Olive Oil in Dermatology: Bridging Ancient Traditions with Modern Medicine

BRYAN, TX, UNITED STATES, March 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For centuries, olive oil has been a staple in traditional medicine, lauded for its healing properties across various cultures. Olive oil has been used for thousands of years as a natural remedy, and now scientists are discovering why it may work.

In this new study in SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine^®, Zaryab Alam and colleagues explore how modern dermatology is uncovering the science behind these ancient remedies, revealing promising therapeutic benefits for a wide range of skin conditions. The authors conducted a systematic literature review, looking at how olive oil can help treat different skin conditions. After analyzing 44 studies on the dermatological applications of olive oil and its derivatives, their findings show that olive oil can help with skin problems like eczema, psoriasis, and wound healing.

The study highlights that olive oil’s natural compounds have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. These may help reduce redness, swelling, and irritation in various skin conditions. The study also discusses the Mediterranean diet, which includes olives and olive oil, and how it may help with conditions like acne and hidradenitis suppurativa.

Olive oil has also been found to speed up wound healing in people with pressure ulcers, chronic wounds, and burns. The authors believe that this is because olive oil helps the skin’s natural repair process, improves collagen production, and supports the immune system. However, the study also points out some concerns. Some research suggests that olive oil’s oleic acid may weaken the skin barrier in people with sensitive skin. This means more studies are needed to find the best way to use olive oil for skin care.

SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine^® is a peer-reviewed online medical journal that is the official journal of The National Society for Cutaneous Medicine. The mission of SKIN is to provide an enhanced and accelerated route to disseminate new dermatologic knowledge for all aspects of cutaneous disease.

For more details, please visit www.jofskin.org or contact jofskin@gmail.com.

Alam, Z., Jaffri, A., Islam, R., Shami, M.Z., Malick, H. and Hussain, A. 2025. Olive Oil in Dermatology: Bridging Ancient Traditions with Modern Medicine. SKIN The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine. 9, 2 (Mar. 2025), 2152–2161. DOI:https://doi.org/10.25251/skin.9.2.1.

Zaryab Alam, BS
Department of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science
Zalam098@tamu.edu