Coconut oil as moisturizer?

[TeriTX]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for all the great info you share!

Several months ago, before returning to the McDougall lifestyle, I bought a jar of coconut oil. I never got around to actually using it in food prep (thankfully!), had the unopened jar sitting in the refrigerator, and then read about using the oil as a skin moisturizer.

I've been putting it on each night before bed for a few weeks now and it seems to work well; I avoid commercial moisturizers because of eye irritation -- I had eye surgery many years ago and have super-sensitive eyes.

I've begun to wonder if I could be absorbing anything from the coconut oil that might cause problems -- in a McDougall way.

Thank you for your help.

TeriTX

[Lacey]

I hope you don't mind if I ask my question on your thread as it is essentially the same question. I get regular massages and the therapist uses a massage cream on her other clients, but I don't want her to use it on me as it contains two forms of parabens, which I do my best to avoid. Instead, I buy a bottle of food grade organic almond oil. I used to use coconut oil (organic, food grade) but I like the feel of the almond oil better. So I have the same question. Does oil we rub on our skin cause problems for those of us following the McDougall diet? BTW, a bottle of the almond oil lasts a very long time as she uses as little as she can.

[JeffN]

You have both raised an interesting question that I do not know the answer to.

The body can definitely absorb chemicals through the skin, as that is how patches like nicotine and fentynal patches work.

I do now know whether or not saturated fats can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream and have a negative effect.

I will look into it and report back what I find out, if anything

Perhaps Dr McDougall has some insight.

In Health
Jeff Novick, MS, RD

[satlew]

Dr Fuhrman stated that the oil will not get into the bloodstream as the skin has a protective layer to prevent it. He says that alcohol can pass through the barrier but other substances cannot.

[JeffN]

Well, it seems like oil can be absorbed into the bloodstream and effect nutritional status.

First, a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a highly reputable journal.

Cutaneous application of safflower oil in preventing essential fatty acid deficiency in patients on home parenteral nutrition
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 46, 419-423,

Cutaneous safflower oil may improve plasma FAP but adequacy of tissue stores remains unanswered. Liver function tests need to be monitored if this treatment modality is utilized.


Two others from another journal.

Transcutaneous absorption of oil in preterm babies--a pilot study.
Indian Pediatr. 2005 Mar;42(3):255-8.

The post oil application serum sample of all the 12 babies showed the presence of marker fatty acids of Meadowfoam oil which indicates transcutaneous absorption of oil in preterm babies.


Transcutaneous absorption of topically massaged oil in neonates.
Indian Pediatr. 2005 Oct;42(10):998-1005

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that topically applied oil can be absorbed in neonates and is probably available for nutritional purposes. The fatty acid constituents of the oil can influence the changes in the fatty acid profiles of the massaged babies.


And from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Can Cutaneous Application of Vegetable Oil Prevent an Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency? Volume 107, Issue 7, Page 1262 (July 2007)

Another option for patients not able to use the fat emulsion is to try cutaneous application of soybean or safflower oil. This may be a useful alternative since topical linoleic acid is transcutaneously absorbed directly into plasma . There is limited information regarding the amount of oil to apply. One study set the dose at 2 to 3 mg oil per kg per day. Oil application may be sufficient to normalize plasma levels of essential fatty acids but not to maintain liver and other tissue stores. Some investigators have reported favorable results using this method while others have not. Close monitoring is essential to prevent complications or essential fatty acid deficiency

The references cited for these statements are

Merritt R. The A.S.P.E.N. Support Practice Manual. 2nd Edition. Silver Spring, MD: American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition; 2005;.

Miller DG, Williams SK, Palombo JD, Griffin RE, Bistrian BR, Blackburn GL. Cutaneous application of safflower oil in preventing essential fatty acid deficiency in patients on home parenteral nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 1987;46:419–423.

So, according to these recent studies, it is not only possible but probable

But, we do not know for sure as it doesnt seem to be well tested. And their tests were on essential fats and not saturated fats.

In Health
Jeff Novick, MS, RD

[Donna R]

I was wondering about this, too! since cutting out all added oils I've used olive oil on my face as it's been dry. now if it's being absorbed into my body it seems that would be better than the ingredients in lotion! which I use all over. also oil is good to put on knees or legs or anything that hurts. I'll keep using it and maybe we'll find out more.................

>Transcutaneous absorption of oil in preterm babies--a pilot study.

this reminds me that I read that the Dionne quints born in Canada in 1934 were bathed with olive oil.

[groundhogg]

At first I couldn't tell if everybody was UNHAPPY with the idea that your skin can absorb stuff ya put on it, or HAPPY about that...

... I guess if your EFAs are gotten that way, good, and it doesn't store up like fat eaten, good too, is what everybody's saying?

I never needed lotions, etc., when I lived in a more humid climate... of course, everybody that lives where I do now seems to think it IS humid here, but I don't. I've needed something on my skin up here, but never did where it REALLY was more humid...so I think, to me, it seems one's climate is a factor, maybe one's diet too... I don't know. All I know is my skin got dry for the first time in my life as soon as we lived here... also, we were not in air-conditioning much until we wored in air-conditioned buildings, for the first time ever, after moving up here. The heat is bad too... a kettle of water on the woodstove works much better than these awful HVAC systems in the buildings in big cities.

As far as putting stuff on yer body... a few years back, I read something Doug Graham said that made sense to me and eventually that advice began to settle into my own skin... he said something like don't ever put anything on your body that's not edible.

I was attempting to follow that advice, and had trouble figuring out what's really in soaps, not to mention the horrible shampoos, etc. Finally, now I've been making my own soap, which is all "edible oils," except for the small amount of castor oil in it too, supposedly very good for skin, though, and of course the lye, not particularly edible, but transformed by the saponification process, and it's what's put into corn to make hominy anyhow... so, while I would not eat lye itself, it seems okay after going through certain processes.

So besides oils on the skin, I make our soap now too, and we use that on our hair too... works out great! It ain't easy, in our day and age, to try to get away from all the doggone chemicals everywhere!

By the way, I learned to make soap by watching videos on expertvillage.com... t'ain't that hard...even kinda fun... I found the video of the lady who uses water pipe tubes for molds, and we just make plain, basic recipe and cut bars from the pipes.

[Donna R]

Ground, I think the idea in this case was to avoid added fat so it might not be a good thing to have oil absorbed from the skin into the body. but as I said in my last post, if it is absorbed that seems better than the chemicals in commercial lotions!

by the way, castor oil is edible and it doesn't smell. small doses are used for laxatives. it's good for the skin, is considered healing. since you have it on hand I'll give you a link. the cold or expeller pressed is best.
http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/castoroiluses.html

[fiddler3]

Maybe, the fat you wear is the fat you wear???

fiddler3

[JeffN]

The references I posted only say it is possible and maybe probable.

But, we do not know for sure as it doesnt seem to be well tested. And their tests were on essential fats and not saturated fats.

In Health
Jeff Novick, MS, RD

[susie]

I tried coconut oil on my skin for a whille while following a raw diet. It seemed ok in the cooler months, but in the hotter weather it ran down into my eyes hours after being applied. So be careful in summer if you have problems with your eyes. i finally stopped using it after I notice the sun exposed areas of my face started wrinkling. Now you might think that everyone has lots of wrinkles on their face at 66, but I don't. So I immediately stopped using it and tossed it in the bin.

Coconut oil is dearly loved by raw foodists, but I could not bring myself to eat it either.