Can coconut oil remove dark circles?

Can coconut oil remove dark circles?

What is Coconut oil?

Coconut oil comes from the nut (fruit) of the coconut palm. It contains medium-chain fatty acids, including capric acid, caprylic acid, and lauric acid.

About 52% to 85% of coconut oil is made up of specifically saturated fats, called medium-chain fatty acids. It has a moisturizing effect when applied to the skin.

 People commonly use coconut oil for eczema and growth in premature infants. It's also used for psoriasis, obesity, breast cancer, heart disease, MS, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

 Considered to be useful for

Growth and development in premature infants. Applying coconut oil to the skin of premature infants might improve body temperature, breathing, skin health, and overall growth.

Eczema, Applying coconut oil to the skin can reduce eczema symptoms in children more than applying mineral oil.

There is interest in using coconut oil for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

 Can coconut oil remove dark circles?

Coconut oil has been described as a superfood, and it’s gotten a lot of attention for its possible health benefits.

The oil, which is pressed and expelled from the fruit of the coconut palm tree, contains high concentrations of small-chain fatty acids that may reduce inflammation and improve circulation.

It also has antioxidant and skin-strengthening qualities.

This unique combination of properties has led some people to suggest using coconut oil as a treatment for dark circles under the eyes.

As you age, your skin becomes thinner. This process can cause dark circles, as it makes the blood vessels beneath your eyes more visible.

Dark circles may also be caused by:

  • dehydration

  • lack of sleep

  • allergies

  • certain medications, particularly those that dilate blood vessels

How to use coconut oil for dark circles

If you’d like to try coconut oil as a treatment for under-eye circles, make sure that you purchase cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil. This kind of coconut oil hasn’t been modified or bleached by chemical preservation processes.

Next, follow these steps:

  • Wash your face and clean off any makeup or other beauty products to allow coconut oil to be absorbed into your skin.
  • Gently massage about a teaspoon of room-temperature coconut oil into the area underneath your eyes. Massage for at least 30 seconds under each eye.
  • Let the coconut oil absorb completely into your skin.

Since coconut oil makes your skin slippery and oily, this treatment is best done at bedtime.

Is it effective?

There’s not a lot of research into coconut oil for dark circles. In fact, there’s not a lot of research into how to get rid of dark circles (sometimes called periorbital hyperpigmentation) in general.

But there is reason to believe that topical coconut oil is an effective treatment for some people. Studies show that coconut oil can help cell turnover, making the skin barrier stronger by thickening it. Since skin that’s thinning due to aging is a big cause of under-eye circles, it makes sense that coconut oil would diminish their appearance.

Research backs the claim that coconut oil helps with inflammation of the skin. The “puffiness” that accompanies under-eye circles and dehydration could be treated by using coconut oil.

Finally, at least one study indicates that coconut oil does have healing properties. If your dark circles are caused by bruising or damage to your skin, coconut oil might improve the appearance of the circles by helping your skin heal faster.

If you use coconut oil for dark circles for two weeks and don’t see any changes, speak with your doctor. On occasion, dark circles can be reason to suspect a deeper health issue, like liver disease.