Acne Care Skin

Dr John Anne asked:


You all remember your teenage years, high school, parties, friends, and… Acne! Those painful pustules on your face that seem to ruin a perfectly good day and cause so much grief at school, or anywhere you go for that matter. We all wonder how to fix the problem… from face scrubs, to acne creams, to just leaving the pimples there and covering one’s head with a paper bag. Fortunately, there are several home remedies for acne that have been said to fight the pimples very well. Some of these home remedies for acne are Tea Tree Oil, zinc, lemon juice, orange peel, garlic, and many others.

Tea Tree Oil is a natural oil containing Terpinen-4-ol which has been diluted slightly and is believed to kill bacteria. Because of it’s antibiotic qualities, Tea Tree Oil can be used as a home remedy for acne as it is believed to kill Propionibacterium acnes , which is the bacteria which dwells in the skin and causes acne. Tea Tree Oil can be applied topically to the site of the acne pustule as a home remedy for acne.

Zinc has been said to be one of the popular home remedies for acne for some time. Zinc however has several drawbacks and side effects. Zinc was proven only slightly more effective than a placebo in clinical tests, and can cause digestive upset (stomach aches). It can also leave a metallic aftertaste in the mouths of those who use it. In high enough doses, Zinc can cause copper deficiency, it can cause the immune system to break down and become less effective, can cause anemia, and in some cases, heart problems.

Zinc may also lower HDL (good cholesterol) levels significantly. Taking Zinc can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb iron and magnesium from food and/or food supplements. A few other drawbacks of Zinc are it’s tendency to interfere with the absorption of antibiotics, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolone. Some diuretics can interfere with the excretion of zinc causing the metal to build to toxic levels in the body. In short, zinc is possibly the least effective and most harmful home remedy for acne.

Orange peel can be pounded with water to a pulpy consistency and applied directly

to the acne affected area. The reason this home remedy for acne works is simply that the citric acid in the orange peel, along with some other components, kills the bacteria which causes acne as well as cleansing the affected area. This remedy smells particularly good as well and is very effective.

Rubbing lemon juice on the affected area is also effective. This home remedy for acne works on the same principle as the orange peel remedy, but in addition, cools the site of inflammation causing a reduction in the size of the pimple.

Garlic can be used as a face pack, or taken orally. Eating raw garlic may clear up your complexion but it probably won’t get you any more dates than your acne did. Garlic is a detoxifier, as well as an antiseptic. Taken orally it cleanses the body of toxins and excess hormones which can cause teenage and adult acne. When applied topically Garlic acts as an antiseptic and antibiotic, killing Propionibacterium acnes , the chief cause of most bacterial acne. Despite making your face and breath smell horrid, Garlic is one of the most effective home remedies for acne.

Aloe Vera gel, applied to the site of acne serves to cool the site of infection as well as reduce inflammation. When this home remedy for acne is combined with others, such as the lemon juice treatment, orange peel compress, or garlic pack, it becomes possibly the best home remedy for acne you can find because in addition to relieving the pain of acne, it can also help prevent scarring.

There are many home remedies for acne available to the aware reader, some of them have side effects or drawbacks, some are merely old wives’ tales, but some work surprisingly well.