Emu Oil Skin Care, Scar, and Acne

Emu oil is extracted from the Australian Emu bird. It has been used for very long years by the Australian aborigines for the treatment of burns, wounds, bruises, and as a pain relief of for bones, muscles and joint disorders.Recent scientific research has confirmed the benefit of this oil in many of the claimed ones. It reduces scar formation and anti-inflammatory effect of arthritis and induces relief of eczema.

Emu oil is composed of esters of the following fatty acids :approximately 70% mono-unsturated acids, with the largest component Oleic acid, 20% Linoleic acid, and 1-2% Linolenic acid. You can find these informations even more detailed on the internet, but what attracted my attention about its composition are the following aspects:

- It is a neutral lipid since it does not contain phospholipids, a property that is shared by fish oil. It contains high amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids (Linolenic acid), Omega 6 fatty acids (Linoleic acid), and Omega 9 fatty acids (Oleic acid)

This composition offers the the skin the following advantages:

- Lack of phospholipid makes it penetrate deeply into the skin. Phospholipids are an essential component of most cell membranes, and once they are abundant they readily form membranes (micelles), when they entrap any thing from the surrounding environment, the micelle may increase in size and clog pores in the skin (when applied topically) , thus they do not form black heads, a property that is appreciated in treatment of acne.

- Its content of omega 3 fatty acis that are readily incorporated into the cell membranes, makes these cells are more capable of producing larger amounts of prostaglandins 1 and 3, which counteract the effect of prostaglandins 2 in originating inflammation.

- Its similar composition to that of the cell membranes makes it suitable for carrying an active ingredient, as well as having a quick response, since it is readily incorporated into the cell membranes as it is without any more further processing.