Hi, I hope someone can help here, as i've googled this question and found no definitive answer.
I'll be in Marrakech next week and needs some Argan oil for medicinal purposes to ease arthritis pain. The problem is, i don't know who to use it! Is it just massaged into the affected area or does it need to be consumed?
Really grateful for any experience with this.
Thanks, Bart.
There are two different types of Argan Oil, you will need the cosmetic one (the other type is for consuming/eating and tastes really nice!).
Just massage it into your skin and it will help with arthritis pain, I use it occasionally on my knees in the night and by the morning the pain is much better. My father also uses it on his shoulders and says it eases his pain considerably.
Expect to pay around £13 for 250ml bottle. Make sure you buy from a reputable place (otherwise you may end up with some other type of vegatable oil). I always stock up from Herboristerie Firdaous (near the Hotel Tazi, if you need directions then feel free to email me). This shop has been around for years and their prices are fixed (no need to haggle).
You can also buy Argan Oil at co-operative factories on the way to Essaouria, I have visted quite a few of them and it is very interesting to see how they make the oil, the prices have always been way higher than they should be there (even though they are mean't to be the cheapest at these types of outlets).
Get as much as you can, if you have to buy in the UK it will cost around 4 or 5 times as much as you will pay in Morocco (I once paid £20 for 50ml cosmetic argan oil in the UK).
Edited: 8:35 am, May 18, 2011That's brilliant, thanks so much for your detailed reply. I will stock up!
When purchasing argan oil, look for a date code and eco-cert label. Depending on how the oil is extracted, shelf life can vary. Organic argan oil, if mechanically pressed has a shelf life of up to two years; if pressed by hand, 12-18 months.
Also check for sediment at the bottle of the bottle, better quality should have no sediment.
Many people use the culinary oil on skin and hair as well--it is very wholesome and versatile as long as you don't mind the nutty scent. Culinary argan is also more economical to purchase than cosmetic.
I did have argan oil taken from me by authorities in the Rabat airport last year.
They said it was a flammable substance--I had it in my checked baggage.
Only had the problem once and I have taken argan oil with me many times.
Voltarol is a lot cheaper. :)
There's a load of websites promoting the use of Argan oil as an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) but they are all sites selling or promoting oil. I couldn't find any independent sites that confirmed the claims.
I'd be interested if you can point me to any.
The non-culinary oil is also divided up into differnt uses:facial,massage and hair, I found.
I have bought the hair serum as I have a mass of frizzy curls..all natural..that need taming. I was advised to put this on BEFORE washing and to wash off but I would have thought it would be advantage to put it on danp hair like other serums So can I hi-jack the thread to ask about these different uses?
Tim, I cannot point you to any Independent websites, but I can give you my own honest experience.
I have used the oil for over 2 years, for all sorts of treatments, my childrens eczema being the main use. I use it for all joint/muscle pains, my father uses it for his arthritis, my wife uses it for her hair. I have given some oil to my family and friends and all have come back with praises for it.
I am probably the most sceptical of persons but I believe in the oil, not because somebody has told me second hand what it does but because I have seen the results of it myself.
The cream you have recommended as an alternative is cheaper but it is not a natural product.
Thanks for all of your advice. I am actually the least likely person to seek alternative, natural medicines, but no amount of steriod/anti inflammatory creams and pills have been able to relieve the joint pain to an acceptable level.
Of course, most of the websites where i read about the medicinal benefits of Argan oil were actually selling the stuff and listed just about every medical complaint possible as being helped by the oil! it's still worth a try when you have to live with permanant joint pain.
i brought Argan oil from Marrakech but it does not have experiry date. how long should i use it? i was told it is natural and i can use it for ever.
Mariam M,
how much did you buy for heavens sake?! For ever is a long time :-)
Organic oils do have a shelf life. The life of the oil depends on how it was pressed. Mechanically pressed argan oil has a shelf life of up to 24 months.
Oil extracted by hand has a shelf-life of 18 months.
Moroccan-born biochemist and plant physiologist Dr. Soad Benkirane began studying argan oil, argan trees, and the goats who eat the fruit in 1981. She has written extensively on the subject. Her articles can be found in French in some online publications. Here is a scientific article that is not part of an argan selling site: www.altmedrev.com/publications/16/3/275.pdf
Dr. Zoubida Charrouf has written extensively on the subject of argan oil. Just google her name and scientific research will spring up.
