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Today I want to share a post with you that I get questions about all the time! How to use coconut oil topically plus the chemistry behind it!
Coconut oil is a very unique vegetable oil unlike others. It has a unique blend of fatty acids and chemical properties making it very useful for a variety of things.
I will also touch on coconut oil for your health which has been a topic of debate over the last few years!
How to Use Coconut Oil Topically Plus the Chemistry Behind It
The Chemical Composition of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is unique because it is a solid in cooler temperatures. Most oils you buy for cooking (olive, vegetable, avocado, sunflower, etc) are liquid at all temperatures. Coconut oil is usually in a solid form unless heated. I live in Texas, so most of the time my oil is a liquid because it is so warm here!
Anyways, the reason coconut oil is solid is due to the high levels of saturated fats. These fats aren’t like saturated animal fats though.
If you look at the chemical composition of coconut oil, it contains some of the following:
- Fatty acids
- Tocopherols
- Triaclylglycerols
- Phospholipids
- Sterols
- Volatiles
The fatty acids are the key to many of the health benefits of coconut oil for topical use. The main fatty acids found in coconut oil are lauric acid, myristic acid, and palmitic acid.
Tocopherols are found in vegetable oils which are the source of antioxidants. Coconut oil isn’t very high in tocopherols, but it is still worth mentioning for the benefits.
The key to using coconut oil topically and medically is the fatty acid content. Especially the lauric acid.
Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil Is The Key!
In my opinion, it is the lauric acid that is responsible for the topical benefits of coconut oil. Lauric acid is high in antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
Although coconut oil contains many other chemicals, lauric acid makes up half of its composition. This is why coconut oil has so many benefits especially when used topically or orally.
Now I will show you how to use coconut oil topically!
How to Use Coconut Oil Topically
There are ways to treat many topical issues with coconut oil, but you want to make sure to use it correctly. There are also some skin issues that shouldn’t be treated with coconut oil! I will explain some of those too!
Eczema
I have treated eczema with coconut oil! During spring or summer, I will get tiny patches of eczema on my skin. Sometimes on my elbow area or on my cheek. Mine is usually due to inflammation or allergens, so coconut oil is a great option.
How to treat it:
Use a tiny amount of coconut oil. Massage it onto the eczema for a few seconds. Allow it to sit for about one minute, then RINSE! After rinsing, you can apply any other treatment you are using like a prescription or another cream.
The key to this is always rinse the oil off. Also, not every type of eczema can be treated with coconut oil, it depends on what it is from. So, always test first! It has worked for mine.
Fungus
Coconut oil can be used topically for different fungus issues. A popular way to try it is for toenail fungus. Just lather on some oil directly to the spot and leave it. I have a friend who did this and it went away in two days!
You can also use it for athlete’s foot. Just lather on some coconut oil after showering and allow it to work overnight. It will start combating the fungus after a few days.
Any other type of fungus on skin or nails can be treated with coconut oil. The lauric acid has such great antimicrobial properties, it starts working just after a day or two!
Infections
Since coconut oil is also an antibacterial. IT can be used for infections on the skin. Use it like you do above for fungus. I have heard of people even using it for Staph infections on skin!
Tooth Cleaning
Have you heard of oil pulling? Swishing coconut oil around in your mouth cleanses bacteria and cleans teeth! Some claim it even whitens teeth while doing this.
Here is how to do it:
Add 1-2 teaspoons of oil to your mouth, then swish around for 5-10 minutes. Spit into a trash can when you are finished. Brush well after finished. Do this daily for cleaning!
Warning: It is gross at first because of the texture of the coconut oil. Once the oil melts in the mouth, it is much easier! You can also just warm the oil up first, so it is already liquid 🙂
Coconut Oil for Face
My favorite way to use coconut oil is this DIY caffeinated oil. It wakes up tired skin and plumps it! I use this daily (especially with a newborn now lol).
You can also use it around the eye area to moisturize it.
Some have success using it for acne, but I would use it with caution! While the lauric acid in coconut oil can treat the bacteria that causing some acne, it isn’t a good choice for hormonal acne. If you want to moisturize your face with acne, I recommend squalane oil!
Coconut Oil for Health
This has been a huge topic over the last year when the American Heart Association said coconut oil was bad for you. This confused everyone because coconut oil has been called the healthiest oil for years. Many readers have asked my opinion on the subject.
The truth is coconut oil is a saturated fat. It isn’t like saturated animal fats though. It is a medium chain fatty acid, so it works differently in the body. It doesn’t “stick” to things like other saturated fats, so it isn’t bad for someone who is healthy. It has other proven health benefits like speeding up metabolism, energy boosting, leveling insulin, and more!
When it comes to saturated fats, it is really about how much you eat. You don’t want to eat a ton of coconut oil everyday, that wouldn’t be good for you. A serving or two is best. If you suffer from high cholesterol or heart issues, then it is probably not the best option. Always ask your doctor about specific foods!
I love it for baking because it is the only oil that will be solid in texture. This makes it a great option for dairy-free baking which we do all the time for health reasons! This is really the only way I use it.
What Kind to Buy
For topical uses, always choose an unrefined, cold-pressed organic coconut oil so you know you are getting the raw oil. I like this one the best!
When it comes to oil pulling for your teeth, you can use this oil also. Or you can use some ready to go packets with mint flavoring. I have used these and like them! The oil is really hard to get used to in your mouth due to the texture, so the minty flavor helps! These packets are great for on the go.
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After reading your take on Coconut Oil, I didn’t see anything about it helping lice. Just this past week, my twin granddaughters (4 years old in 2 weeks) came down with lice. Someone was telling us that they put coconut oil on their daughters hair, three nights in a row. (Put it on just before bed and then a rain cap over it.) Then wash it off in the morning. She has not had any problems with lice then. So what is your take on coconut oil and lice?
Thanks
I haven’t heard of using it for lice, so I looked up some information. Since coconut oil is so thick, it is said to suffocate the lice. It is also an antibacterial which helps with the itchy scalp too. That is great it worked for them!!
I have an even easier solution for killing head lice. Just buy coconut shampoo, you can get it at Walmart or anywhere. Wash the hair, just like normal, except watch them fall out dead! After that, towel dry the hair (again, just like normal), and then spray the hair with plain white vinegar. Comb through with a fine tooth comb. This loosens the nits and prevents reinfestation. I have used this remedy and it works. Cheap, easy, and effective. Apparently, coconut oil destroys their exoskeletons immediately and so they cannot survive it. They will never become immune to it, unlike all the remedies in the drug store.
I knew none of this and found it really interesting, thank you
It’s amazing how many things it works for!
Great info on coconut oil! I didn’t know about the antimicrobial/antibacterial factors… I may try it on my atopic dermatitis. Interesting that you would rinse it off, but it can make sense to make way for serum/skin treatments. I’m super interested in trying it on toenail fungus. My RA (or RA treatments) is causing fine hairline black streaks on just one toenail… go figure. I just can’t think about swishing coconut oil in my mouth, though… Thanks for all this info!
It is really amazing to use it for all these things! It is a little weird to swish in your mouth though lol you get used to it after awhile 🙂