Coconut Oil for Your Face: Will It Clear Pimples or Cause More?

• Use coconut oil to remove acne-causing bacteria if you have very dry skin. However, it can clog your pores, so it's not the best option if you have acne.
• Massage coconut oil into your skin to help clean and remove makeup and bacteria. Then, wipe it off with a warm, wet cloth and wash your face with a gentle cleanser.
• Try non-comedogenic oils, such as sunflower seed oil or argan oil, instead of coconut oil to moisturize.
• Keep using whatever products you already use for acne control even if you're using coconut oil.

How does coconut oil help fight acne?

Fatty acids in coconut oil kill bacteria that cause acne. One fatty acid in particular, lauric acid, is particularly effective. In fact, at least one study shows it could be even more effective than benzoyl peroxide, a common ingredient in anti-acne products. At the same time, though, coconut oil can clog your pores. If you have oily skin, coconut oil could potentially make your skin even oilier, leading to more acne.

Using Coconut Oil to Treat Acne

Use only unrefined cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. Unrefined coconut oil is pure, without additives or fragrances that could further irritate your skin. And cold-pressed oil is removed from the coconut plant without the use of heat, which preserves more of the oil's nutrients. Store your coconut oil in a sealed container in a cold, dark place or in the refrigerator to maintain peak freshness.

Check your skin's sensitivity by doing a patch test. Allergic reactions to coconut oil are rare, but it's better to be safe. Massage a dab of coconut oil into an inconspicuous part of your skin where it won't be rubbed off easily, such as the inside of your elbow. Continue to reapply the oil to the same spot twice a day for 10 days. Stop the test as soon as you have a skin reaction, such as red, swollen, or itchy skin. This means you're better off not using coconut oil on your skin at all. If you never have any reaction, feel free to use coconut oil on your face.

Rub a dime-sized amount of coconut oil between clean fingers. Wash your hands, then rub the coconut oil to liquefy it so that it's easier to apply to your skin. While it's possible to heat the oil up in the microwave, doing it this way ensures it'll never be too hot for your skin.

Massage the oil into your skin gently using a light, circular motion. Start at your forehead and work down your face and neck, giving yourself a gentle massage as you go. Concentrate on areas that are the driest. Rub a little coconut oil on a cotton pad and wipe to quickly and easily remove makeup. This ensures your skin is as clean as possible.

Wipe the oil off of your face with a washcloth after 30 seconds. Wet the washcloth with extremely warm water—maybe a little steamy, but not hot enough to burn you. Rub gently to wipe the oil off of your face. You might also leave the warm washcloth sitting on your face for a few seconds to let the steam open up your pores. Since coconut oil absorbs into the skin relatively quickly, this is likely all you'll need to do! But if your skin feels greasy, follow up with a gentle cleanser.

Follow up with a gentle facial cleanser. Coconut oil absorbs into the skin relatively quickly, so your skin should feel fine. But there's a chance your skin might feel a bit greasy. A gentle facial cleanser just helps you make sure that all of the coconut oil is off your face. Since you've already washed your face with coconut oil, this is technically referred to as "double-cleansing."

Try an overnight coconut oil treatment if you have extremely dry skin. Wash your face first, as you normally would. Rub a dime-sized amount of coconut oil between your fingers to warm it up, then massage it into your face. That's it! In the morning, wash your face as soon as you get out of bed. From there, you can continue your usual morning routine. You're going to get oil on your pillowcase—take it off and wash it before you sleep on it again.

Coconut Oil Pros

Coconut oil is a great moisturizer. When applied directly to your skin, coconut oil works as a light moisturizer that's quickly absorbed by your skin. It also helps your skin retain moisture to give you that glowing look.

Coconut oil can help your skin heal. Coconut oil's moisturizing and antibacterial properties combine to improve your skin's texture and tone and help it recover from minor damage. To reap this benefit, massage coconut oil directly into damaged skin.

Coconut oil's anti-inflammatory properties might help calm your face. If you're in the middle of a breakout, all the redness and swelling can be worse than the pimples themselves. Since coconut oil can help reduce inflammation, it might make your skin look a little better.

Coconut oil can reduce the risk of acne scarring. Because coconut oil helps your skin heal more quickly, it might also lower the chances that you'll be left with pockmarks or shading on your skin after the zits themselves are gone. Any marks you do have will likely be less noticeable if you use coconut oil on your face. Coconut oil might also help lessen the appearance of scars you already have, although more research needs to be done on this.

Coconut Oil Cons

Coconut oil can clog your pores. Coconut oil scores 4 out of 5 on the comedogenicity scale (this measures how pore-clogging something is). If you're already struggling with acne, using coconut oil could make it worse. This high comedogenicity score is what gives dermatologists pause when it comes to recommending coconut oil to treat acne. Coconut oil's antibacterial properties might not be any help if the oil causes your pores to get even more clogged in the process.

Coconut oil only helps if you have very dry skin. If you've been using acne-control products that have significantly dried out your skin, coconut oil might help restore that moisture. But, given the oil's high comedogenicity, there are other oils that might work better for you. Not sure of your exact skin type? Take a short quiz to determine your skin type. Avoid coconut oil entirely if you have very oily, acne-prone skin. It's more likely to make your acne worse than it is to help.

Alternatives to Coconut Oil

Moisturize with oils that have low comedogenicity ratings. Any oil with a comedogenicity rating of 0 or 1 won't clog your pores and is safe to use as a moisturizer without worrying about breakouts. Just make sure the oil you use is organic and unrefined with no added fragrances. Here are some oils rated 0 or 1 on the comedogenicity scale that you can try: Hemp seed oil Argan oil Grapeseed oil Hazelnut oil Sunflower seed oil

Try a product with coconut oil as one of many ingredients. Other ingredients can dilute the comedogenicity of coconut oil so you can enjoy its benefits without worrying about its pore-clogging potential. When you're looking at product labels, go for something that has coconut oil listed further down the list—that means it's only a minor ingredient. Generally speaking, as long as the first 2 or 3 ingredients listed on a skin care product have a comedogenicity rating of 0 or 1, you're good to go. You don't have to worry about that product clogging your pores. Products will typically specify if they're non-comedogenic on the packaging. Beauty and skincare companies also have lists on their websites with the comedogenicity rating of the ingredients they use.