What Is Avocado Oil, What Does It Do? Skin and Hair Data

Most vegetable oils come from seeds, but avocado oil, like olive oil, is extracted from the flesh. On labels it reads Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, and in scientific publications it also appears as Persea americana. In cosmetics it is used as a softener on dry skin. Behind sentences such as "increases collagen" there is largely animal data.

Why is its composition so variable?

It is hard to describe avocado oil with one table, because the result varies with variety, country and production method. The ranges compiled from published measurements are wide:

Palmitoleic acid is not present at this level in most common vegetable oils. The oil also contains plant sterols, the most abundant in measurements being beta-sitosterol. Cold pressing yields less oil than solvent extraction, but may better preserve alpha-tocopherol and squalene. Still, the label rarely states this detail, and you cannot estimate the proportions in a bottle.

What was shown on application to the skin?

• Wound in rats: A semi-solid mixture with 50% avocado oil and pure oil increased wound contraction and epidermal formation on day 14. In another rat study soluble collagen rose, total collagen did not change. This is the basis of the sentence "increases collagen".
• Small human study in psoriasis: In 13 people, over 12 weeks, a cream containing vitamin B12 and avocado oil was compared side by side with prescription calcipotriol, left versus right. By week 8 calcipotriol was better, by week 12 no difference remained, and the cream was better tolerated. It is not clear whether the effect belongs to the oil or to the B12. Psoriasis treatment is decided by your doctor.
• Irritation: In an old repeated-application study in rabbits, pure oil and aqueous emulsions caused moderate skin and eye irritation. This does not transfer directly to humans, but it is a good reason to test first.

We know of no controlled study testing the oil alone on human skin for dryness or wrinkles. The more reasonable expectation is that, like other softening oils, it reduces roughness on dry skin. The effect of oleic-acid-rich oils on the barrier with continuous use is debated; if the skin barrier is weak, a balanced moisturiser may be safer than layering pure oil.

Does avocado oil do good for hair?

We know of no controlled study conducted on human heads. The information we have comes mostly from comparisons of oils on cut hair strands, and results can conflict depending on the oil. The general effect of oils on the hair strand is to make the surface slippery. When choosing, you can see these contradictions in the comparison in the argan oil hair article. Start with a small amount on fine hair; if it weighs hair down, stop.

If you have a latex or avocado allergy

Some people with latex allergy may also react to avocado, banana, kiwi and chestnut; this is known as latex-fruit syndrome. From the label you cannot tell how much protein remains in the oil. If you have an avocado or latex allergy, ask your doctor before use. For everyone else, trying the new product on the inner arm or elbow crease, twice a day, for 7-10 days is enough. Because its linoleic acid share is low, it does not spoil as quickly as rosehip, but keeping the cap closed and storing it in a cool place is still necessary.