Is Coconut Oil Bad For Skin?
Could Coconut Oil Be the Real Reason You're Breaking Out?
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If you're a diehard coconut oil fan and you don't want to give it up, good news: you don't necessarily have to. You should reach for fractionated coconut oil, not the unrefined virgin kind you pick up at most grocery stores. So what is fractionated oil? For starters, you'll find it most commonly at health food stores, apothecaries, and vitamin shops. Most coconut oils liquefy with heat and solidify at room temperature; fractionated coconut oil does not.
"Virgin coconut oil contains both long and medium chain fatty acids; the long chain fatty acids are heavier and can take a while to absorb, which ends up binding to the dead skin cells and clogging the pores," said Los Angeles-based esthetician Courtney Chiusano. "Fractionated coconut oil has been refined to contain mostly medium chain fatty acids called caprylic acid, which absorb much quicker into the skin, making it a better option. Caprylic acid is a powerful antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral, making it great for everything from acne to rashes. It's also anti-inflammatory, which helps calm the skin."
Fractionated oil can lose some of the benefits due to the refining process, but it's a double-edged sword: would you rather soothe your skin but experience a breakout the next day? That's why, in my opinion, fractionated coconut oil is a better choice, especially if you're prone to acne and clogged pores.
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