Cleveland Clinic Wellness notes:

[S]imple, natural coconut oil has been used for centuries as a body moisturizer — and it works. “Applied once or twice a day, coconut oil can relieve dry, itchy skin,” notes Sandra Darling, MD, an integrative medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic.

As it turns out, coconut oil may help with more serious skin issues too, perhaps due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. In the case of eczema or psoriasis, you may find coconut oil to be a helpful addition to topical steroid creams, notes Dr. Darling, and “for mild cases of eczema, coconut oil alone may even provide sufficient relief.”

Keep it on hand for help in soothing small cuts and scrapes too, as it’s been shown to help wounds heal faster.

Remember that coconut oil is not intended to take the place of old-fashioned soap and water for infection prevention, but it works along with good common sense and other appropriate strategies to promote healing.

You’ll want to use virgin coconut oil — oil that hasn’t been heated or refined — which should be available at your local grocery store.

Photo by Phu Thinh Co.