Skin experts and practitioners recommend several
natural acne treatments. Here are some that we
have compiled just for you.
Wash your face twice a day (thrice at most) with
gentle and unperfumed cleanser. Avoid using
soaps as they contain harsh chemicals and
ingredients that can damage your skin.
Avoid touching your face. Stop
putting your hands by your face! I am often
guilty of this resting my hand on the side of my
head while reading. Also rubbing or bracing your
chin is another common problem when thinking.
Avoid rubbing, touching, or itching your skin
with your hands. Your hands contain a lot of
bacteria that can cause acne flare-ups. It is
probably one of the most difficult things to
avoid since much of the hand to face contact
throughout the day we are unconscious of. Make
it a habit to avoid hand contact and be
conscious of it during the day to avoid
bacteria.
Avoid the temptation to pick, prick and squeeze
your acne. This will send the infection deeper
into the skin and can cause severe scarring.
For mild to moderate acne, you can use over-
the- counter topical ointments, solutions,
lotions or gels that contain benzoyl peroxide,
salicylic acid or azelaic acid as an alternative
to benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl
peroxide is best at killing P. acnes and
may reduce oil production. Resorcinol, salicylic
acid, and sulfur help break down blackheads and
whiteheads. Salicylic acid also helps cut down
the shedding of cells lining the follicles of
the oil glands.
Tea tree oil is a natural antibiotic and
antibacterial agent and has a drying effect on
the skin. It keeps the P. Acnes bacteria at
bay along with decreasing facial oiliness, which
makes this oil a worthwhile investment.
Salicylic Acid helps to heal existing blemishes by
unblocking pores.
Alpha or Beta Hydroxy Acids (AHA or BHA) works
by keeping the skin exfoliated. Salicylic acid,
the most well-known of the bunch is a useful
adjuvant therapy for acne. Mandelic acid, a
lesser known one, but one that combines the
keratolytic properties of glycolic acid with
natural antibacterial properties that help
reduce the presence of P. acnes, may be
considered a more effective alpha hydroxy acid
in treating acne lesions. It is also much less
irritating than glycolic acid, a factor that may
be very important to those with sensitive skin
who are unable to use other agents such as Retin-A,
benzoyl peroxide, orsulfur It
is effective in treating mild cases of acne on
its own, and can be used successfully with other
therapies on moderate acne.
These treatments are usually effective for mild
to moderate acne problems only. The
effectiveness usually takes several weeks or
approximately three to six months to be
noticed. For more severe and serious acne
conditions, do not hesitate to consult your
dermatologist.
