Madeline Adams
Avocados are not only delicious and healthy but also good for skin and hair in the form of avocado oil.
The avocado is no longer an exotic fruit but is also extremely popular in our part of the world. The fruit comes from Central America – but can now also be found in other regions such as South Africa, the Mediterranean region, and the southern parts of the USA. The fruit is eaten with pleasure – be it whole, as a spread, or as part of dishes. But their oil is also immensely valuable and holds a whole range of health benefits.
Production of avocado oil
First, the fruit is picked from the tree and has to ripen. After that, the fat is separated from the rest of the fruit. Here oil is released that initially has a greenish hue and turns into a yellowish liquid after refining. There are different extraction processes: either the oil is extracted from the still-hard fruit or the fruit is pitted, chopped up, and then centrifuged – optionally with a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius or without this heating.
Avocado oil: the ingredients
Avocado oil contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids – above all oleic acid, linoleic acid, and palmitoleic acid. Fat-soluble vitamins are also included – especially vitamins A and E, but also vitamin D makes the oil so healthy. The contained beta-sitosterol, on the other hand, ensures a low cholesterol level.
Avocado oil for hair
With its ingredients, avocado oil is ideal for hair care. It protects the hair from harmful influences from the outside world. It repairs brittle, stressed hair and, with its fat content, also ensures that the hair remains supple. If you want to use it as hair care, you can apply the avocado oil to the hair before washing and leave it on for a few hours (even overnight) – then wash the hair extensively with shampoo. Avocado oil can also be added to a hair mask or used as an ingredient in a homemade shampoo. If the scalp is itchy and stressed, the oil can also be applied to the scalp and massaged in. Use only a few drops to achieve the desired effect.
Avocado Oil: Good for the skin
Avocado oil is a real power oil, especially for skin health. The vitamins A, D, and E contained in the oil nourish, stimulate cell production, and support the skin’s renewal process. The properties of the oil are ideal for skin care: Due to the palmitoleic acid contained in avocado oil, which is also part of the skin’s lipids, it is quickly absorbed and hardly greasy.
Avocado oil to relieve neurodermatitis
Avocado oil can also be used for acne and even to relieve neurodermatitis. The oil of the fruit is also often used for dry skin – it provides fat and moisture and ensures that the skin does not dry out. Avocado oil is considered very skin-friendly and also counteracts itching or redness. If you have stressed areas of skin, you can treat them with avocado oil – the affected areas often calm down again.
Avocado oil against age spots
The oil is also used against age spots. The treatment with the oil should make the unwanted pigmentation on the skin less visible. Here, too, it is important to rub a few drops onto the affected areas. It is also possible to mix a few drops of avocado oil into ready-made creams or other skin care products to achieve an additional skin care effect. A mixture of avocado oil and lemon juice is also possible.
Avocado oil against cracked skin on the feet
If you have cracked areas on your heels, you can counteract this with the oil: For this, the oil should be mixed with milking fat and rubbed into the affected area. Then you should put on thick socks and leave the mixture to work, preferably overnight. Such an application is also possible with cracked skin on the hands.
Avocado oil for scars
Scars on the skin also benefit from a regular small massage with avocado oil. This can smooth the scar tissue and make it more supple.
Avocado oil – where to buy
Avocado oil is available in pharmacies, drugstores, health food stores, or well-stocked supermarkets. A large number of dealers also offer the oil on the Internet. Always pay attention to organic quality. Cold-pressed, native avocado oil is best suited for cosmetic and medical applications. While this tends to be more expensive and doesn’t last as long as refined avocado oil. However, it contains valuable components that are lost in the production of refined oil.
