Prickly pear Cacti grows in some parts of Australia, the Americas, the Middle East, the Caribbean Islands, and the Mediterranean. It has sweet pink fruits with seeds that produce oil that contains various types of nutrients such as phytosterols, vitamin E, phenols, fatty acids, and antioxidants. Its oil has a lot of health benefits and skin benefits. Here are three benefits of Prickly Pear Oil.
Anti-Aging Properties
The oil is well known to have antioxidant and antibacterial properties that can prevent your skin from aging, sunlight, and other stressors. It also contains vitamin K and E, which helps in softening the skin. Fatty acids in oil nourish and keep the skin hydrated. This prevents skin breakouts and the formation of wrinkles.
Prickly Pear Oil contains Linoleic acid, which is a fatty acid that eliminates dullness and nourishes the skin. It helps brighten the skin tone and protect it from UV radiation. If you have dull and dry skin, you can use the oil to achieve smoother skin since it provides the skin with palmitic and oleic fatty acids. Research has shown that linoleic acid keeps the skin hydrated by helping it retain water. Additionally, phytosterol levels in the oil bind to water when applied to the skin and help in moisture retention.
Sleep deprivation, oxidative stress, and dehydration are some of the significant factors that can cause dark circles under the eye. Prickly pear seed oil helps to lighten dark circles since they contain nourishing fatty acids. You can use prickly pear oil to soothe and repair your skin if you get sunburn. It is used in sunscreen due to the vitamin E, which gets absorbed in the skin and absorbs some of the sun’s UV light. This lowers radiation damage to your skin and keeps it smooth and elastic.
Anti-Inflammatory Agent
Prickly Pear Oil contains anti-inflammatory compounds that provide inflammation-fighting capabilities. The phenolic and betalains compounds present in the oil exert an anti-inflammatory effect when applied to the skin. Applying this oil topically to the skin helps to fight irritation and swelling from scrapes, insect bites, or inflammatory skin conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis.
The phenolic compounds present in the oil also helps to heal damaged skin. Applying the oil helps repair scars, cut wounds, or other blemishes and causes them to heal and fade over time. It will restore the skin’s natural luminescence and boost its rejuvenation.
Scientists conducted a study where they combined vitamin A with prickly pear oil and applied the mixture to rat and human skin samples. The results determined that the fat present in the oil delivered vitamin A effectively into the skin samples. Although vitamin A has a lot of health benefits on the skin, it can cause skin irritation when used alone. The research confirmed that the oil can be used to safely deliver vitamin A and other nutrients that cannot be directly applied to the skin.
Prickly pear cactus oil had a low oleic acid and a high linoleic acid content, making it non-comedogenic. This means that it does not clog your pores and prevents outbreaks for skins that are prone to acne. In other words, it helps to fight against acne and tighten your skin pores.
The oil is environmentally friendly and helps to protect the skin against environmental pollution. The antioxidant compounds and Vitamin E in the oil protect the skin against chemicals from pesticides, factory emissions, and traffic jams.
Hair Benefits
The numerous fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals present in prickly pear cactus oil have many benefits to the hair. The oils help to nourish the hair and scalp by providing essential oils that the hair might be missing. Vitamin E helps to deeply condition the hair and make it glossy. The fatty acids are known to restore the hair’s natural shine.
The oils’ anti-inflammatory and antioxidants compounds can relieve scalp conditions. This may help in reducing hair fall, stimulate hair growth and improve the overall health of your hair.
There is ongoing research on the full benefits of Prickly Pear oil.
However, early research has proved the antibacterial, hydrating and antioxidant properties of the oil. So far, there are no known side effects of applying prickly pear oil on the skin. However, if you find any, you may have to use other alternatives.
