Acne Treatment Home Remedies
Acne is a skin condition that affects people of all ages and all walks of life, and can leave sufferers feeling powerless, depressed and stressed out. Prescription and over-the-counter acne treatments filled with chemicals can become expensive, and trigger side effects such as irritation and dryness. Empower yourself by learning how to find, use and make natural, effective and affordable home remedies for acne treatment.
Acne Treatment Home Remedy #1: Face masks
Natural face masks can be made easily and cheaply at home. French clay, oatmeal, orange peel, seaweed and baking soda are all effective ingredients that can help to cleanse the skin, draw out blockages in the pores, and balance oils. Using any of the ingredients, or a combination, mix them well with warm water till you achieve the consistency of a thick paste. Apply the paste to your affected areas and allow it to sit for 20 minutes before removing it. Cleanse your face gently afterwards and apply a natural toner, such as salt water or witch hazel water, to the skin. Do not scrub the skin roughly and avoid rubbing too vigorously, as this may cause further irritation and stimulate glands to secrete increased sebum. The key to all aspects of this home acne treatment is simplicity and gentleness.
Acne Home Remedy #2: Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a natural toner and antibacterial agent that can be found in many homes and kitchens. Squeeze half a lemon into 500ml of warm water and use as a face wash. Lemon juice helps to clear up excess oils, tone pores and kills bacteria that may cause acne. If lemon juices causes stinging or discomfort to damaged or broken skin, you can mix it with other natural products such as rose water to soften its effect. Acids in lemon juice are naturally antiseptic and antibacterial, and help to inhibit the growth of acne-causing bacteria on human skin. Use fresh lemons and save the lemon peel for blending into face masks for later use. Consume fresh lemon juice regularly as well — it’s a rich source of flavonoids and vitamin C for tissue healing, detoxification and immune health.
Home Acne Treatment #3: Honey
Honey is a home acne remedy that can be used to heal skin, remove blockages in the pores, and kill bacteria. Honey creates a slightly acidic environment that is inhospitable to bacteria, while also containing chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide that actively inhibit bacterial growth. Organic honeys are best, as treating honey with heat, as is done to make liquid honey, causes it to lose the medicinal properties it once contained. While all organic honeys are medicinal, studies have shown some honeys to be more effective against bacteria than others, with manuka honey, orange blossom honey and honeydew honey coming out on top. Apply honey as a face mask twice a week to soften the skin and kill bacteria. For more severe cases of acne, invest in the stronger varieties of medicinal honeys that can be purchased in health food stores and pharmacies, and apply to the local lesions regularly.
Home Acne Treatment Remedy #4: Pumpkin Seeds
There are several reasons why acne suffers should consume pumpkin seeds regularly. In addition to being a delicious whole food that provides essential nutrients required for healing acne lesions and cysts, pumpkin seeds contain oils with therapeutic hormone-balancing properties. Pumpkin seed oils interrupt the conversion of testosterone to the more powerful and acne-causing hormone, di-hydro-testosterone. Pumpkin seed oil can be purchased through pharmacies and health food stores as an expensive supplement — but why bother when you can simply eat raw pumpkin seeds as an affordable home acne treatment? In doing so, you also get the benefit of pumpkin seed’s high level of zinc — an organic mineral required for immune function and skin healing in humans. In one study, zinc was found to reduce the symptoms of inflammation in acne patients significantly. Eat pumpkin seeds regularly, by themselves as a snack or added to other foods, and avoid seeds that have been cooked or irradiated.
Acne Treatment Home Remedy #5: Tea Tree Oil
Tee tree oil is an essential oil extracted from the leaves of the native Australian malaleuca alternifolia plant. While the essential oil cannot be applied directly to the skin on its own, a few drops can be diluted in warm water or added to creams, lotions and soaps to provide antibacterial properties. In one clinical study, tea tree oil was just as effective as the chemical benzyl peroxide in relieving acne symptoms in patients. Tea tree oil is an inexpensive home acne treatment and available through pharmacies, health food stores and even supermarkets as an over-the-counter product. Some people may experience skin irritation when using tea tree, so test a diluted tea tree product on a small area of your skin before purchasing. If you are sensitive or allergic to tea tree products, try manuka or kanuka tree oil — while more expensive, both are related to tea tree, and have shown in studies to have significant antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
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