other skin conditions such as eczema.
How does coconut oil treat acne?
The idea that applying oil to the skin could help acne sounds absurd at first: most people with acne want less oil on their skin.
But it takes more than excess sebum to cause acne, and that helps explain how coconut oil can help with acne.
To get acne you need two things: blocked pores and inflammation. It’s inflammation that turns clogged pores into red, angry pimples. You get inflammation when your immune system attacks bacteria that reside in blocked skin pores.
Coconut oil helps prevent inflammation and thus can also prevent acne.
The magic is in two fatty acids, lauric acid and capric acid. On human skin, these are converted into antibacterial and antiviral substances. To make it simpler. Coconut oil kills acne-causing bacteria on the skin. And with the bacteria gone, your immune system has nothing to react to. This means less inflammation and less acne.
Coconut is also rich in vitamin E, which is a well-known nutrient for the skin. Vitamin E helps calm inflammation and repair skin damage.
So it does what all those expensive skin creams claim to do.
how to use coconut oil for acne
Here’s how to use coconut oil for acne:
- Using your favorite cleanser, cleanse your skin thoroughly. Don’t skip this step as it can lead to more acne!
- Steam your face by putting a towel over your head and leaning over a bowl of hot water.
- Massage a small amount of coconut oil on your face.
- Wring out a washcloth in hot water and place it on your face. This allows the oil to penetrate deep into the skin.
- Wait a minute or two and cleanse your face.
Using coconut oil in this way also helps get rid of acne scars.
Kindness from the inside out
The goodness of coconut oil is not limited to external use. He is also a great friend in the kitchen. Coconut (and its oil) not only tasted good, but can also help with acne and overall health.
Helps your body fight yeast and yeast infections (both related to acne). Relieves chronic inflammation and helps prevent blood sugar spikes. Chronic inflammation and blood sugar swings are the main factors behind adult acne.
Warning, not suitable for everyone.
Although many acne sufferers use coconut oil, it is not for everyone. In some cases, it can make acne worse.
It seems that coconut oil can stimulate the glands in the skin to produce more sebum. This can cause more acne in some people, and especially if the skin’s pores are blocked. That is why it is important to cleanse the face well before applying the oil.
Unfortunately, there is no way to know in advance how your skin will react. So start small and see what happens.
It is not an end and it is a treatment for acne.
Coconut oil is by no means a complete and final treatment for acne. Keep in mind that acne is an internal problem. Blocked pores and blackheads are just a symptom of deeper problems (like blood sugar swings and chronic inflammation).
To overcome adult acne permanently, a holistic approach must be taken that takes into account diet, lifestyle, and emotional health (stress).
Coconut oil will not resolve the root cause of acne. But it can help keep acne under control while correcting underlying problems.