7 Fish Oil Beauty Hacks to Try for Healthy Skin Hair and Nails Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Healthy Skin 7 Fish Oil Beauty Hacks to Try for Healthy Skin Hair and Nails Fish oil offers some impressive benefits from head to toe. Here’s why board-certified dermatologists recommend adding supplements or the oil itself to your vanity. By Jessica MigalaMedically Reviewed by Ross Radusky, MDReviewed: December 11, 2020Medically ReviewedCan fish oil help give you healthy hair and skin?Ohlamour Studio/StocksyCoconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil — these are all oils that you can use to DIY a spa day at home. With the rising popularity of fish oil, which you can buy in solid, supplemental or liquid, bottled form, you may be wondering: Can I use this trendy ingredient on my hair, skin, and nails, too? Fish oil is made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), notes the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Fish oil may also contain vitamins A and D, selenium, and retinol, according to a review published in August 2018 in Marine Drugs. You can take fish oil as a supplement — in liquid form, like cod liver oil, or capsule form, such as omega-3 supplements. Technically, you can also apply it to your skin, hair, and nails. You may not want to, though. For one, fish oil has a pungent odor. No surprise: It smells like fish. You may find that other types of oils, namely coconut, will have a more pleasant scent that you enjoy using. Common Questions & AnswersCan I rub fish oil on my face?It may be okay to apply topically to limited areas with dryness, especially non-oily parts of the face (like near the eyes) or rough patches on the body. But it can clog pores and exacerbate breakouts if you’re prone to acne, so be cautious when using it here.Can fish oil improve skin?When applied topically, fish oil can be an effective moisturizer, if you are okay with the scent. When taken orally through supplements, it may help decrease inflammation, encourage wound healing, and provide protection against the sun’s damaging UV rays.What is the best way to absorb fish oil?The best way to take fish oil is through supplements, as capsules make it easier and more pleasant. (You can also consume cod liver oil, if you don’t mind the taste and texture of taking oil.)Which fish oil is best for skin?Omega 3 supplements can include many different types of fish. Read the ingredient label and look for fish oil supplement made with small fish that contain low levels of mercury, like anchovies.How long does it take for fish oil to work for skin?You’ll need some patience before determining if fish oil supplements are delivering the results you’re looking for. After starting to take oral fish oil supplements, it can take about three months to see results. Regardless, if you want to incorporate fish oil into your skin-care or beauty routine, consider giving these hacks a try. RELATED: 10 Natural, DIY Remedies for Dry Skin For Your Skin Alina Hvostikova/Stocksy 1 Hydrate Dry Patches With Omega-3sIs this your new after-shower oil? “Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely hydrating. They can improve skin barrier function to prevent water loss,” explains Debra Jaliman, MD, board certified dermatologist in New York City and author of Skin Rules. “If you are using fish oil topically, it’s best to use it in dry areas,” she says. Dab near the eyes or around the edges of the face onto small rough patches, Dr. Jaliman advises. Or try the really dry places elsewhere on your body, such as elbows and knees. One warning (an anti-hack, if you will): If you are acne prone, when applied topically fish oil can cause breakouts, so you’re best off avoiding it, Jaliman says. For that same reason, skip using it in your T-zone completely. RELATED: 7 Easy Home Remedies for Acne 2 Soothe Red or Sunburned Skin With a Small Amount Fish oil’s anti-inflammatory properties may also help quell redness in inflammatory skin problems including eczema, sunburn, or sensitive skin in general, says Purvisha Patel, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare in Germantown, Tennessee. “The oils help repair the epidermal cell barrier, and helps increase skin strength and decrease DNA damage in the skin,” she says. To calm angry skin, she recommends applying a small amount to damp skin. (Do not apply oil and then go out into the sun.) But using a skin product that contains omega-3s as an ingredient may be a better option, says Dr. Patel, as it will be specifically formulated to absorb well into skin, contains supporting ingredients to enhance effectiveness, and smell more pleasant. 3 Fish Oil May Help Speed Skin Healing Consider dotting a bit of fish oil on a small cut or scrape — there’s some limited evidence that a topical application of omega-3s and omega-3 supplements encourage wound healing, says Jaliman. Indeed, a small, previous randomized controlled trial suggested that fish oil offers promise for this purpose. RELATED: 5 Reasons Maintaining a Skin-Care Routine Is Good for Mental Health 4 Use Fish Oil for an Extra Boost of UV Protection EPA in fish oil in particular may bolster your body’s internal defenses of UV rays — similar to sunscreen from within, in part because of its anti-inflammatory properties, past research has suggested. Still, it’s not a replacement for applying a good SPF 30 to exposed skin in the morning — but that a diet containing fish oil may add another layer of protection. For Your Hair Sonja Lekovic/Stocksy 5 Balance Oil Production and Fight FlakesWhen it comes to getting a lustrous and shiny mane, skip massaging fish oil directly on your scalp (you don’t want fishy-smelling hair, anyway) and start popping a fish oil supplement instead. Once again, this taps into the moisturizing properties of these omega-3s, says Kerry Yates, a trichologist and founder of Colour Collective in Dallas, Texas. Fish oil helps manage sebum (oil) production in the skin. “By default, hair health is improved, as balanced sebum production works wonders in naturally conditioning the hair, preventing inflammatory scalp conditions and possibly dandruff,” she says. RELATED: What Is Scalp Eczema? Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and More For Your Nails W2 Photography/Stocksy 6 Cure Dry Cuticles With a Dab of Fish OilMassage some fish oil into winter-ravaged, dry, peeling, and painful cuticles. Try it “before bedtime to help moisturize the skin around your nails,” Patel says. Bonus, she adds, “no hangnails.” 7 Restore Dry Nails With a Swipe of Fish Oil Nails need TLC, too, and their fatty acids will rehydrate parched or peeling nails. “Use fish oil directly on the nails if they tend to be dry,” Jaliman says. NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Healthy Skin Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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