Confessions of a Coconut Oil Convert

I know, I know, coconut oil is all the rage. People tout its ability to cure whatever ails you. I too was tired of reading about coconut oil and all it could accomplish, until I started relying on it for so many of my hair and skin-care needs.

For years I’ve been putting coconut oil on my son’s eczema patches before he took a bath. I really do think it helps the skin soften to soak up more water, while also protecting it from the damage that same water can do.

When I had thrush for months on end, I coated my nipples with coconut oil, especially when all the harsh chemicals I’d resorted to broke the skin of my areola out in a weeping rash. Coconut oil was the only thing that brought me relief during those painful days.

But besides that, I didn’t really use coconut oil much. It wasn’t until recently that I rediscovered it. Now I use it on my hair and body all the time.

It all started when I got lice the second time. I only ever used natural shampoos and conditioners to banish the fuckers, but washing my hair every day (and leaving the shampoo on for 10-15 minutes each time) definitely affected my scalp. A week or two after I believed I was clear of lice, my scalp was still itching, which then freaked me out because I thought the lice were back (or had never really been gone). When I researched itchy scalp, I fell down the rabbit hole of sites touting ways to alleviate the discomfort. Eventually I decided to try a mixture of coconut and jojoba oils. They worked! My scalp stopped itching, and (bonus!) my hair looked amazing.

Now I treat my hair with coconut and jojoba oils once or twice a month. The rest of the time I still use baking soda and vinegar to wash my hair only three times a week. I will say that my hair looks and feels fantastic, and in the week right after I treat it, I can even wear my hair down without it getting frizzy.

The next problem coconut oil solved was on my son’s face. He started getting patches of eczema around his mouth, where constant wetness made it impossible for the skin to heal. I tried all manner of lotions and ointments, but nothing touched this red, irritated patches. It was hard to look at my poor boy, with the area around his mouth so inflamed.

Finally, one night, I slathered on some coconut oil and then covered it with Aquaphor. The next morning his patches looked noticeably less irritated, and after two days of regular applications his face was completely free of eczema. I’m still using it to help his sensitive skin heal from just being outside in the cold, and from the irritation caused by his drooling. I still can’t believe how well coconut oil works, when nothing else would touch it.

I was so impressed by how well the coconut oil healed my son’s face, I started using it on a few red patches I was getting. I had already attempted to slather my usual face lotion on multiple times a day, but a few spots around my mouth remained red and scaly. I assumed it was because of the dry winter air, and the difference in temp between the cold outside and warmer inside air. I worried the oil might make me break out, but the red patches were so unsightly, I decided it was worth a shot. Two applications later and the patches were gone.

I’m also putting coconut oil on my hands before I wash them at home. This is keeping them from drying out, despite the increased hand washing this time of year. My knuckles were red, scratchy and rough not three days ago, but now they are soft and smooth.

I’m even slathering coconut oil on my legs and arms before I shower, which is keeping the dry winter skin away.

I really can’t believe how much I’m using coconut oil these days, or how well it is working. It really does feel like a miracle product, and I’m so thankful I found it.

{I will admit there are a few cons to using coconut oil this much. It definitely leaves a film on my bathtub and and I have to clean it more frequently than I would otherwise. Also, when you put coconut oil on your hair it looks like you’re wearing crazy hair gel that makes your hair look wet when it’s dry. I usually apply it on a Friday when I don’t have anything to do, french braid it, and then wash it out the next morning. Two lathers and rinses are required to get all of it out, and even then, I notice my hair feels heavier until the third wash. I actually like that though, as it keeps my hair smooth and soft instead of big and frizzy.}

Do you use coconut oil on your skin or hair? Would you consider using it?