Milk Thistle Oil

Amazing properties of milk thistle oil

Milk thistle oil is considered one of the most common aromatherapy products. It enjoys wide popularity quite deservedly: it is the oil that is the most active and valuable medicinal form of this plant. It is an affordable but often counterfeit base that can be safely called one of the most inimitable bases in aromatherapy. Unlike many base oils, milk thistle is used almost exclusively internally. The healing properties of this oil not only dominate the cosmetology, but are also very highly specialized. It is the best herbal hepatoprotector, which also has a wide range of other protective properties used in official medicine.

Receiving method

Mature seeds of milk thistle contain more than a third of fatty oil, which makes production quite productive. Depending on the method by which the base is obtained, both its quality and the range of its characteristics are determined.

The oil is extracted either by cold pressing or by oil extraction using other neutral base oils as a reagent. The first method is preferable, the product obtained in this way can be considered the only high-quality milk thistle oil from the point of view of aromatherapy. The healing properties of the base obtained by extraction are several times lower, and in terms of its biological activity, it cannot be equated with high-quality cold-pressed oil.

Composition

When using the cold-pressed method, the resulting base contains not only valuable fatty oil, but also impurities of all compounds contained in plant seeds - resins, essential oils, histamine, mucus, tyramine, which determine its active properties, which are not characteristic of any other oil in the sphere of antiallergic and protective effects on the body. If the oil was obtained by oil extraction, the content of these very important substances is sharply reduced, or even absent.

Milk thistle oil, in addition to histamine and tyramine amines that are unique to the bases, also boasts the content of flavonoids - silydianin, taxifolin, silybin and silicristin, which are extremely rare in vegetable oils. Silybin is a natural active enzyme that protects the liver at the cellular level from the effects of toxins, as well as the best regenerative element for the restoration of cell membranes and optimization of protein synthesis processes.

The rich set of trace elements also enhances the active effect of the oil, in particular its regenerating properties. Milk thistle contains boron, chromium, potassium, manganese, calcium, selenium, iron, zinc, copper. The active antioxidant properties of the oil are determined by the high content of vitamins D, F, C and A in easily digestible fat-soluble forms.

The fatty acid composition of the milk thistle seed base is less unique. More than half of the total mass falls on various forms of linoleic acid (about 60% of the volume), which acts in close duet with oleic acid, which is about 1/5 of the mass. The significant content of palmitic acid, balancing their effects on the body, as well as admixtures of arachidic, stearic and behenic acids allow milk thistle oil to be efficiently and quickly absorbed.

Behavior on the skin

Milk thistle oil is very rarely applied as an external agent, even a cosmetic effect is most often achieved by the method of internal intake, thus stimulating the healing process.

It is a greasy, non-viscous, yet pronounced heavy oil that, when applied to the skin, feels like a rather greasy film.

Since the oil is applied to damaged areas, it is difficult to judge the overall effect and sensations. It has a quick calming and analgesic effect on wounds and burns, accelerates the healing and regeneration of tissues.

Healing properties

The combination of antiulcer and wound healing properties, complemented by a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and anti-toxic effect, makes it possible to classify milk thistle as an oil with a rare sphere of influence on the body. This base is the most powerful hepatoprotector.

Milk thistle oil is actively used:

• with cholecystitis, hepatitis, cholangitis, cirrhosis, fatty degeneration, in the treatment of other liver diseases and for its restoration;
• as a protective agent and additive to support normal liver function when taking medications and long-term therapy;
• as one of the most important components of complex homeopathic treatment of diseases of the spleen and gallbladder.

Cosmetological properties

After sea buckthorn oil, famous for its vitamin composition, it is milk thistle that is considered the most biologically active oil among the bases. Despite its complete non-aggressiveness, it is practically not used in daily, regular skin care: it is an assistant for emergency cases.

Milk thistle oil is one of the most powerful bases for anti-burn therapy, treatment of damaged and injured skin (according to some reports, it is more effective than sea buckthorn). Milk thistle combines a wound healing effect with active regeneration and removal of local foci of inflammation, accelerates the healing process of wounds, all types of sun and household burns and diaper rash.

This oil is also used for dermatoses, psoriasis, vitiligo, lichen, acne, allergic dermatitis, but the effect on these diseases is carried out not externally, but internally. But this is more likely to be attributed to the category of medicinal rather than cosmetic properties and is considered within the framework of the complex therapeutic effects of the oil.

When taken internally, milk thistle oil helps restore hair, prevent hair loss, and can be used to combat hair loss.