Wednesday, April 24, 2024
HomeTrendingCan Coconut Oil Help Eczema

Can Coconut Oil Help Eczema

Coconut Oil Is Natural

Coconut Oil for Eczema.

One of the best reasons to use coconut oil for eczema is that it is completely natural and it is non-toxic. In fact, there is so much that you can do with coconut oil, not only help relieve the skin conditions brought on by eczema, but you can also use it in cooking and that way you can nourish your body from the inside.

Neem Soap Benefits For Skin

  • Soothes backaches and relieves stress and tension from the muscles
  • It is a non-toxic and chemically unaltered product
  • Lathers well and leaves the skin moisturized
  • Acts as an anti-bacteria clearing up skin rashes, eczema and ache
  • It is smooth, soft and gentle without leaving a residue or sticky film
  • Usually is wrapped in white paper making it feel like a spa soap.

7. Treat Dandruff:

The antibacterial properties in neem help to treat dandruff, dry scalp and hair fall issues. Add a cup of fresh neem leaves to boiling water, mix well and use this neem water to rinse your hair after shampooing.

8. Treat viral infections:

Neem leaf can be taken orally on a regular basis. This helps relieve the symptoms of viral infections including the common cold, influenza, herpes, and chicken pox.

Also Read :- How to Use Guava Leaves For Eczema Prone Skin?

Is Olive Oil Good For Your Skin

Olive oil is a popular option when it comes to beauty products. Some interesting facts about olive oil include:

  • It has a healthy amount of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, and these properties can be beneficial to the skin.
  • It has vitamins A, D, E, and K.
  • It is known to have moisturizing properties.

Although the skin is known to benefit from this oil, it is not a cure-all. If you have a skin condition like acne, eczema, or psoriasis, olive oil may not give the relief that you are looking for. In addition, it should not be used as a replacement product for effective treatments for skin conditions.

Read Also: How Do You Stop Eczema Flare Ups

Reasons To Use Coconut Oil For Eczema

Jenny Hills, Nutritionist and Medical Writer Health

Eczema is a skin condition that can affect anyone at some point in their lives however, some people are more prone to eczema than others. Anyone who suffers from eczema knows that it is a difficult skin condition to manage. Although it is not life-threatening, it can cause great discomfort, pain, and embarrassment. There are a number of possible treatments for eczema and in this article I will discuss how to use coconut oil for eczema.

Coconut Oil Boosts The Immune System

Coconut Oil for Eczema and Psoriasis

One of the complications of long-term treatment with steroid creams is that the body can develop allergic reactions to them. To counteract this, doctors may prescribe medication to suppress the immune system resulting in a reduction of allergic reactions. However, some of the side effects of these drugs are a risk of serious infection, vomiting, increased risk of cancer, and high blood pressure.7

However, it is known that coconut oil has properties which boost the immune system and help to modulate it. The lauric acid helps to enhance the immune response in the body and doesnt cause any side effects.8

You can also find other ways to boost your immune system.

Also Check: Exederm Eczema And Dermatitis Shampoo

Coconut Oil For Eczema

Coconut oil is a popular option to use on the skin due to its moisturizing properties. It is known to absorb into the skin quickly, which can improve the hydration and elasticity of the skin.

Virgin or cold-pressed coconut oil is ideal, because chemicals are not added when the oil is extracted. One of the components in coconut oil is lauric acid, which is a fatty acid found in breast milk.

Lauric acid has properties that are known to fight yeast, viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The strong moisturizing, anti-inflammatory properties that coconut oil offers can help reduce and bring relief to eczema symptoms.

Eczema affects people differently. There is no confirmed research that coconut oil fully cures the skin condition, but it can offer relief and reduce some of the symptoms.

