Almost everyone has suffered from acne at some point or another, and not just teenagers. Acne can progress even into adult years, which can sometimes be highly frustrating and even more embarassing.
Even if you only get the occassional breakout, you can still be left with acne marks and scars long after the actual pimple is gone.
If you’ve tried every over the counter option for acne and acne scars available, maybe it’s time for a more natural approach.
Coconut oil has been deemed an all-purpose superfood, from helping speed up metabolism to supplying the body with vital heart-healthy fats, but what about its use for acne and acne scars?
What Causes Acne?
Acne can be caused by several factors such as genetics, diet and lifestyle. This may come as a surprise to some, but acne actually doesn’t develop in the skin, but instead starts in the liver.
When the liver fails to turn off the production of androgens, the hormones produced by the adrenal and sex gland, an overproduction of sebum occurs.
Sebum naturally secretes to keep skin and hair healthy, but when sebum production continues, the skin can become overly oily.
Oily skin, however, isn’t necessarily the issue. The issue arises when the excess oil combines with blood toxins, feeding acne bacteria which leads to clogged pores and acne.
How Does Coconut Oil Help Acne and Acne Scars?
Fighting excess oil with more oil might seem like a bad idea, but coconut oil is a surprisingly effective ingredient. The proof of this is in the composition of coconut oil.
Coconut oil is made up of two antimicrobial powerhouses – lauric acid and capric acid. In fact, lauric acid makes up roughly 50 percent of the composition of coconut oil, which is why coconut oil is so good at fighting bacteria, viruses and fungi.
This is good news for acne sufferers! These fatty acids combine to help destroy the bacteria on the skin, thus reducing the chance of a break out.
Coconut Oil for Acne Scars
Coconut oil has many health benefits, including helping to manage acne as well as acne scars. The rich fatty acid content along with a plethora of vitamins, helps to boost the skin’s appearance, strength and smoothness, all while fading acne marks and preventing further possible breakouts.
The Benefits
Vitamin E
Coconut oil is a fantastic source of vitamin E. This helps to keep the sebum glands functioning properly as well as clear of dirt, grime, and other acne causing blockages.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K helps to form a protective layer on the skin. This layer helps to protect the skin against any further bacteria from entering the pores and causing more acne while the skin is healing.
Vitamin A
The vitamin A found in coconut oil helps to improve overall skin appearance, smoothness and strength.
Natural Oils
Coconut oil mimics the oils in the skin, but won’t clog the pores. This means that the skin will produce less sebum, which will lead to fewer breakouts overall.
Anti-Inflammatory
Acne sufferers tend to have inflammed skin that can be hot and uncomfortable. Coconut oil helps to cool down the skin and relieve the inflammed areas of the face.
How To Use Coconut Oil for Acne and Acne Scars
One of the best things you can do for your acne (as well as your overall health) is to consume coconut oil on a daily basis. Coconut oil helps to rid the body of toxins, which is why ingesting the oil is one of the best ways to clean out the liver and thus clean up the skin.
Blending coconut oil into your coffee, smoothie or meals is a simple way to fit coconut oil into your diet. Start with one tablespoon of coconut oil a day and slowly work your way up to as much as three tablespoons.
Coconut oil can also be applied topically, which is recommended for acne sufferers and those wishing to rid their skin of acne scars.
Simply take a tablespoon of solid coconut oil between your palms and rub them together to warm the oil before massaging the oil gently into your skin.
Your skin may seem oily at first, but give the coconut oil time to absorb. If the oily feeling is bothering you, let the oil sit and absorb for at least 30 minutes before wiping it clean with a cloth.
A Word of Caution
Coconut oil alone may not work for all acne sufferers, specifically if you have a very severe case. Coconut oil works best for treating acne and acne scars in conjuction with a healthy diet, lots of water as well as proper sleep.
If you do choose to use coconut oil, always use organic extra virgin coconut oil.
This will help you avoid the toxic pesticides that can be found in plain coconut oil, which could clog pores and contribute to more breakouts.
Also, due to coconut oil’s cleansing abilities, you may experience a “purging” phase or round of breakouts after beginning a coconut oil treatment. This is because the oil is cleansing your liver of toxins.
When these toxins are finally purged from your body, the breakouts will cease and leave you with beautiful, unmarred skin. It takes patience! The more toxins you have, the longer your body may need to purge them.
So if you are sick and tired of the breakout cycle which leaves your skin inflammed, infected and eventually scared, then bypass the skin products isle and grab yourself a jar of organic extra virgin coconut oil. It might just be your new favorite beauty secret!
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