Turns out it mightn’t be very wise to put coconut oil on your skin

Do you use coconut oil as an alternative to moisturiser? Well, you might not want to anymore.

Turns out lathering the stuff on your face can do more harm than good. It's been praised by many celebrities and beauty bloggers in recent years but it's not all it's cracked up to be, according to skin experts. They are warning against using it as a substitute to other creams as it can clog the pores and result in skin issues. According to Glamour Magazine, founder of 111Skin Dr Yannis Alexandrides, said that while it does help to hydrate the skin, it can trap the moisture under the skin and can cause spots. Dr Alexandrides said:

"Coconut oil does have hydrating properties and so similarly to a moisturiser, can be used to hydrate the skin without having to use any other additives such as alcohol. It’s also naturally antimicrobial so it’s great for killing off any surface bacteria that gathers on your face during the day.

However, it’s an occlusive moisturiser and so hydrates by trapping moisture beneath the skin and essentially clogging pores; because of this, if you suffer from or have acne-prone skin it can often do more harm than good. One of the main causes of acne is excess oil (excess sebum or skin oil can block pores and this blockage is what leads to breakouts); consequently, rubbing more oil on your skin can lead to clogging of hair follicles and, ultimately, can lead to inflammation and breakouts."

Dr Alexandrides advises particular caution of extra virgin coconut oil that is in solid form as it can clog pores quicker than the liquid or fractionated kind.