What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin E In Liquid Form For The Skin?

Vitamin E oil, available in most drugstores and health food stores, is often used as a home remedy for skin ailments. According to The Comprehensive Guide to Skin Care, vitamin E's effectiveness has not been clinically proven, but many people use it to soothe skin issues such as burns, redness and itching. If your skin appears irritated after applying vitamin E oil, you should cease use and contact your doctor. Some people are quite sensitive to it.

Healing Chapped Skin

A popular use for the liquid form of vitamin E is on chapped skin, particularly knees, elbows, hands and lips. Simply squeeze a few drops onto your fingertips and massage the oil into the dry area. Julie Gabriel, author of The Green Beauty Guide, says that when it's applied topically, vitamin works as a powerful moisturizer and can protect your skin from further damage by free radicals. However, because vitamin E oil can irritate sensitive skin, it's important to test it on a small patch of skin before rubbing it on delicate areas such as your lips.

Soothing Burns

According to the book Secrets of Great Skin, vitamin E can soothe burns by reducing inflammation and helping heal damaged tissue. Simply apply a few drops to the fresh burn and wrap the area in a bandage to keep the oil in place. Some people also rub a thin layer of vitamin E oil into sunburns to decrease the sting and promote healing. Vitamin E is not approved by medical professionals as a burn treatment, and shouldn't be used on moderate to severe burns.

Preventing Stretch Marks

Some people, particularly pregnant women, rub vitamin E oil into their skin to prevent stretch marks. The Green Beauty Guide says that vitamin E oil mixes easily into most body creams and lotions, which makes it easier to use for this purpose. However, most medical professionals agree that the appearance of stretch marks has more to do with genetics than any treatment. The moisture that vitamin E gives to skin can aid in maintaining skin's elasticity, but it may not do much to prevent marks if you're inclined toward them.