How Shea Butter Benefits Health

Benefits Scarring

Shea butter is also reported to help with scarring. In a 2011 trial, shea butter was one of several substances used to assess effects on keloid fibroblasts. Shea butter, along with the other substances, was found to inhibit the growth of the fibroblasts. Researchers believe shea butter benefits scarring by promoting skin regeneration.

Besides being a major source of vitamins, shea butter is rich in fatty acids, which consist of linoleic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic acid. One study showed oleic acid helped inhibit the proliferation of scar fibroblasts. On the other hand, it inhibited the proliferation of normal fibroblasts. In another study, a solution containing oleic acid was found to be more effective than a tranilast in treating hypertrophic and keloid scars in rats. A recent study from 2017 focused on the effects of combined oleic and linoleic acids on non-hypertrophic scars and stretch marks. The participants who had scars applied the solution for eight weeks. The solution reduced the appearance of scars in most participants.

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