The farmers who grow our borage may use tractors instead of wooden plows, but they're cultivating the same species that grew in Roman gardens two thousand years ago. The blue flowers still attract bees. The hairy leaves still taste faintly of cucumber. And the seeds still contain the remarkable oil that makes borage uniquely valuable for skin health.

The comparison isn't about declaring one oil universally superior. Rather, it's about recognizing that these two GLA sources have distinct characteristics that suit them to different purposes.

Borage oil can work alongside these treatments, potentially reducing the intensity or frequency of flares by supporting skin health in ways that complement medical approaches. This is the lens through which to view the research—not as proof of a miracle cure, but as evidence that fatty acid supplementation can meaningfully support skin affected by atopic conditions.

This distinction matters enormously for skincare. When you apply borage oil topically, you're delivering GLA directly to skin cells, where it can support anti-inflammatory pathways without the concerns associated with excessive dietary omega-6 intake.

Borage oil contributes to this foundation by supplying essential fatty acids that the barrier requires and calming inflammation that perpetuates barrier dysfunction. It's not a complete solution—no single ingredient is—but it addresses fundamental mechanisms that other ingredients don't target.