HOME REMEDIES TO
TREAT ACNE
About the time
girls and boys enter puberty, acne may strike. Acne (acne vulgaris) goes by many names: zits, blackheads, pimples, bumps,
blemishes, and more. Adolescence marks a time of hormonal surges, including an abundance
of male hormones from the adrenal gland. Among other actions, these hormones increase
the skin’s oil production. If the pores to the oils glands become clogged,
localized inflammation and infection—redness, swelling, and pus—can result.
In ancient Greece and
Egypt civilisations, sulphur was used to treat acne. Abundantly available, sulphur
was prepared by early alchemists in the form of a cream to improve conditions
such as acne and other skin ailments.
GREEN TEA WASH
1 green
tea bag
Preparation
and Use: Brew a cup or small bowl of green tea. Let
cool to the touch. Apply to the affected area with a clean cloth. Tea is
astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial. It is found that a 2 percent
green tea lotion reduced acne.
ESSENTIAL OIL LOTION
2 drops
pure tea tree or lavender essential oil
1
teaspoon (5 g) Aloe Vera gel
Preparation
and Use: Blend the tea tree essential oil with the
aloe gel. Dot the mixture on blemishes using a cotton swab or clean finger. Tea
tree and lavender are both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. Lavender smells
nicer and can be applied without dilution. Aloe Vera is also
anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. In addition, it reduces discomfort and
speeds healing. Topical applications of 5 percent tea tree oil gel have been
proven as effective as benzoyl peroxide (Oxy-5) and other commercially available
products.
ESSENTIAL OIL FACE SPRITZER
½ cup
(120 ml) Witch Hazel
½ cup
(115 g) Aloe Vera gel
20 drops
Lavender essential oil
Preparation
and Use: Place the ingredients in a clean spray
bottle and shake until combined. Mist over your face. This is a soothing and
reviving elixir. Witch hazel extract, which you can find in most drugstores, is
an astringent. It can be used alone to gently clean the skin. It also tones the
skin and decreases inflammation. This mixture stays good for one week.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR WASH
½ cup (120 ml) water
2 tablespoons (28 ml)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Preparation and
Use: Pour the water and vinegar into a small, clean bowl.
Stir to combine. With a cotton swab or cotton ball, dab the diluted vinegar on
each blemish. (Use one swab or ball per blemish to keep infection from spreading.)
The application may briefly sting, but that should soon stop. Apply in nights
for best results. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which is an antiseptic and
helps regulate skin acidity.
Warning: Because undiluted vinegar may irritate the skin, always start with a
1:8 dilution of vinegar to water (e.g., 2 tablespoons [28 ml] of vinegar to 1
cup [235 ml] of water) and build up to 1:4 and, if possible, to vinegar only.
YOGURT HONEY MASK
¼ cup (60 g) plain
yogurt
1 tablespoon (20 g)
honey
2 strawberries
Preparation and
Use: In a small bowl, blend the yogurt and honey. Mash the
strawberries and fold into the yogurt mixture. Pull back your hair and wash
your face with warm water. Use a cotton ball to spread the mask onto your face.
Recline for 10 minutes while the fruit and milk acids do their work. Wash with
cool water and pat dry with a clean towel. Yogurt contains lactic acid and
strawberries contain several fruit acids, primarily citric acid. These acids
help remove dead skin cells and unclog pores. Honey is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory,
and antioxidant.
Note: Alternatively, dab on straight honey, allow it to dry, and then rinse.
PINEAPPLE REFRESH
1 fresh pineapple
Preparation and
Use: Slice away the sides of the pineapple, separating the
fruit from the rind. Set the fruit aside in a bowl. Rub the inside of the rind
on your face. Mash a single slice of pineapple and rub it onto your face. Let
the pineapple juices work for about 15 minutes—while you enjoy eating the
fruit. Wash your face and pat it dry with a clean towel. Repeat weekly as
needed. Pineapple contains an anti-inflammatory enzyme called bromelain and
fruit acids (mainly citric acid), which gently exfoliate the skin, unblock
pores, and dry excess skin oil. (A number of over-the-counter anti-acne
products contain a type of fruit acid called alpha-hydroxyl acid.)
