Skin Benefits of Coconut Oil

You must have been often advised by your mother or grandmother to apply a little coconut oil on dry areas of your skin. This is because coconut oil helps in naturally overcoming dryness of skin.

Using Coconut Oil for Skin Care

Asian people and people in the Pacific regions have used coconut oil for skin care for centuries. The reasons why coconut oil is used in skin care is due to the ability of coconut oil to break down harmful free radicals in the body, which prematurely age the skin and destroy the underlying tissues; a detailed explanation of this process is given in the book “The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil” by Bruce Fife, an extract of which is published on the website Coconut Connections.

Nutrients in Coconut Oil

Unrefined, virgin coconut oil contains a number of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help to soften, protect and heal the skin and consequently restore the vitality and elasticity of young-looking skin. However, use only unrefined, virgin coconut oil, not refined coconut oil substitutes, which do not contain the same nutrients and properties.

Benefits of Coconut Oil in Skin Care

 Using coconut oil for skin care removes dead skin cells, prevents the development of liver spots, protects against sunlight exposure, prevents wrinkles, firms the skin, repairs damaged skin tissue, softens the skin and gives the skin an overall healthy glow. In some instances, coconut oil penetrates the skin’s natural lipid barriers to heal underlying skin damage. Coconut oil also possesses antiseptic properties to prevent fungal and bacterial infections such as acne, herpes and warts.

How to Apply

Apply coconut oil to the skin after bathing or showering to promote maximum healing benefits; coconut oil is readily absorbed into the skin, with no greasy after effect, so there is no need to wash off any excess oil after using. Coconut oil is available as an oil, lotion or cream. Len Price, in his book “Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy and Massage,” also cites the use of coconut oil in massage creams, due to its skin-softening properties.