What Are The Best Natural Treatments For Eczema

Persistent itchy skin can be the most irritating thing. Eczema is a condition that leaves your skin inflamed and hypersensitive, leaving scaly skin and redness that requires special treatment to eradicate it, affecting people of all ages. Atopic dermatitis is particularly common – starting in childhood – causing rashes to form in your knees or elbows . Scratching your skin too much can expose it to diseases and infections.

As many treatments as there are for eczema, you may be left wondering what causes eczema to flare up after using some of them. Some medication can exacerbate eczema and lead to your skin being even drier than before. While Samatha Bugsith of NSS Dermatology expert may recommend prescription medication to ease eczema, she could point you to natural treatments you can try to help replenish your moisture and strengthen your skin in the soonest possible time. They have various benefits and can make the healing process more comforting for you.

If youve already been taking prescription medication for eczema, consult with your dermatologist right away before trying any of these. Coconut Oil

Perhaps a better natural oil you can try as an alternative treatment for eczema is coconut oil. The National Eczema Association has pointed to coconut oil as an effective substance in preventing infection by reducing staph bacteria that develop on the skin.

You May Like: What Detergent To Use For Eczema

How To Use Coconut Oil For Eczema On Babies

An infants skin is soft and ultra-smooth until, for some, red scaly patches start showing up on their face or body. Any parent who has a baby suffering from eczema knows the pain, itchiness, and worries that it can cause. Here, we define eczema, share our favorite natural eczema remedies for babies, and explain how our coconut oil for eczema products are so effective.

Jojoba Oil By Leven Rose

Does coconut oil help with eczema?

People who manage eczema dont have the ability to produce or maintain a proper barrier on the skin, according to the NEA. Jojoba Oil by Leven Rose is nutrient-dense, made with no additives or parabens, and can be used as a natural skin conditioner. It can seal in the moisture and form an effective barrier to external elements, such as cold weather, which generally dries out the skin, says Jaliman. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help soothe irritated skin.

Recommended Reading: Vitamin E Oil For Eczema

Coconut Oil Is An Amazing Skin Moisturizer

One of the most important ways to manage eczema is to keep the skin moisturized properly. This helps to keep the skin moist while at the same time providing a protective layer on the skin. Usually, eczema suffers are advised to use mineral based oils to moisturize the skin. However, it has been reported that coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil in moisturizing the skin. But mineral oil doesnt let the skin breathe.

Because coconut oil contains lauric acid it is able to penetrate the skin and provide deep moisturizing to the skin, while at the same time keeping a protective layer on the skin.

One study published in the journal Dermatitis reported that in clinical trials extra virgin coconut oil as a moisturizer was just as effective as mineral oil in people with atopic dermatitis . However, the study also noted that coconut oil is also a proven antiseptic.3 Therefore, coconut oil is one of the best natural oils to moisturize damaged skin and this is one of the reasons Ive already mentioned to keep it in your bathroom.

What Are Some Of The Benefits Of Using Coconut Oil

  • Low cost.
  • High lauric acid content can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
  • Coconut oil can help boost metabolism.

As you can see the benefits far outweigh the downsides.

Has coconut oil been reported to lower anxiety and depression? Im not sure about that but you can read one of our blogs called ECZEMA AND DEPRESSION- HOW TO COPE

You May Like: How To Heal Eczema Without Steroids

What About Coconut Oil For Really Dry Skin

Eczema is not the only skin problem people have to deal with. When the humidity drops and the furnace comes on, skin suffers. Some people develop a condition dermatologists call xerosis. Dont you just love those dermatological tongue twisters. It comes from the Greek word xero, or dry.

People with xerosis have abnormally dry skin. An article in the journal Dermatitis describes it this way:

Xerosis is a common skin condition characterized by dry, rough, scaly, and itchy skin, associated with a defect in skin barrier function, and treated with moisturizers. People in the tropics have effectively used coconut oil as a traditional moisturizer for centuries. Recently, the oil also has been shown to have skin antiseptic effects. A moisturizer with antiseptic effects has value, but there are no clinical studies to document the efficacy and safety of coconut oil as a skin moisturizer.

