Today's blog post is about one of our oils. An oil that has exhibited almost mystical properties when it comes to healing wounds and improving the appearance of old scars , the amazing oil of the Tamanu tree.
Like many people in the world, I carry a number of small scars which I jokingly refer to as "memoirs of childhood" on my body. Some are from falls and scrapes while playing with friends. Others are a stark reminder of childhood illnesses. Most modern scar lightening creams and lotions contain a combination of bleaching agents among which are toxic ones including mercury and hydroquinone. Just reading the ingredient list discourages me from purchasing any such creams.
However there does a exist a wholly natural alternative . Tamanu oil is an antibacterial oil that is capable of healing wounds by promoting healthy cell growth.When tamanu oil is applied to wounds in the skin it has the ability to promote formation of new tissue.The antimicrobial activity of tamanu has been verified as having moderate activity compared to antibiotics like amoxicillin.
Tamanu oil is recommended as an ideal oil for people with acneic skin types as the mild antibacterial properties of the oil work consistently and without irritation to minimize growth of acne causing bacteria on the skin. Many people might think that using such a rich oil on oily or acneic skin types is completely counter intuitive, but it only takes a small amount of this potent oil to balance and calm the skin. Additionally many people with acne are actually over-drying their skin with astringent products. Astringents can actually aggravate your skin, causing excess oil production in a backlash response. A nutrition rich oil like Tamanu can restore elasticity and hydration balance to the skin. Application of a healing oil like Tamanu can help prevent long term damage like the ice pick scars acne breakouts are known to cause.
In one study from the European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2007 Tamanu oil was investigated as a UV filter. It was shown to exhibit significant UV absorption capabilities and had a sun protection factor of 18 to 22 even at low concentrations.
So what are you waiting for ? Incorporate Tamanu oil into your skincare regime if you are looking to reduce the appearance of scars and improve the quality of your skin.
