{"id":12764,"date":"2016-01-19T22:27:55","date_gmt":"2016-01-19T22:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zeel.com\/g\/?p=12764"},"modified":"2022-07-06T20:54:17","modified_gmt":"2022-07-07T00:54:17","slug":"will-massage-oils-make-my-acne-worse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zeel.com\/blog\/zeel-massage-news\/will-massage-oils-make-my-acne-worse\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Massage Oils Make My Acne Worse?"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Dear Eva,<\/p>\n

I have acne on my back and sometimes my face (I guess it\u2019s called bacne). I\u2019ve been told that I can\u2019t get a massage because massage oil clogs pores. Is that true?”<\/p>\n

-Spotty<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dear Spotty,<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re correct that many massage oils can clog pores (the fancy word for this is \u201ccomedogenic\u201d).\u00a0<\/span>Fortunately, there are some options for people with acne.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the main non-comedogenic massage oils\u00a0\u2014 that is, massage oils that do not clog pores and cause skin irritation \u2014\u00a0is jojoba oil. The fact is that jojoba oil is not technically oil \u2014\u00a0it\u2019s a wax, derived from the seed of the jojoba plant. Jojoba is chemically very similar to sebum, the oil secreted by the skin. So not only will it not clog pores, some doctors think that the use of jojoba can make the skin think it\u2019s produced enough sebum, thus shutting off overactive oil production that can lead to acne. Argan oil is also non-comedogenic and good for massages, but costs much more than jojoba oil. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are other, non-oil options. People with acne can also use aloe vera gel for massage. Aloe vera gel, a derivative of the aloe vera plant, is not only non-comedogenic, but has been shown to hasten the healing of acne scars and other skin marks. Aloe vera can also be made into an oil, but if you choose to use aloe vera oil for your massage, make sure that you\u2019re either using pure aloe vera oil or using a non-comedogenic carrier oil to mix it with, like jojoba. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, one option is to use talcum powder for your massage. While by definition powdery and a bit messy, talcum also have the advantage of not clogging pores or sticking to hair during the massage.<\/span><\/p>\n

So don\u2019t worry, Spotty, you can get a massage with acne, and it won\u2019t irritate your skin or clog your pores.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eva Carey is a licensed massage therapist with 20+ years of experience, as well as Zeel<\/a>\u2019s National\u00a0ZMT\u00a0Manager. Have a question for Eva? Contact\u00a0eva@zeel.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n