The researchers set out to conduct just such a randomized double-blind clinical trial. They assigned 34 patients to apply either coconut oil or mineral oil to their legs twice a day for two weeks. They then performed a sensitive test to determine skin hydration.

Can Coconut Oil Dry Skin

Coconut oil for eczema: How it works and tips for use

Despite the fact that coconut oil is definitely an oil and, as stated above, it does absorb into the skin, many people also report that coconut oil increases the feeling of dryness in their skin. This seems completely counterintuitive, but again, plenty of comments threads read like this one that states “coconut oil causes sandpaper hands“. Yep.

How could this be? One possible explanation is that the oil’s absorption actually causes more problems than it solves for some people. Your skin produces its own sebum to moisturize the skin. Applying oil to the skin affects natural oil balance. By applying more oil, your skin feels moisturized and may begin to produce less natural oil because it already feels oil-rich. You can see the opposite of this effect when people use too many astringents and strip their skin of oil repeatedly, then causing overproduction of oil resulting in a slick like the Gulf spill of 2010 right on their face. With oil and faces, the right amount of the right type is like the heavens open up and angels sing – sublime! But the wrong one for your skin type can definitely throw things off.

Don’t Miss: What Is The Best Face Wash For Eczema

Coconut Oil Vs Olive Oil Which One Is More Effective

As per the a study published in International Journal of Dermatology in 2014, researchers gave virgin coconut oil to 26 patients and virgin olive oil to another set of 26 people. After 4 weeks, it has been proved that people who took coconut oil showed positive results by an average of 46.8% and people who took virgin olive by 30.1%. So, the effectiveness of coconut oil is more than olive oil.

What Is Coconut Oil

The clues in the name. Coconut oil is simply the oil derived from either fresh coconuts or Copras. Over 50% of the fat in coconut oil is lauric acid. In fact, coconut oil is the richest source of lauric acid after breastmilk. Its antimicrobial properties can help fight irritation and infection.

Coconut oil is also said to have a similar pH balance as a person skin, promoting healthy, even-toned and nutritionally balanced skin. 94% of the oil is acidic which makes it tough for bacteria to grow making it a fantastic natural antibacterial ointment. The natural Vitamins in the oil are very beneficial for your skin.

Recommended Reading: Can Stress Make Eczema Flare Up

Evidence For Coconut Oil On Eczema Rashes:

One study compared mineral oil to virgin coconut oil on the skin to treat symptoms of eczema . During the two months of the study, coconut oil performed better in easing the symptoms of these children, confirming your own experience.

Coconut oil is a source of medium-chain fatty acids. Perhaps that is what your naturopathic expert meant when she suggested your son needed some type of mid-level oil. This may or may not explain why it worked better than other creams and lotions.

We should warn that some people might have an allergic reaction to the coconut oil itself. Although this appears to be a rare reaction, it has been reported .

How Does Coconut Oil Help Eczema

Coconut Oil Helps with Rashes, Psoriasis and Eczema

Many health websites tout coconut oil as a miracle product that can do anything from soothing dry, cracked skin and hair to whitening our teeth and freshening our breath. And theres some truth behind the hype.

Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a nutritious fatty acid, or lipid, also found in breast milk. Lauric acid is used to develop monolaurin, which is an antimicrobial agent that can fight bacteria, fungi, yeast, viruses and other pathogens.

In other words, when you hear people talk about coconut oil having antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties beneficial to eczema, they are correct.

Coconut oil has the natural ability to penetrate the skin quickly and efficiently, which can boost hydration, improve skin elasticity, fight itch and reduce the chances of infection.

Recommended Reading: Eczema Cream For Genital Area

How To Use Coconut Oil For Eczema

There are a few dos and donts you should note before you begin using coconut oil for eczema.

First off, do not stop your current medical treatment when you begin using it. Let your doctor know you wish to add coconut oil to your protocol, and ask for their opinion on how you should proceed.

