Is Coconut Oil Good for Your Skin

Coconut oil may benefit your skin in a variety of ways. It may help moisturize your skin, relieve inflammation, accelerate wound healing, and treat acne. But it might not be suitable for everyone.
Several studies have even found it might have benefits for skin health as well.
This article looks at the evidence to examine whether coconut oil is good for skin.

What Is Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is a highly saturated oil that is traditionally made by extracting the oil from raw coconuts or dried coconut kernels (1Trusted Source).
At room temperature it’s solid, but when heated it can soften or even melt.
It’s frequently used in cooking or applied directly to the skin and hair.
Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, which are a form of saturated fat. In fact, these medium-chain fatty acids make up about 65% of its total composition (2Trusted Source).

The fatty acids found in coconut oil include (2Trusted Source):
• Lauric acid: 49%
• Myristic acid: 18%
• Caprylic acid: 8%
• Palmitic acid: 8%
• Capric acid: 7%
• Oleic acid: 6%
• Linoleic acid: 2%
• Stearic acid: 2%

Although coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat, it does contain small amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats as well. One tablespoon contains about 12 grams of saturated fat and 1 gram of unsaturated fat (3).
It Can Kill Harmful Microorganisms
The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil have antimicrobial properties that can help protect against harmful microorganisms.
This is especially important for skin health, as many types of skin infections, including acne, cellulitis, folliculitis and athlete’s foot, are caused by bacteria or fungi (4Trusted Source).

Applying coconut oil directly to the skin may prevent the growth of these microorganisms.
Coconut Oil Could Reduce Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is a major component of many different types of skin disorders, including psoriasis, contact dermatitis and eczema (9Trusted Source).
Interestingly, coconut oil has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Not only was coconut oil found to have an anti-inflammatory effect, but it relieved pain as well (10Trusted Source).
What’s more, coconut oil may ease inflammation by improving antioxidant status.

Coconut Oil May Help Treat Acne
While some think coconut oil clogs pores, considerable research shows it might actually help treat acne.
Acne is an inflammatory condition, and many of the medications used to treat it work by targeting and reducing inflammation (13Trusted Source).
Because coconut oil and its components may help reduce inflammation in the body, it may also aid in the treatment of acne.

Coconut Oil Can Moisturize Dry Skin
In addition to its effects on acne and inflammation, applying coconut oil to your skin can also help keep it hydrated.
Coconut Oil May Help With Wound Healing