About 85% of the population will experience acne at some point in their lives. Acne is a symptom that can be annoying and difficult to treat.
Common side effects of conventional acne treatments include skin irritation and dryness, despite their effectiveness. As a result, many people are looking for more holistic methods of zit removal. There are numerous natural treatments for acne, but only a few are effective.
Although there is scant evidence supporting their efficacy, here are four natural techniques to clear up acne quickly.
1. Spot treat with tea tree oil
The Australian Melaleuca alternifolia tree is the source of tea tree oil. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, hence it’s widely used. Tea tree oil is effective in combating two types of acne-causing bacteria: P. acnes and S. epidermis.
Researchers showed that tea tree oil gel at a concentration of 5% was much more efficient than a placebo in reducing acne lesions and acne severity (4Trusted Source).
A gel with 5% tea tree oil was as effective as a lotion with 5% benzoyl peroxide, a tytopicalcne medicine, in another trial. Dryness, irritation, and burning were all reduced with the use of tea tree oil.
Inappropriate application of tea tree oil topically might result in redness and irritation due to the oil’s potency. This is why it needs to be mixed with carrier oil before use. Although there is scant evidence supporting its usage, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) reports that tea tree oil may be effective for acne when used topically (6Trusted Source).
Tea tree oil may be quite irritating and should never be applied undiluted to the skin, so if you decide to give it a try, make sure to apply it safely and always perform a test patch on your skin.
The use of carrier oils, such as tea tree oil, is also possible.
Acne treatment using tea tree oil.
• The recommended dosage is 1 drop of tea tree oil per 1 teaspoon of carrier oil.
• Acne can be treated by dabbing cotton swabs dipped in the solution onto the spots.
• If you want to, you can moisturize now.
• It may be necessary to perform this procedure once or twice a day.
To sum it up, It has been shown that tea tree oil can be effective against the germs that cause acne and inflammation. Studies have indicated that it can help decrease acne when used topically.
2. Use additional essential oils as needed for spot treatment.
Several other essential oils also have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics and can be used in place of tea tree oil to speed up the process of healing acne.
Essential oils of cinnamon rose, lavender and clove are effective against the acne-causing bacteria S. epidermidis and P. acnes, according to a large scientific review. Both rosemary and lemongrass have been demonstrated to decrease P. acnes growth.
Clove-basil oil, benzoyl peroxide (at 10%), and a placebo were tested in a trial for their effectiveness against acne. When compared to benzoyl peroxide, both 2% and 5% clove-basil oils were more effective and worked faster at reducing acne.
Another study indicated that when acne was treated with a gel containing acetic acid, orange, and sweet basil essential oils, the healing time for zits was cut in half (10Trusted Source).
These essential oils are very concentrated and, like tea tree oil, can be irritating to the skin if used topically. All essential oils should be diluted with carrier oil before regular use, a test patch should be performed, and regular users should be stopped if irritation occurs.
Clove oil, among many other essential oils, may be purchased online.
Acne treatment using essential oils: a guide.
• Use 1 ounce (30 mL) of carrier oil and add 10 drops of essential oil.
• Acne can be treated by dabbing cotton swabs dipped in the solution onto the spots.
• If you want to, you can moisturize now.
• It may be necessary to perform this procedure once or twice a day.
Bottom line, Cinnamon, rose, lavender, clove, and rosemary essential oils, among others, have been shown to prevent acne-causing bacteria. When applied to the skin, these oils may help lessen the appearance of acne.
3. Apply green tea to your face.
While many people enjoy drinking green tea for its many health advantages, they may not realize that applying it topically can also be beneficial. The flavonoids and tannins included in green tea be effective against inflammation and the germs that can lead to acne.
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant found in abundance there, has been demonstrated to lower inflammation, sebum production, and P. acnes growth in acne-prone skin (13Trusted Source).
Acne sufferers who apply a 2–3 percent green tea extract to their skin had considerably reduced sebum production and fewer acne breakouts, according to multiple studies.
Green tea is included in a small number of commercial skin care treatments, but creating your own at home is easy and inexpensive.
High-quality green tea can be purchased online.
Green tea’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may help clear up acne.
• Steep the green tea for three to four minutes in boiling water.
• Set the tea aside to cool.
• Use a cotton swab or a spray bottle to apply it to your face.
• Rinse your face with water after ten minutes or overnight.
• Use as needed, up to twice a day. If refrigerated, it will keep for up to two weeks.
Summary
Green tea’s abundance of anti-inflammatory and bacteria-fighting antioxidants speaks for itself. It has been demonstrated to drastically reduce acne when applied to the skin.
4. Use aloe vera as a moisturizer.
Tropical aloe vera plants have fleshy leaves that secrete a transparent gel when cut open.
Aloe vera gel contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties when applied topically. This makes it useful for treating a wide range of skin issues, including psoriasis, eczema, hives, and even burns.
Although research on aloe vera’s effectiveness against acne is limited, what is available is encouraging. The lupeol, salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamonic acid, phenols, and sulfur found in aloe vera work together to combat acne-causing microorganisms.
One study looked at the effects of adding aloe vera gel to clove-basil oil and found that it significantly reduced acne. The higher the aloe vera concentration in the lotion, the better it was at eliminating acne (21).
There was a considerable improvement in acne clearance when tretinoin cream was combined with aloe vera gel at a concentration of 50%, according to another study. Acne sufferers might use a lotion called tretinoin, which is a form of vitamin A, to treat their condition.
In addition to the anti-acne effects of clove-basil oil and tretinoin cream, aloe vera gel also helped reduce the appearance of scars left by acne. Although some people find that using aloe vera gel alone helps reduce acne, others find that combining it with additional treatments increases their success rate.
A Guide to Using Aloe Vera Gel for Acne
• Using a spoon, remove the gel from the aloe leaves.
• Mix a small amount of the gel with your regular acne treatment and apply it to your skin at the same time.
• You can try applying this to your skin alone, or you can combine it with another therapy.
• You can also use the aloe gel on top of the other acne treatment if you like.
• Apply once or twice daily, or more often as desired.
• The gel from aloe vera plants can also be purchased in a bottle and shipped to your door; just make sure it’s 100% aloe vera and has nothing else added.
Bottom line
Aloe vera gel has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties. More research is needed to determine its effects when used alone, however,t has been proven to boost the efficacy of other acne treatments.
