Coconut Oil for Acne: Healer or Trigger?

You must have seen that the beauty world has a lot of arguments regarding what is actually good for your skin. So, here is the answer: coconut oil is that one ingredient.

Just in case if you try to search for "coconut oil acne," you will be able to find many stories saying that it is a great remedy but there are warnings too which say that it is bad for your skin.

You must have known that when you apply coconut oil over your face, you are putting a thick layer of oil over your skin surface, which can eventually lead to skin breakouts.

This comprehensive web blog will help you understand whether coconut oil is actually good for your skin or it is just making your acne worse. It will also help you understand the chemical working behind this concept.

Key Takeaways

• Raw coconut oil mainly consists of a high comedogenic rating which is 4 out of 5, which means that the thick molecular makeup is most likely to get stuck with the dead skin cells as well as blocks oil from getting out of hair follicles.
• A thick blocking layer on the face will trap sweat and dirt which makes a perfect breeding environment for acne causing bacteria.
• Even if coconut oil has about 50% lauric acid, which is favourable for killing microbes, its heavy texture will cause skin blockage which can actually benefit people.
• Skincare therapists as well as dermatologists will usually recommend the use of lighter, water-based products instead of heavy raw oils. These products will help you provide useful ingredients into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling.

What Is the Science Behind Coconut Oil Pimples?

In order to understand how coconut oil pimples affect the skin, you should understand why pimples take place. It is a long-lasting inflammation of the hair follicle and the oil gland. The formation of acne takes place firstly not falling off the dead skin cells which makes them stick together and block the skin pores.

But then due to some hormonal changes, the oil glands will make too much oil. This will make a breeding place for acne causing bacteria which grows inside the blocked pore as well as feeds over the excess oil.

After that, the body’s immune system will react to the bacteria and cause red sore bumps. In this case if you add more oil from outside sources to pores that are already clogged, it can cause more destruction.

How Can Lauric Acid Help You Cure Your Skin?

Coconut oil contains a mixture of fatty acids that helps in treating skin breakouts. You should know that the raw, unprocessed form of coconut oil contains approx 50% lauric acid that is a type of medium-chain fatty acid which has many health benefits.

1. Fighting acne causing bacteria 

You must know that the purest form of lauric acid can kill the acne causing bacteria. Lauric acid can easily break down your bacterial membranes, and helps in reducing the formation of acne-causing bacteria more effectively than some levels of benzoyl peroxide without causing any serious dryness.

2. Reducing skin inflammation 

Coconut oil consists of antioxidants as well as moisture loving parts that can easily calm your red, irritated skin. It can also help in regaining lost moisture if your skin has been dried out due to strong acne treatments as well as supports your skin’s natural repair process.

3. Healing your skin cells 

The coconut oil active ingredients can also help your body make more collagen and in regaining your old flawless skin cells. During the healing process, it will help in keeping your skin area moist and helps in fading away the dry, light marks which are left behind due to previous skin breakouts.

How Can the Use of Coconut Oil Be Proved as a Trigger for Your Skin Conditions?

As you know that coconut oil has some good antimicrobial properties, but still many skincare professionals will not recommend using it over your face. The way how coconut oil behaves over skin is more problematic than its chemical benefits.

1. Comedogenic range

The active ingredients are scored on the scale which ranges from 0 to 5 which indicates how likely these ingredients can block your skin pores.

0: not causing clog pores

1: very low 

2: Low 

3: Moderate

4: High 

5: Almost certain to clog pores

Coconut oil has come with a score of 4, which only means that its structure will stick to dead skin cells as well as the natural oils and will form a blockage inside the pores hence leading to more skin breakouts.

2. Forming a thick, protective layer

Coconut oil consists of an occlusive active ingredient which can easily seal the formation of the thick barrier over the skin. This will further help in  keeping moisture over the very dry skin of your body, but upon the coconut oil face, it can easily trap heat, sweat, dead skin, as well as the acne causing bacteria present underneath the skin surface.

3. Fungal acne

All breakout are not caused due to bacteria while some are due to a type of yeast called Malassezia folliculitis.The coconut oil fats can easily feed these yeast, and can lead to the severe fungal breakout.

How Can You Use Coconut Oil for Different Skin Types?

The proper interaction of your skin with coconut oil mainly depends upon your skin type.

Many expert dermatologists will say that a single raw active ingredient will not work for all skin types in the same way.

1. Oily and Acne-Prone Skin 

Just in case you are the one having oily skin, it will be best for you to avoid the use of raw coconut oil over your face. Adding oil on an oily skin can cause more severe whiteheads, blackheads, as well as deep cysts.

2. Dry or Non-Acne Prone Skin 

If you are the one having a  dry skin type then coconut oil can be proved as an effective and affordable moisturizer. The smooth oil will help in improving the texture of the skin as well as provide moisture to the skin.

