​Coconut Oil Uses: Does coconut oil really cure acne?

While it may seem counterintuitive to put oil on your acne, coconut oil can actually be an effective treatment for acne (and skin in general). Acne is caused by infections in the sebaceous glands (although hormones also play an important role), and coconut oil has many healing benefits. Both external application to the skin and internal ingestion of coconut oil are suggested and here’s why.

Coconut Oil Benefits

Vitamin E: Coconut oil has a source of Vitamin E. Vitamin E keeps skin healthy and helps the glands to function properly. Vitamin E is also a hormone-regulating substance so it can help to reduce some of the normal hormonal imbalances.

Anti-Inflammatory: Coconut oil is very soothing to the skin. You’ll notice that when you put it on your skin, it melts a bit and absorbs quickly. It gets right into the action by penetrating skin layers to start reducing inflammation that is caused by acne. Because coconut oil is anti-inflammatory, it can also help relieve your open wounds or rashes caused by acne (or really any skin ailment).

Increased Rate of Metabolism: When digested, Coconut oil improves the rate of metabolism. This also indirectly affects proper secretion and hormonal balance, thus curbing the chances of developing acne, and increasing the rate of healing and repair to skin cells damaged by this widespread condition.

Fatty Acids: Coconut oil has two of the most effective antimicrobial items found in food: capric acid and lauric acid. These two acids are found in breast milk and help to keep newborns safe from infections.

When capric acid and lauric acid are put on the skin, some “good” microbes present on the skin convert these acids into monocaprin and monolaurin, respectively. monocaprin and monolaurin help to replace the beneficial, protective acid layer on the skin. This protective layer is often removed by the constant washing and wiping with chemicals as people try to rid their skin of acne.

What Kind of Coconut Oil to Use: Find the most natural form of coconut oil you can. Get the oil that is not already liquefied. Here are some natural, solid coconut oil options. These will melt pretty much when you touch them with your skin.

Conclusion and Application: As I said before, coconut oil can either be applied to the skin or ingested. Some experts recommend both external and internal sources for the best results. Really only 2-5 TBSP are needed to have a pretty noticeable effect in many areas of health and metabolism. You can add the coconut oil to other foods you are eating or just eat it straight as it has a rather pleasant taste…for straight oil.

[Note: If your hormone levels are off, no external treatment will help to rid your skin of acne. So you may want to get those checked and look at options for regulating your levels.