My Friend The Dermatologist

There is a very popular health website on the internet that is proclaiming that coconut oil is a great skin moisturizer and should be used frequently. This of course could be influenced by the fact that this website actually sells coconut oil, a significant conflict of interest if you ask me.

The fact is, that one has to be very careful with the use of coconut oil as it has a very high comedogenicity number. This means that people who have acne prone skin can experience a significant outbreak not just on the face but on the chest and back as well if they use coconut oil. Same goes with coconut butter and cocoa butter as well.

If you have no acne or acne prone skin then it is fine to use. I have many patients from the Phillipines and they often have coconut oil at home and together we have had success using it as a good moisturizer for the skin. I don’t think it is superior to other moisturizers but it is comparable to other moisturizers.

In summary, if you have a cheap and ready supply of coconut oil (usually very expensive) and you have dry skin or mild eczema and are looking for a moisturizer, coconut oil can be helpful but if you have any acne it is to be avoided.

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