3. Combination Skin 

Combination skin has oily areas such as forehead, nose, and chin as well as the dry areas such as cheeks. So, in this condition if you use coconut oil all over your face, it might cause skin breakouts over oily areas but can also hydrate the dry areas. Hence it will be safer to go for a properly structured routine.

How Can You Optimize the Safer Use of Coconut Oil?

If you still want to use coconut oil, there are mainly 2 ways for the safe use of oil as well as for reducing the risk of pore clogging.

1. Cleansing Method 

Instead of leaving your face with oil overnight, you should try to massage it for a short time. You can also apply a little amount of virgin coconut oil in order to help in the breakdown of stubborn makeup or sunscreens. In order to remove surface dirt, you should massage it gently for 30 to 60 seconds and then use a water-based cleanser to wash it off completely.

2. Patch Testing 

Before applying oil to your face, take 2-3 drops of oil over your jawline or inner arm and test it over a small area of skin. You should then check if there is any redness, bumps, or itching over 24 to 48 hours. If your skin reacts, you must avoid using it over your face.

What Other Active Ingredients to Use in Case of Oily Skin?

What Could Be the Step by Step Routine Combined with the Coconut in Order to Minimize Its Side Effects?

This step by step routine is designed for maximizing the antimicrobial power of lauric acid as well as the hydration of coconut water and minimizing the risk of pores clogging and skin breakouts.

The Morning routine

The main focus of the morning routine is on deep detoxification, oil control, as well as weightless hydration to keep your skin matte and protected throughout the day.

1. Cleanse with an Anti-Acne Face Wash

For this step, first rinse your face properly with lukewarm water. After that squeeze a small amount of the Alite anti acne facewash onto your palms and gently massage it in circular motions. This facewash will act as a magnet and pull out overnight accumulated deep sweat, dirt, as well as trapped oil, while the Ceramide NP will help in protecting your natural skin barrier. Let it rest for 60 minutes and then wash your face completely and pat it dry.

2. Hydrate it with a coconut Water Gel Moisturizer

A lightweight, Coconut Water and Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer such as Moody 7D Hydro Burst or WOW Skin Science HydroCharge should be applied in a pea-sized amount. This will help in infusing your skin with essential electrolytes as well as hydration without adding pore-clogging lipids.

3. Protect your skin with a non-Comedogenic Sunscreen

Finally, finish your morning routine with a broad-spectrum, oil-free sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) in order to protect your skin from the UV rays as well as prevent darkening of post-acne marks.

The Evening Routine

The main focus of the evening routine is removing environmental impurities as well as utilizing the double-cleansing method to safely use virgin coconut oil as a healer.

1. Pre-Cleansing with a less contact of Virgin Coconut Oil

Take 3-5 drops of an organic virgin coconut oil and apply it directly to your dry skin area. Then gently massage it for approx 60 seconds. Then you will see that natural lauric acid will cause break down of stubborn makeup, water-resistant sunscreens,as well as surface dirt in order to protect your lipids from getting dried out. You must remember not to leave it on and should immediately proceed to the next step.

2. Double Cleansing with an Anti-Acne Foaming Face Wash

Take a small amount of Alite Anti-Acne Foaming Face Wash and directly apply it over the oil layer without removing it. This will help in breaking down as well as emulsify the heavy coconut oil molecules, and completely wash them away along with the dissolved surface debris.

This step will make sure no oil residue present behind to clog your pores. You should mainly focus on the T-zones and should gently massage it for 30 to 45 seconds. Finally, rinse it thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat your face dry.

3. Applying an Anti-Acne Gel

Take a thin layer of this fast-absorbing spot treatment such as Alite Anti Acne Gel and apply it directly to the active pimples, blackheads, as well as inflamed areas. This will help in calming inflammation, target bacteria, as well as clear blocked pores overnight.

4. Use of a Spots Reduction Cream

Once the acne gel has fully absorbed the dirt substances, you should apply a small amount of this Alite spot reduction cream specifically over the dark spots, acne scars, as well as the uneven pigmentation of your skin. This will help in actively fade away the past breakout marks while you are sleeping.

Final Verdict

Coconut oil consists of some of the antimicrobial benefits mainly due to the presence of  lauric acid. Its high comedogenic rating indicates that it can often cause breakouts. In case of having oily or acne-prone skin, the risk of clogged pores is much more than any other possible benefits.

So instead of using raw coconut oil which can cause unexpected skin breakouts, it is better to switch to skincare products which are specially made for acne-prone skin. Choosing a non-comedogenic anti-acne routine with products made for a coconut oil alternative can really help you enjoy a clear, healthy flawless skin without causing any risky breakouts.