4 Beneficial Properties of Emu Oil for Eczema Treatment
A sudden flare-up of eczema may not be the worst thing that can happen to your skin. Nonetheless, it’s one of many skin conditions that can get quite uncomfortable and leave you feeling self-conscious.
The main symptoms of eczema include persistent reddening, rapid swelling, oozing, and crusting of the skin.
Many remedies can be used for the treatment of eczema - and they often are with eczema sufferers trying different types of remedies. One of the most effective of which is emu oil.
Emu oil is a popular extract with dermatological benefits that go well beyond the treatment of skin conditions.
Creamy white in color and heavy in fatty compounds, emu oil is
extracted from the emu, a large bird that’s native
to certain parts of Australia.
There are seven strains of eczema you might get:
- Atopic dermatitis – tends to appear mostly in children
- Hand eczema – caused by hand-intensive jobs e.g. hairdressing and sewing
- Contact dermatitis – oozing blisters that are painful to the touch
- Dyshidrotic eczema – characterized by small fluid-filled blisters on the limbs
- Nummular eczema – causes distinct sprouting of coin-shaped sores
- Neurodermatitis – gradual formation of scaly scabs on your limbs, torso, neck
- Stasis dermatitis – fluid seeps from your blood vessels into the insides of your skin
Today we’ll elaborate upon some beneficial properties of emu oil that make it the best option for dealing with your eczema regardless of which strain-specific symptoms you exhibit.
Beneficial Properties of Emu Oil
Believe it or not, the medicinal use of emu oil to reduce joint aches and skin infections dates back tens of thousands of years ago.
Even before its induction into formal medical use, native Aborigines in Australia used it as sunscreen and natural skin moisturizer.
Now, with the well-defined tools of science, researchers have been able to identify and harness the beneficial properties of emu oil that make it such a useful remedy for many ailments. We’ve collated four of the most important ones below:
It Has Antibacterial Properties
Perhaps the most significant aspect of emu oil’s use is its efficacy in treating various skin conditions: shingles, rashes, rosacea, alopecia, seborrheic dermatitis, etc.
More importantly, emu oil helps sufferers of skin conditions heal quicker. It does this by stimulating the mitosis of healthier skin cells and hastening the dying out of the dead and corroded cells.
Likewise, and perhaps more surprisingly, because of the high level of analgesic compounds it contains, emu oil is effective at reducing pain. It’s a natural painkiller.
As an ointment, its analgesic properties can be achieved by simply applying the oil to the affected area: wounds, burns, scabs, and cuts. It's important to note that the analgesic properties are not diminished in cream-like products containing emu oil.
It’s an Effective Moisture Absorbent
Emu oil is excellent at preventing the loss of water from the skin.
Indeed, its capacity to hydrate the skin throughout the day is the reason many brands (of face moisturizers and body lotions) make a point of including it in their manufacturing process.
Emu oil is able to pass on this absorption property to other ingredients when used together and is effective at rehabilitating chronic drying and flaking of the skin for people who suffer from eczema and other strains of dermatitis—without any side effects.
Indeed, when compared to other common types of oil, emu oil has been shown to have close to four times greater penetration of the skin. These effects show that emu oil is able to moisturize and rejuvenate the skin extremely effectively.
It Contains Essential Fatty Acids
Composition: The most dominant chemical component in emu oil is lipids (98%). It comprises vital acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid.
What this means is that, in addition to its excellent moisturizing properties, it also contributes heavily to the day-to-day nutritional nourishment of the skin. For starters, emu oil has been shown to have a significant impact on the production of collagen.
Collagen is a compound in your skin that helps maintain its elasticity and thickness while keeping it youthful and wrinkle-free.
One of the first signs of dawning old age is a drooping of the skin around the eyes. For this reason, eye ointments make a point of including emu oil in their manufacturing, in addition to other important anti-aging compounds such as vitamin K and caffeine.
It’s a Natural Anti-inflammatory & Anti-oxidant
This is arguably the most common purpose for which emu oil (or emu-oil-infused) ointments are sought.
Some of the antioxidant compounds found in emu oil include carotenoids, polyphenols, tocopherol, flavones, and non-triglyceride phospholipids.
The antioxidant compounds that occur naturally in emu oil have a significant effect on digestive health; that is when taken orally. Emu Joy pure emu oil can be safely ingested.
When consumed this way, emu oil acts as the source of some important lipid compounds that not only smoothen digestion and metabolism but also act as anti-inflammatory agents, which help combat certain gastrointestinal illnesses that might exhibit adverse effects on the skin.
Ensuring Your Emu Oil Is Top-Quality
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For freshness, check for the right odor and color
High-quality emu oil that’s been refined well is creamy white to pale yellow, gives off no odor, and has a mild taste. A darker tint or pungent taste/smell means that your emu oil is of low quality or has been exposed to the atmosphere for longer than it should be.
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Store your emu oil in a cool, dry place
Anything above 75°F will render most emu oil extracts uneven and thinner in texture. Exposure to extreme sunlight or heat sources can alter the efficacy of emu oil and make it difficult to absorb into the skin. Likewise, refrigerated emu oil should be allowed to warm back to room temperature for ideal use.
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Check the shelf life
Your emu oil’s shelf life will depend on its quality of extraction, refining, and storage conditions. All factors constant, though, high-quality emu oil can stay viable for anywhere between one and a half to two years.
Emu Joy’s Emu Oil – Tried, Tested, Effective, Safe.
The science behind emu oil’s effectiveness has been well-established. Extensive research has been done to test its efficacy on eczema patches, swellings, burns, rashes, irregular hair growth, and more.
And, indeed, emu oil, and emu oil cream, has been demonstrated to be a powerful agent for enhancing dermatological health.
But it’s not just the studies.
James E says this of his child’s experience with Emu Joy pure emu oil:
"My daughter has severe eczema. 24 hours after applying Soothe My Skin I could see significant improvement and additional 12 hours passed and her skin has seriously improved. I have used 6 applications in total plus a massage last night with Emu oil. I'm done searching for products. I've found something that not only works but, in my opinion, works miracles!"
If you’re looking for a lighter way of relieving red, dry, flaky, and itchy skin, you may also consider supplementing your emu oil with Emu Joy’s Soothe My Skin cream.
Likewise, keeping an On-The-Go Stick on hand will ensure that you can deal with skin irritations when you’re on the go.
Give your eczema the long-lasting relief it needs with Emu Joy’s Emu Oil Soap to help soothe, cleanse, and hydrate your skin, giving you a lasting feeling of moisture and smoothness.
These eczema soothers are available individually or combined in the Soothe My Rash Kit.
