Written by Tatjana Djakovic, Staff Writer. Virgin olive oil decreased harmful skin bacteria and symptoms better than olive oil.
Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a non-contagious, chronic skin condition in which the skin becomes dry, itchy and results in rashes on the face, inside the elbows, behind the knees and on the hands and feet(1). It affects 15 million Americans, including 10-20% of infants. Factors that can cause eczema include: irritating substances, allergies, genetics and other diseases (2). In patients with this condition, there is a presence of bacteria known as Staphylococcus aureus which is normally treated with a topical antibiotic, but development of resistance to the antibiotic is a concern (3). An alternative form of treatment includes coconut and olive oils which are used to moisturize and treat skin conditions.
In the normal skin flora, lipases are enzymes that digest oils into fatty acids which makes the skin more acidic, which prevents bacteria from penetrating. It is suggested that virgin coconut oil removes bacteria from the skin, by being converted into fatty acids which produce an acidic layer in the skin which is inhospitable for survival of bacteria. It also prevents further entry by the bacteria (4,5).
The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of virgin coconut oil (VCO) and virgin olive oil (VOO) in moisturizing dryness and removing bacteria from skin affected with skin conditions. The double-blind controlled study consisted of 52 adult patients between the ages of 18 to 40 years that were diagnosed with eczema. The patients were randomized to apply 5ml of VCO (26 patients) or VOO (26 patients) twice daily at two infected sites.
The results were assessed using history, pattern, evolution, and skin lesions and SCORAD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis) a clinical tool for rating severity of the condition (O-SSI) completed at baseline and after 4 weeks. In the coconut oil group, 20 patients were positive for Staphylococcus aureus in the beginnng of the study and there were 12 patients that were positive for this bacteria in the olive oil group. After treatment, only 1 out of 20 (5%) virgin coconut oil subjects had the condition versus 6 out of 12 (50%) of patients that used virgin olive oil. p=0.0028. Furthermore, the severity decreased by 46.8 % (from 39.2 to 22.4 points) in the virgin coconut oil group and by 30.1 % (from 36.6 to 26.7 points) in the virgin olive oil group p<0.004 (6).
The study suggests that virgin coconut oil decreased the presence of harmful bacteria in the skin and decreased the symptoms of eczema to a greater extent than virgin olive oil.
Source: Verallo-Rowell, Vermén M., Kristine M. Dillague, and Bertha S. Syah-Tjundawan. “Novel antibacterial and emollient effects of coconut and virgin olive oils in adult atopic dermatitis.” Dermatitis 19.6 (2008): 308-315.
© 2008 American Contact Dermatitis Society, All Right Reserved
Posted February 13, 2013.
References:
- Obtained from PubMed Health A.D.A.M Encylopedia “Atopic Dermatitis”.
- Obtained from American Academy of Dermatology “What is Eczema”.
- Abramovits W. et al., “Atopic dermatitis.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005; (53):S86-93.
- Jaeger, Karl-Erich, et al. “Bacterial lipases.” FEMS microbiology reviews 15.1 (1994): 29-63.
- Schmid, M. H., and H. C. Korting. “The concept of the acid mantle of the skin: its relevance for the choice of skin cleansers.” Dermatology 191.4 (1995): 276-280.
- Verallo-Rowell, Vermén M., Kristine M. Dillague, and Bertha S. Syah-Tjundawan. “Novel antibacterial and emollient effects of coconut and virgin olive oils in adult atopic dermatitis.” Dermatitis 19.6 (2008): 308.
