Shea butter is well-known not only as a cooking ingredient but also for its benefits to hair and skin. The natural fat from shea butter, which has a creamy and moisturizing texture, is commonly used to treat dry skin and hair problems. Check out the following review to learn more about shea butter's beauty benefits.
Shea butter benefits for the skin
Shea butter is a fat extracted from the nuts of the shea tree. The shea tree is native to West Africa, which produces the majority of shea butter. Shea butter is commonly used for cooking in its native region, but because it contains a high concentration of vitamins and fatty acids and is safe for skin and hair, it is also popular as a beauty care ingredient.
Shea butter has several beauty benefits, including:
Soothes dry skin
Shea butter is commonly used in lotions for dry skin. Shea butter contains a high concentration of fatty acids, which are responsible for lubricating and retaining skin moisture. Shea butter lotions are suitable for a variety of skin types, particularly dry and sensitive skin.
Relieves irritation
Shea butter contains anti-inflammatory substances that help reduce skin redness. You can use shea butter to treat sunburn, chapped lips, and severe dry skin symptoms like peeling and burning.
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Has anti-aging properties
Shea butter contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, such as triterpenes, which can aid in cell migration, collagen deposition, and cell proliferation (the process by which cells grow and divide). Shea butter is also known to be an effective wrinkle treatment.
It treats eczema and acne
According to Medical News Today, shea butter contains bioactive ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties. A small study published in 2015 found that using shea butter can help alleviate eczema symptoms. Shea butter can be used to treat acne and eczema because of its antibacterial properties.
Read more: Benefits Of Ceramide Content For Facial Skin
Reduce the appearance of scars
Shea butter is thought to have the ability to minimize the appearance of scars. The use of shea butter may help prevent the formation of keloids, but more research is needed to determine its effectiveness.
Treats dry scalp
Shea butter has moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties. These benefits can help reduce dry scalps and scalp irritation. However, research indicates that shea oil may be more beneficial to hair than shea butter. A 2017 study found that oils with similar bioactive content to shea butter, such as seed oil, make hair more resistant to damage.
How to use Shea butter
Shea butter has a soft texture and can be easily applied to the entire surface of the skin. Shea butter can be used to moisturize your skin after a bath or when it feels dry. Shea butter can also be used to treat insect bites and inflammation.
For hair care, apply shea butter to the scalp and rinse thoroughly. Shea butter has a slippery and oily texture, so rinse thoroughly to avoid residue buildup, which can cause irritation.
If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.
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- Sean Edbert Lim, MBBS
Watson, K. (2019). What Is Shea Butter? 22 Reasons to Add It to Your Routine. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/what-is-shea-butter
Cleveland Clinic. (2022). 6 Incredible Benefits of Shea Butter. Available from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/shea-butter-benefits
WebMD. Shea Butter: Uses, Side Effects, and More. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1512/shea-butter
Watson, K. (2023). Shea Butter for Your Face: Benefits and Uses. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/shea-butter-for-face
Ames, H. (2021). What are the benefits of shea butter?. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/shea-butter-benefits