Does Vitamin E Skin Oil Have Side Effects?

You might apply vitamin E oil to your skin to help heal scars, minimize wrinkles or protect you from sun damage. It's a common ingredient in skin care products and most people experience no side effects when applying vitamin E oil. In a select few, though, an allergy to the topical oil may develop, resulting in a rash or aggravation of existing skin conditions such as rosacea.

Vitamin E and its derivatives are common ingredients in moisturizers. (Image: robertprzybysz/iStock/Getty Images)

Reported Reactions

Vitamin E oil may appear as alpha-tocopherol on the ingredient label of cosmetic products. A 2008 issue of "Dermatitis" reported a case in which a patient experienced contact dermatitis in reaction to application of a moisturizer that included alpha-tocopherol. If you suspect you are allergic to the oil, discontinue its use altogether. Read product labels carefully to ensure you aren't accidentally exposed.