lemma health

Have you tried virgin coconut oil (VCO) for your eczema? Did it help? How bad and where on your body was your eczema? For how long did the effects of VCO last? Lots of questions, sorry. But I’ve read a few studies that show that VCO works quite well for eczema, some are even randomized trials (e.g., this one https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijd.12339). But I’m wondering: if it works so well, why don’t more people use it? Why is there such a big market for biologics like Dupixent? VCO is way cheaper. What’s the catch?

Have you tried virgin coconut oil (VCO) for your eczema? Did it help? How bad and where on your body was your eczema? For how long did the effects of VCO last? Lots of questions, sorry. But I’ve read a few studies that show that VCO works quite well for eczema, some are even randomized trials (e.g., this one https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijd.12339). But I’m wondering: if it works so well, why don’t more people use it? Why is there such a big market for biologics like Dupixent? VCO is way cheaper. What’s the catch?

Hey guys, new here and have had eczema for as long as i can remember? I'm 20 now, went through all the treatment as a kid and finally got to the point where the Dr said best thing to use is baby oil. So that I did. Every night after my shower before drying i would rub down with baby oil soak for a few minutes then pat dry. I did this for years. Recently after having a month long flare up my aunt reccomended coconut oil. And it worked! $5 for a tub that's lasted me 3 months so far. I put it on at night before bed. During the day i use Nivea for men's ultra moisturizing lotion because the oil is too much for regular day time use as it leaves residue. Thought I'd throw it out there for the fellow suffering! TL;DR use coconut oil before bed or whenever!

Hi everyone! I hope that some of you enjoy this article which was just completed. There are a few sections on eczema and dry skin which definitely apply to the audience on the sub. What is coconut oil? Coconut oil is a mix of fats extracted from coconuts. There are two major ways to produce coconut oil: wet and dry processes. To obtain coconut oil in the wet process, the white part of the coconut called the “flesh” or “meat” is removed from the outer husk. Following this step, the coconut meat is cold-pressed to create a white semi-transparent coconut milk. The coconut milk is allowed to ferment for a few days which allows the oil to be separated from the milk and recovered. This process of isolating coconut oil in this way is described as “virgin coconut oil”. In other instances, coconut oils are extracted from coconuts using various chemicals or heat. The primary oil present in coconut oil is called lauric acid and typically in quantities ranging from 45-53%. How is coconut oil used? Coconuts have been used in many cultures as both a food and medicinal plant for centuries. Today, extracted coconut oils are used as industrial lubricants, fuel for combustion engines, livestock feed, and also as a cooking oil. Other uses include ingestion as a dietary supplement, addition to haircare products, and application to the skin. Coconut oil and hair There are a variety of coconut-based cosmetic preparations developed for hair. They include conditioners, shampoos, and oils. Does the addition of coconut oil actually make the hair stronger? Well, one study compared mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil in the prevention of hair damage. The authors studied protein loss in hair after using the three different oils in pre-wash and post-wash products. After their analysis, they showed that coconut oil helps reduce protein loss^1. However, it is difficult to assess whether this means that it actually strengthens the hair, reduces breakage, and makes hair feel softer. There are many important components to hair strength and texture which include the bonds between the building blocks (amino acids) in hair, natural hair structure, microscopic characteristics, pH balance, and the cleaning detergent composition of the product applied. Does coconut oil have any antibacterial activity? Various studies have shown that the major component in coconut oil (lauric acid) has antibacterial activity^2. If is effective against a number of bacteria including those which typically overgrow on the skin and may cause skin ailments. The two most common culprits are the bacteria Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Lauric free fatty acids have also been shown to reduce the growth of the bacteria (P. acnes) which is implicated in acne^3. It is unknown whether this translates into improvement of the human skin since these studies have not been performed. Many factors contribute to the development of acne and overgrowth of P. acnes is just one factor. Coconut oil and severe dry skin Similar to haircare products, there are also a variety of skincare products that are coconut based. Many claim to have natural moisturizing factors but are these true? Unfortunately, they have not been shown to definitively improve dry skin when compared to some traditional moisturizers. An excellent high-quality study has been conducted comparing mineral oil to coconut oil^4. It was used for severe dry skin (called xerosis) in a Dermatology clinic located in the Philippines. They had 34 subjects who suffered from severe dry skin on the legs and were instructed to apply the two different oils for 2 weeks and were re-evaluated at the end of this period. In the end, both oils improved the dry skin equally. Coconut oil and atopic dermatitis (also known as eczema) Scientists have conducted a similar study as the dry skin reference above, but the study was larger study, and in children 1-13 years of age. All of these children were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis also known as eczema^5. Again, mineral oil was compared to coconut oil after 8 weeks of application. In this case, coconut oil was found to be superior to mineral oil but both moisturizers improved the skin. The coconut oil group achieved moderate improvement in 47% of the patients and excellent in 46%. The mineral oil group achieved moderate improvement in 34% and excellent in 19% of the subjects. They used a standardized evaluation tool for eczema called SCORAD (SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis) to compare the treatments. A special tool that analyzed how well the skin barrier functions (called transepidermal water loss) verified their clinical results. The skin functioned better in the coconut oil group compared to the mineral oil group using this instrument to measure the change. Coconut oil and psoriasis Unfortunately, not many studies have investigated the use of coconut oil in psoriasis. There is, however, one small study which has been published specifically looking at this exact topic^6