If youre allergic to coconuts, do not use coconut oil on your skin. Some people who are allergic to walnuts or hazelnuts are also allergic to coconuts. This is known as cross-reactivity.

Once youre ready to give it a go, choose a high-quality, organic coconut oil thats labeled as either cold pressed or virgin. This ensures that the coconut oil you put on your face was extracted without the use of chemicals that could irritate your skin. Most of the scientific studies that have examined coconut oil and its potential benefits used this type of oil in their analyses. Coconut oil is widely available and can be found in most grocery stores. You can also find it in organic food stores and online.

Coconut oil is solid at room temperature. To make it easier to apply, put a little bit on your hands and rub them together. This will liquefy the oil, allowing you to spread it liberally onto your skin.

Apply coconut oil to your skin when its slightly damp at least twice daily. You can use coconut oil on skin that is currently exhibiting eczema symptoms, and also between outbreaks. This will help keep it moisturized and reduce the likelihood of inflammation.

The Best Coconut Oil For Eczema

When using coconut oil for skin, you should always buy extra virgin coconut oil which has been organically grown. That way you make sure that you get the best quality coconut oil and that nothing has been added to it. In addition most of the research that Ive mentioned was done using virgin coconut oil.

In conclusion, it can be seen that coconut oil is a great topical treatment for all types of skin diseases. It addresses all the 4 factors that eczema treatments should do. Coconut oil controls itchiness, helps the skin to heal, it prevents further flare-ups, and it prevents the skin from becoming infected.

Read these related articles:

You May Like: Types Of Eczema On Arms

Why Is Coconut Oil Good For Your Eczema

Eczema is a mercurial beast. Some people call it the itch that rashes. For many Eczema sufferers feel the itch before redness or rash occurs. Dry, flaky skin is common. It also affects the hands or joint areas. Sometimes it affects the feet. Others experience symptoms on the face.

Eczema is related to asthma, but even that connection is little understood. Eczema affects everyone differently. So how does coconut oil help you during a flare-up?

The first mechanism is its moisturizing properties. This has actually been tested clinically. Coconut oil is proven to reduce eczema symptoms in children. The clinical study compared it to mineral oil, another common treatment.

Another common suggestion. petroleum jelly does not moisturize. It only keeps moisture in the skin. If the skin is already dry, it just stops it from getting much worse. Coconut oil adds moisture to provide true relief for dry patches.

Controlling the dryness is critical. Dry skin can crack or split. If these areas are not treated, they are susceptible to infection.

One of the common problems associated with eczema is a form of staph infection. Coconut oil has a high concentration of lauric acid. The body converts this acid into a compound called monolaurin. This substance helps control fungal and bacterial infections, especially certain types of staph. This effect has also been studied and confirmed multiple times.

Coconut oil taken orally can boost general immune system function.

Cut Out Triggers First

7 Best And Effective Ways To Cure Eczema In Children ...

Over the years, I’ve been prescribed antihistamines that could knock out the biggest Sri Lankan elephants, a cornucopia of steroid creams and, of course, I’ve come running to my doctor desperate for a cortisone shot when I cannot stand the itch any longer. As an adult though, I have been experimenting with many things, including my diet, to help control my eczema, and I’ve seen the biggest results when I cut gluten out of my diet. Sperling agrees that certain foods can trigger eczema. “Eczema is an inflammatory, chronic skin condition. It can be triggered by some foods, including dairy, citrus, eggs, and gluten. It also can be caused by genetics. In order to figure out if itâs due to a food allergy, you can try an elimination diet to see if you react to a certain type of food,” she shares with Bustle.

While I stopped itching, the scarring remained and because I’ve darker skin, the scars and the dry skin just made my neck, the back of my knees and the insides of my elbow look much, much darker. Can you imagine how hard it was looking for foundation that matched my neck and my face?

Read Also: Can A Bleach Bath Help Eczema

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular