Avocados are good for your skin

Question

According to a health and wellness article published by The Vibrant Skin bar, Avocados are proven to be very beneficial for the skin. They contain vitals B,C, E and K which are all known for their health benefits. They also contain a good amount of magnesium and potassium that are known to combat bacteria that can grow on the skin barrier. To add they also contain omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that deeply hydrate the skin. Avocado can also be used as a topical treatment to reduce dark spots, eczema, and psoriasis.

https://vibrantskinbar.com/blog/avocado-benefits-for-skin/

Comments

Hi! I think this is a very well-written and evidence-based claim. With that being said, I would love to hear if there are any negative effects of avocados for the skin. When fact checking, I think it is important to weight both sides of an argument. I loved your part about bacteria on the skin creating a barrier. All together, great work!

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Your insights highlight a key issue with the fact-checking process: the absence of reliable support for specific claims, such as the one about avocado oil reducing breakouts. The linked article you provided contains general advice on acne-prone skin but lacks any mention of that particular claim, raising concerns about its origin and accuracy. Suggesting reliance on sources like government websites or peer-reviewed studies is amazing advice. Doing so ensures credibility and reinforces confidence in shared information, especially when discussing sensitive topics like skincare.

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The website where you found this claim seems biased, as they are a company that is clearly trying to get users to be customers or buy something from them. They also don't cite any sources besides their own articles to back up their claims. I would consider trying to find a more credible source to research from.

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Great job of using the info provided in the article, but the only issue is the website used seems somewhat biased. Most of the information from the website was cited by the website itself.

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I like your factcheck because you want to see both sides of the argument that the source doesn't provide. Good job!

Answer 1

I’ve heard before that avocados are good for your skin, so I was intrigued to check the verity of this claim. The link you posted comes from a blog post by a medical spa called Vibrant Skin Bar. All hyperlinks lead to various other pages from the blog site also written by Kristina Cadwell who has a master's in medical science and has been working in the “Aesthetic Medical field” for over 10 years. To verify the claims on this blog, I did some additional research and found an article detailing a recent study done at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. It states “The women selected in the study all had the same skin type. Researchers used a device called a cutometer to measure facial skin elasticity, firmness, pigmentation, sebum and hydration. The test measurements were applied to the forehead and under the eyes. After eight weeks, the subjects who ate an avocado daily showed significant increase in elasticity and firmness in the skin compared to the control group. At the end of the study, researchers concluded that daily avocado consumption can lead to improved elasticity and firmness to the facial skin of healthy women.” Champion, C. Ed.D., (2022, January, 26). Eating an avocado daily increases elasticity and firmness in skin, study shows. UCLA Health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/eating-an-avocado-daily-increases-elasticity-and-firmness-in-skin-study-shows I trust this source as it comes from a legitimate healthcare provider. Dr. Zhaoping Li says that using avocados in facemasks may be helpful, but eating them is how they really make a difference in your skin.

Comments

I believe that this answer is the best possible answer to this question. You did your research and put in the specific quote that helps prove your point, all from a trustworthy news source.

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This is a really good factcheck.  It is well researched and thorough and citing the UCLA Health article adds strong support to your argument. You should also add why the original blog post is less reliable.

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Hello there! I really appreciate your diligence on this fact check, and it seems like you were very interested in the topic. I thought it was very smart that you clicked on the hyperlinks and integrated those into your answer because they were reputable. I found the UCLA study on women's skin and avocados to be very interesting, and I think that was a great addition to your answer. Overall, I think you did a great job fact checking this claim, and doing thorough research.

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I really liked how you did further research into the claim and checked out the hyperlinks within the article to verify their credibility. I also commend you for finding additional articles about the subject from a credible source (UCLA Health), as med spas may make false claims in order to promote certain product lines of theirs. It is important that articles such as these use credible sources such as estheticians and previous medical research to make sure their facts are correct, because if not many people may be persuaded to buy food/products that don't really work well, but are hyped up on the internet. The article that you found is also fairly recent, which helps add to the fact that the research is credible and useful for argumentation purposes. Well done!

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This is a good comment because it does additional research to verify the claim, and cites a credible study from UCLA Health. The you also explains the study’s findings clearly and supported the argument with expert opinions, making the response well-researched, credible, and informative.

Answer 2

First thing that should be noted is that this is a blog. Blogs are meant has sources of live-journaling someone's findings in their own life and don't require being fact-checked or run through a ton of hands like in a journalism firm. However, I have found some other articles that do say the same thing. However, I can't find any hard scientific evidence that Avocados help with skin. There are no real scientific studies to show that avocados are good for your skin. The only other articles that I could find was other beatey blogs.  10 Best Natural Ingredients for Your Hair, Skin, & Nail Health (emedihealth.com)

The only one I could find that could have some merit was one done by a doctor who works as a cosmetics consultant for a magazine. 

Comments

Totally agree with you on this blogs can be hit or miss, especially without real studies backing up their claims. It’s easy for stuff to circulate that hasn't been properly tested, even if it’s popular. Those beauty articles are often opinions or experiences, and without solid research, it's hard to say what actually works. Did the doctor or cosmetic consultant mention any specific ingredients or studies that give more weight to avocado’s skin benefits?

Answer 3

To some extent, the claim is true as avocado and avocado oil does offer anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties that can better conditions like eczema and psoriasis but it is not a replacement for medical treatments and especially not for chronic conditions like psoriasis.

According to all three sources, Byrdie, Depology, and Medical News Today, it all states that it is best to work along avocado with hydrating agents like hyaluronic acid or a combination of retinol. Although avocados has alot of skin benefits, it is not a miracle cure for those with skin conditions but can reduce the extent of pain and the severity of it.

https://www.byrdie.com/

https://depology.com/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

Comments

Exactly, avocado can definitely help soothe skin, but it’s not a fix all, especially for chronic conditions like psoriasis. Pairing it with things like hyaluronic acid makes sense for added hydration and balance, but it’s good to keep realistic expectations about its effects. Did any of those sources mention how often you should use avocado oil or if it’s best as a spot treatment versus all over?

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I think this is a great factcheck, I like how you specified that it is not a good replacement for treatment of chronic skin conditions, as that would be an important piece of information for people with those conditions to hear. I also thought the support of 3 sources made this factcheck strong.

Answer 4

This fact can neither be confirmed true or false. One main reason why the fact cannot be proven is because a scholarly source is not used. A blog is a website that features a series of posts, or articles, on a particular topic, usually updated regularly. Instead of using a blog, including a news article or journal providing the benefits of avocados on the skin would be more useful. Avocados are considered a heart healthy fruit and are filled with fantastic benefits for your body such as potassium, fatty acids, and fiber. included in this article are different types of face masks to try to improve skin complexion. Another reason this fact cannot be confirmed true or not is because it might work on some people and not others which is why this can very misleading to readers. Below is the website I used to get my information to fact check this claim.

https://www.cosmeticsurgeryhouston.com/blog/your-secret-younger-looking-skin-avocado-skin-benefits/

Comments

Thank you for recognizing that this claim came from a blog. However, I would beg to differ that even if the claim came from a news article or journal (as you claimed) this would still not always be enough to verify its accuracy. Even news articles and journals can get their facts incorrect or be misleading. I would say a scientific article or government article would be even more reliable than the news.

Answer 5

This statement is true. The source they used it credible but per my source https://www.kiehls.com/skincare-advice/avocado-skin-benefits.html#:~:text=What%20you%20may%20not%20know,dry%20and%20sensitive%20skin%20types. Avocados offer real skin benefits because they're packed with vitamins B, C, E, and K, which support skin health, healing, and hydration. Magnesium and potassium help keep the skin barrier strong by fighting bacteria, while omega-3 and -6 fatty acids deeply moisturize, aiding in conditions like dryness and inflammation. They also contain antioxidants, making them useful for managing dark spots and soothing skin issues like eczema and psoriasis when applied topically. 

Comments

Do you think Kiehl's is a legit source?

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You provided some good information but I think it would have been beneficial to add another source from a dermatologist, scientist, or skin expert, rather than just a beauty brand that are only trying to promote their products.

Answer 6

The original source of this claim is a blog, which while seems informative, does not cite any specific scientific data to back up its claim, and it is unclear where they found their information. Doing outside research, it seems there is scientific data to partially back up this claim as true. UCLA Health (https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/eating-an-avocado-daily-increases-elasticity-and-firmness-in-skin-study-shows) published a study in 2022 that mirrored the claims of the VibrantSkinBar blog, which was that avocado increases elasticity in skin. Besides elasticity, avocado is considered a superfood so there is bound to be other benefits to health (Avocados do contain omega 6 and omega 3s), but may not be directly linked to dramatic improvements in skin.

Comments

Your analysis provides a balanced and well-reasoned perspective on this claim. It’s crucial to note the lack of scientific citations in the original blog, as that raises questions about its reliability. By incorporating the UCLA Health study, you’ve added credible support for the claim that avocado consumption can improve skin elasticity, which is an important point. Highlighting that avocados contain beneficial nutrients like omega-3 and omega-6 is valuable, but I like how you caution readers not to overstate their effects on the skin without further evidence. Overall, this is a well-rounded fact-check with thoughtful insights!

Answer 7

The biggest issue with this source is that it's a blog. And not only that, but the author doesn't reference any credible sources. However, the claim they are making is factual. I did some further research and I found an article posted to healthline.com that references multiple studies and is medically reviewed by a nurse practitioner. The article mentions a study from the national library of medicine, as well as a study done at Cambridge university. Given that these are trustworthy sources, I believe that the claim that avocado is good for your skin to be true.

Here's the link to the healthline article:

https://www.healthline.com/health/avocado-benefits-for-skin#benefits

And some of the credible studies that they referenced:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/association-of-dietary-fat-vegetables-and-antioxidant-micronutrients-with-skin-ageing-in-japanese-women/56684BEDBFE3C4A13F20629EB4BF2507

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20978772/

Answer 8

So, the argument is that "Avocados are good for your skin." However, the word "good" in itself is subjective. So, let's look at the claims she uses in the article. She states 12 different claims on how avocados can be good for your skin. If one or two of these are correct, and there isn't any harm to your skin; then I could say, "avocados are good for your skin". 

First, this is a blog backed a "medically backed spa" as they say. The author is a physician's assistant and majored in Biology. She's working on her medical science degree. You can find this info on the blog's about page: Kristina Cadwell 

Pretty solid, but let's go further, she references a small research study on the effects of avocado on women's skin, which you can find here: Avocado Consumption Increased Skin Elasticity and Firmness in Women ‐ A Pilot Study - PMC

The study is part of the National Library of Medicine which is as credible a source as I think you can get for information on this. However, the study only looked at the effects in 30 women. 

Next, we can look at a less credible source, Medical News Today, which uploaded a similar article in 2018, 6 years before Caldwell's article. So, this information isn't new, but the point is it has had time to be debunked - otherwise I don't think Caldwell would risk her career on old news. Here is the article here: Avocado oil for skin: 8 benefits and how to use it. This also has been medically reviewed. You can do with that what you will. 

All in all, "good" is subjective, but Caldwell backs up her claims with solid research on a couple of the points. 

Here is also a Harvard public health source on the vitamins and minerals in Avocados which back up Caldwell's first claims about vitamins being good for the skin: Avocados – The Nutrition Source 

These sources coupled with the absence of articles on avocados being conversely bad for your skin, indicates to me she is telling the most truth she knows for a relatively low researched topic.

Is it highly backed by a lot of science? No. Is it purposely trying to make you believe something that is not true? Also no. I think its new research, and what they know so far, is yes, avocados are indeed good for the skin. 

Now is that internally or topically? Depends on the point she is making, as she makes 12 that would each have to be researched. 

But I think her overall point is true based on these sources I found. 

Answer 9

This article was published by Vibrant Skin Bar, a spa in Phoenix, Arizona. The article was written by Kristina Cadwell, a Physician Assistant Certified. This makes it a credible source considering she has extensive knowledge of skin from getting a masters degree and works at a spa. A google search of the claim will bring up a UCLA study saying that consuming one avocado a day can help skin elasticity and firmness. And according to healthline.com, avocados benefit your skin due to the "healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients". With this information I would say the claim is true.

Comments

You should have provided a link to back up your information and allow others to learn off of the websites you did.

Answer 10

In a recent study conducted through a collaboration at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition,  David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, avocado consumption was shown to increase skin elasticity and firmness.

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/eating-an-avocado-daily-increases-elasticity-and-firmness-in-skin-study-shows

Comments

Though simply providing a link to a single study that supports the main claim of the provided source is helpful to begin an investigation into its credibility, your answer is merely the start of such an investigation. This article may or may not be helpful. But, if you explored its conclusions and, perhaps, put it in conversation with similar sources, you could vastly improve the strength of your response.

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Maybe try putting the quotation in your own words to make the fact check better

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Although your quote is helpful to the investigation I feel it may have been helpful to your fact check reasoning to investigate more into the original article itself. Possibly adding a few sentences about the author and the blog as a whole would help clairify more about the actual claim at question. The source you found though is good evidence to support the blog.