Has coconut oil worked for anyone?

Hey everyone this is my first post here and I must say I really love this community. Been checking it out for a little while and it's really helpful to see so many people are going through the same thing, doesn't make you feel alone with this thing. Anyway, I've started using coconut oil recently as a moisturizer and I really liked it. I'm so tired of spending money on expensive high-tech creams and lotions and stuff like that only to go through a huge bottle in a couple of weeks and not really improving my condition that much. So I gave it a go with coconut oil and it's been good so far. Not using it when I'm flared up but as a maintenance moisturizer. I know many people here aren't fond of it because it doesn't help them (or makes it worse) and also cause some folks try and push it to you all the time as if it's some miracle thing - but I'd like to hear if there's some positive feedback around it and any tips like when to apply it or even alternatives. Any medium or long-term issues I should be aware of or any advice? **tl;dr** Coconut oil has been working for me, any tips or advice?

I have eczema pretty much all over, but it's not as bad as others (it's bright red and often itchy, with lots of cuts and bruises). I use non-gmo coconut oil on my skin occasionally, as I feel it's one of the only things I can safely apply to my skin (I don't like most other moisturizers or lotions with all of those chemicals). However, when I have to apply it all over after I take a quick shower, it'd burn for a few days, making it hard to stretch. Does anyone else feel this way, or is it just me? I don't wanna keep using it if it's bad for me, but it doesn't make the eczema worse, it's just makes my skin tight and burn a bit. Thanks! Tldr; coconut oil burns my skin a bit and makes my skin hard to stretch, usually after I apply after a shower.

My eczema has flared up on my inner elbow quite bad for the first time in years! Have been using Sudocrem, which soothes for a little while but doesn't alleviate the itchiness. Have read about applying coconut oil, wrapping in plastic wrap and leaving it overnight to bring back some much-needed hydration to the affected area. Has anyone tried this before?

I've been using Vaseline on my skin after showering for years, but I've heard good things about coconut oil. Has anyone had good results with coconut oil for very sensitive skin?

Hi there, In order to try something else than the creams that do not do much for my hand eczema, I bought a huge jug of organic coconut oil at Cosco yesterday (figured worst case I'd be using it for cooking...). I tried it on last night and my problem is that it is very messy. I mean I basically had to sleep with my hands out of the bed the whole night. I tried putting some this morning and it just will not penetrate my skin or if it does, it's very oily, which makes working using a keyboard, getting dressed, touching stuff etc. very difficult. My other issue with this product is that it is not thick at all and feels very "runny". Am I doing this wrong or is that the way it is with coconut oil? With vaseline, aquaphor etc. at least I could use my hands after about 10-15 minutes.

I've been recommended this by two people for eczema but haven't tried it yet. Does anyone here find it good?