6 Potential Benefits of Almond Oil for Skin & More + Side Effects

Almond oil can be used to create a low-cost sunscreen with all-natural ingredients. Most natural sunscreens contain oil, a sun-blocking agent, and wax to bind it all together. Researchers developed a low-cost sunscreen, combining almond oil (75% by mass), beeswax (9%), and zinc oxide (16%). Clinical testing on 5 volunteers showed that the almond oil sunscreen had an SPF of 15 and was comparable to commercial SPF 15 sunscreens .

3) Stretch Marks
A clinical study of 159 women showed that using almond oil could prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, though the study did not mention the type of almond oil or the method of using almond oil (in massage, applied topically, or ingested).

Another study reported that a massage with bitter almond oil reduced the occurrence of stretch marks in pregnancy in a non-randomized clinical study of 141 women. However, bitter almond oil alone had no significant effect, and a different study of 150 women showed that a cream containing almond oil had no effect on the number or severity of stretch marks. Some researchers have suggested that massage, rather than the oil itself, might be the critical part of this treatment.

On the other hand a study of 160 women found that sweet almond oil applied to the skin helped reduce itchiness, though the total number of stretch marks remained unchanged .Further trials are required to determine whether almond oil could prevent stretch marks.

4) Cholesterol
Almond oil may reduce the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which are two important factors that contribute to heart disease and stroke.

Cholesterol comes in 2 main types: low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good” cholesterol).

In a study on 22 healthy men and women, replacing half of their usual fat intake with almond oil over 6 weeks resulted in a decrease in total saturated fat and cholesterol intake. While total cholesterol decreased, LDL decreased and HDL increased. The reduction in LDL levels may be due to the phytosterols in almond oil, which decrease cholesterol absorption.

Blood fat levels are associated with coronary heart disease. Triglycerides are the main parts of the natural fats and oils in the food you eat and are one component of overall blood fats. High levels of triglycerides in the blood are associated with stroke. In the previous study, almond oil had no effect on overall blood fat levels; however, almond oil reduced the level of triglycerides, specifically .

In contrast, a different study found that eating whole almonds caused a decrease in overall blood fat levels. This study looked at the effect of eating whole almonds as snacks in 15 men with high blood fat levels and 12 post-menopausal women and found a decrease in both blood fat and total cholesterol levels .

Additional studies are required to determine whether almonds or their oil could effectively reduce total blood fats, cholesterol, or triglycerides.

5) Blood Sugar
High blood sugar after eating a meal is an important indicator of risk for coronary heart disease and diabetes. Because of this, a number of studies have looked at the potential nutritional effects of almond products in treating or preventing these diseases.

Two studies have found that almond oil can reduce blood sugar concentrations after meals while eating other forms of almonds (such as whole almonds or almond butter) did not have this effect.The results of these studies will need to be repeated in larger and more robust studies to confirm a role for almonds or their oil in reducing blood sugar.

6) Rectal Prolapse
Although almond oil should generally only be eaten or used on the skin, it can produce an inflammatory response and tissue scarring when it is injected directly into specific parts of the body. While normally harmful, these (“sclerosing”) effects can be used by medical professionals to treat certain conditions, such as rectal prolapse (the local scarring caused by the injection helps keep the rectal muscles tighter together).In a study of 9 children with rectal prolapse, their condition resolved after they received 1 to 3 injections of phenol in almond oil directly into the bloodstream.Note that this extremely small study cannot determine whether the treatment worked because of the phenol, almond oil, or combination of both.If you or your child suffer from rectal prolapse, seek medical attention immediately.