Warning: Do not apply pineapple to your skin if you’re allergic to it. If you
develop any redness or irritation, stop.
BITTER GREENS SALAD
½ cup (28 g) fresh
dandelion greens
½ cup (10 g) arugula
½ cup (20 g)
radicchio
½ cup (25 g) endive
½ cup (150 g) fresh
or canned artichoke hearts
Preparation and
Use: Tear the greens into bite-size
pieces. Slice the artichoke hearts. Mix all the ingredients together in a
salad. Add other favourite vegetables but avoid adding ingredients with sugars,
which may cause skin flare-ups. Be creative with this natural cleanser by
trying greens you’ve never used before. Bitter foods stimulate the liver,
the organ that breaks down hormones and many other chemicals so they can more
easily be cleared from the body.
HERBAL STEAM BAG
1 quart (946 ml)
water
1 tablespoon (2 g)
crushed dried calendula (also called pot marigold) flowers
1 tablespoon (2 g)
dried elderflowers
3 drops lavender
essential oil
Preparation and
Use: Bring water to a boil in a
kettle. Put the calendula flowers and elderflowers in a large, heatproof bowl
and add the water, covering the flowers. Add the lavender oil and stir to
combine. Lower your head over the bowl and cover it completely with a towel.
Allow the steam to work for 15 minutes or until it abates. Rinse your face with
cool water. Calendula and elderflower have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic
properties. Note: You’ll find dried herbal flowers in bulk at most health
food stores. Also, although calendula (Calendula officinalis) also goes
by the common name of pot marigold, it is not the same as marigold (Tagetes
erecta, T. patula, and other species). This herbal remedy can also be
used as a soothing facial anytime you need it.
FACT OR MYTH?
Myth: Masturbation causes acne. It doesn’t. Neither does how much or how little
sex you have. Another is that acne vanishes at the end of adolescence. Although
that’s true for many people, blemishes continue for some people into middle
age. Another myth is that poor hygiene causes acne. That belief can drive
people to scrub their face repeatedly, which only further irritates the skin.
Popping a pimple will help it heal. Hands off! Pimple
popping makes the blemish look worse and can leave a scar.
Fact: Exercise is good for your skin. Yes! It improves circulation, making
your skin healthy and vibrant. Rinse your face immediately after strenuous
exercise because the salt and bacterial build-up can cause an outbreak if not
washed away.
LIFESTYLE TIP
Eat whole grains,
whole fruits, vegetables, and legumes—all complex carbohydrates that create a
relatively slow, steady rise in blood sugar. Studies show eating foods that
quickly elevate blood sugar (white bread, pasta, white rice, juices, and
sweetened foods and beverages) increases acne. It is found that a low-glycaemic
diet, which better controlled blood sugar, improved acne.
WHEN SIMPLE DOESN’T WORK
1.
Check your stress level. Severe acne is associated with
psychological stress, though it’s hard to distinguish chicken from egg because
acne can generate distress. It is known, however, and that taking medicine
derived from the stress hormone cortisol (e.g., cortisone and prednisone) can
trigger acne.
2.
Most doctors say diet has little bearing on acne. A few
studies and anecdotal reports, however, link pimples with drinking milk and
eating fried foods, potato chips, and sweets. To that reason, we recommend you
eliminate junk foods, minimize dairy, and emphasize vegetables, fruits, and
fish. Stick to lean cuts of poultry and meat. Notice whether a more wholesome
diet improves your complexion.
3.
If you’re a woman, you might like to know that some
studies show that extracts of chaste tree berries reduce premenstrual acne. You
can find herbal extracts at natural food stores.
If the above gentle treatments don’t work, see your
doctor.
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