HOME REMEDIES FOR ACNE

HOW TO PREVENT ACNE – HOME REMEDIES

In my previous blog, I told you what the causes of acne are and what we can do to prevent them. Acne is one of the most common skin conditions, affecting around 85% of young adults in the world. There are a lot of ointments and over-the-counter medicines available to treat acne, but most of these ointments and creams cause dryness of the skin, allergies, irritation, and redness. It is not at all advisable to use this kind of medication without your doctor's advice because everyone has a different skin type and these medications might react differently. Due to these issues, many of you will have shifted to home remedies to cure acne. In fact,  studies show that 77% of people suffering from acne and pimples prefer alternative treatments and home remedies instead of over-the-counter medications. A lot of home remedies lack scientific backing but are equally effective. Home remedies help balance out the skin’s oil level, kill bacteria, reduce inflammation, and reduce future acne breakouts. But here are a few home remedies that will definitely ease your redness and inflammation and stop your skin from breaking out in the future.

The most popular home remedies for acne involve the use of natural herbal extracts readily available in nature. A lot of traditional medicine practitioners have used these natural remedies for hundreds of years. Below, I have listed a few home remedies for acne that will surely help you.

1] TEA TREE OILS

Tea tree oil has natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it is on top of my list. Tea tree oil kills acne-producing bacteria and helps prevent acne. Also, because this oil has anti-inflammatory properties, it reduces the redness of pimples and swellings as well. A study into tea tree oil and its effects on acne showed that products containing this oil can reduce the number of acne symptoms in people suffering from mild to moderate acne. However, be careful while using this oil, as it is very concentrated and definitely needs to be diluted before applying it to the skin. Take 5 drops of tea tree oil, mix it with 5% benzoyl peroxide (over-the-counter OTC acne medication), or just mix it with your regular oil-free moisturizer. You can also mix tea tree oil with coconut oil or vitamin E oil and apply it at night as a night serum to have glowing, soft skin in the morning. If you are too lazy to do any of the above, a range of tea tree oil products are available online. Select a good one and see what works best for your skin.

2] JOJOBA OIL

This oil is a natural waxy substance extracted from the seeds of the Jojoba shrub. The waxy substance in jojoba oil will help repair the damage caused to your skin by pollution and sun rays. Because of the healing properties jojoba oil has, it will also help heal the acne scars and wounds caused on your skin by breakouts. Jojoba oil has natural anti-inflammatory properties, which means it reduces swelling and redness around whiteheads, pimples, and other inflamed lesions. There are studies conducted that show using jojoba oil in a face mask or moisturizer every day, or at least 3–4 times a week, improves skin and reduces the occurrence of acne. These results can be seen after repeated use of this oil for 6–8 weeks. How do I use this oil? Try mixing jojoba oil with aloe vera gel or an oil-free moisturizer, or you can also put a few drops in your face mask. You can also take a few drops of this essential oil and rub it directly on the acne-affected skin. This oil is easily available online or in health and Ayurveda stores. 

3] HONEY

Didn’t your mom and your grandma tell you to apply honey to your face every day to get rid of those breakouts? Honey has been used to treat acne and other skin conditions for thousands of years. It has anti-oxidants that clear the dirt and pollution settled in the clogged pores. In fact, even doctors use honey on wounds due to its anti-bacterial and wound-healing properties. So next time you have a pimple, take some honey on a cotton swab and apply it to your pimple. You can also apply honey to your face every morning, leave it on for 15-20 minutes, and then wash it off with cold water.

4] ALOE VERA

Everyone knows aloe vera has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which means it reduces the appearance of pimples and prevents any further acne breakouts. Aloe vera contains a lot of water content, which helps keep your skin hydrated and acts like an excellent moisturizer. So for all of you who have dry skin, aloe vera is highly recommended. I am telling you this from my personal experience: Aloe vera works wonders. I started applying aloe vera gel twice a day six months ago. And within 2–3 months, I started seeing clearer skin; even the acne scars slowly started fading away. Aloe vera sure works wonders, but you need to be very patient, as this is a mild natural ingredient that works really slowly on your skin. Keep applying aloe vera gel twice a day every day for 2-3 months, and you will definitely see the texture and quality of your skin improving. Aloe vera gel is very easily available online, but make sure you are buying from a trusted brand with at least 10–12% or more aloe vera properties.

5] GARLIC

Many Ayurveda and traditional medicine practitioners use garlic to treat a variety of diseases. Garlic boosts your body's ability to fight infections and germs. Garlic has organosulfur compounds, which have natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. This compound can also help boost our immune system, which, of course, helps our body fight infections.

How to incorporate garlic

Since garlic fights infections and inflammation caused by acne, you could add more garlic to your diet. If you do not like the taste of garlic so much, you could also buy garlic powder capsules and have them every day. I know a lot of online sources say that you can apply garlic or its juice directly to your skin, but this is not recommended at all, as it can damage your skin further and cause skin irritation. Garlic can burn your skin very easily, so always be careful while using it directly on your face.

6] COCONUT OIL

Like other essential oils, coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties; it helps reduce redness and helps your skin heal faster. Only use virgin coconut oil to apply to your face. You can take a little coconut oil in a cotton ball and apply it to your face at night and sleep. Do this repeatedly for a month, and you will start noticing a difference in your skin. It will definitely make your skin softer and smoother.

7] GREEN TEA

We have all heard how good green tea is for health. Green tea contains high amounts of antioxidants. Most people who have acne have a high amount of natural body oil in their pores but not enough antioxidants. Antioxidants help our body break down waste products and chemicals that damage healthy cells. Green helps clear out the waste and debris that build up in our open pores. Green also helps reduce inflammation.

How do I use green tea?

You should drink green tea on an empty stomach twice a day. This will help you reduce blackheads and whiteheads as well. You can also soak a sachet of green tea in one cup of hot water and leave it in for half an hour. This will give you a really strong green tea. Cool down the water, strain it, put it in your ice trays, and freeze. Apply this green tea ice cube to your face two times daily. You will definitely see a difference in your skin in 6–8 weeks.

8] ECHINACEA

This is also known as the purple coneflower. This flower contains compounds that help destroy bacteria and viruses, including acne-causing bacteria. This flower is also used to boost our immune system and fight flu and cold symptoms. This flower boosts your immunity and prevents infections. I suggest you consume this flower water anyway in these uncertain times of the pandemic. Echinacea products are available in health stores, and you can also buy creams and moisturizers containing Echinacea.

9] ROSEMARY EXTRACTS

Rosemary extracts have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown regular usage of this can help acne heal faster and even get rid of the redness.m You can take 6-7 drops of rosemary oil in a cotton ball and directly apply it to your face. Leave it on overnight and wash it off in the morning. Alternatively,  you can take a mixture of tea tree oil, rosemary oil, and Vitamin C serum and mix 3–4 drops of each oil in an oil-free moisturizer and apply it two times a day. I hope this article helps you get rid of your acne problem. Do let us know your thoughts on this blog.