Natural Acne Remedies

Many of us at some point of our lives have to encounter the problem of acne. For some, acne breakouts are mild and occasional, while for others they can be quite severe and frequent. It is quite natural to want to get a clear and beautiful skin, free of acne and acne scars. For this, one can find a great many acne skin care products and over the counter acne medications in the market. However, the problem of acne can also be addressed with the help of a few lifestyle and dietary changes, and natural acne remedies. However, along with using these natural remedies, it is also important to find out the root cause of acne, in order to fight this skin condition effectively. Therefore, let's take a brief look at the possible acne causes, before discussing more about the best natural acne remedies.

Causes of Acne

Acne is basically a problem associated with overactive sebaceous glands. The sebaceous glands secrete oil to keep the skin moist and soft. But sometimes, they can produce excess oil or 'sebum', which can clog the skin pores. Such clogged skin pores can trap dead skin cells, dirt and grim, and harbor the bacteria found on the surface of the skin, which can eventually cause infection and inflammation. As a result, skin lesions like, acne and pimples can appear.

The secretion of 'sebum' by the sebaceous glands is controlled by the hormone androgen. The level of this hormone is high in teenagers and adolescents, which might explain the prevalence of acne and pimples in them. However, adults too can get acne and pimples. Some women can get acne breakouts during pregnancy. The entire process of the development of acne is believed to be affected by factors like, hormonal fluctuations, a poor diet rich in harmful fats, but deficient in essential fatty acids and other nutrients, high level of stress and certain allergens.

Natural Acne Remedies at Home

The greatest advantage of using home or natural remedies for acne is that they are usually free of any serious skin side effects. Moreover, almost all natural acne remedies provide some additional benefits, along with healing the acne lesions. Many of these remedies help to improve complexion and the skin tone, and prevent the signs of aging like, wrinkles and fine lines. Some such popular and effective acne home or natural remedies are described below.

• Aloe vera is perhaps one of the most widely known natural acne cures. Aloe vera gel possesses anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and soothing properties. It can be applied directly to the skin to clear up acne.
• Lemon juice is a natural astringent, which can be mixed with rose water to apply on the skin, in order to get rid of acne and pimples. Leave the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse off with clean water.
• Peppermint contains menthol, which has anti-inflammatory properties and can help to reduce acne breakouts. To use it for acne treatment, crush a few leaves of peppermint and rub it on the affected area of the skin. Leave it for about 10 minutes, after which rinse off completely.
• Oatmeal is a natural skin cleanser, which can help to clean the skin pores by removing excess oil. Cook plain oatmeal and mix it with honey, which is an excellent natural moisturizer and skin toner. Allow this mixture to cool, and then apply it on your face and let it stay on the skin for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Apply a small amount of castor oil on the affected area of the skin and leave overnight. In the morning, rinse it off with slightly warm water for effective acne control.
• Cucumber is one of the excellent natural acne remedies that work. Grate a slice of cucumber and apply it on the acne affected area of the skin. You can also apply cucumber juice to diminish acne and pimples.
• Crush a few cloves of garlic and massage the affected area of the skin with it. Leave it for about 10 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water.
• Mix sandalwood powder with black gram powder and add rose water to it to make a fine paste. Apply this paste on the face, leave it for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse off with water to get pimple free clear skin.
• Another effective natural remedy for acne is a paste of sandalwood powder and turmeric powder. Apart from reducing acne and pimples, this paste can help to improve your complexion and skin tone.
• Use jojoba oil on your skin to soothe inflamed acne and prevent the excessive secretion of sebum.
• Tea tree oil, known for its antibacterial properties can also be used for acne treatment. In fact, it is considered by many as one of the effective natural acne remedies.
• Crush a ripe tomato and apply the pulp on the acne and pimples. Leave it on the skin for about half an hour and then rinse off.
• Grind some orange peel and mix it with water to make a paste. Apply the paste on your face and let it stay for 15 to 20 minutes. This is one of the amazing home remedies for acne prevention.
• Fenugreek leaves are also beneficial for treating acne lesions. Take a few fenugreek leaves and crush them completely to make a paste. Apply this paste over the face and leave overnight. Next day, wash it off with slightly warm water.
• Apply egg white on the pimples to dry them out. Egg white helps to remove excess oil from the skin and dries up the acne lesions quickly.

These were some of the natural acne remedies. Pregnant women can use these acne remedies safely, as these have to be applied externally or topically for acne treatment. But, if they are considering to use certain herbs like chamomile, garlic, licorice root, turmeric, calendula, etc, internally for treating acne and pimples, then they should consult a doctor. Excessive use of such natural acne remedies during pregnancy can have some undesirable effects. Finally, one should adopt a healthy eating habit and lifestyle to eradicate the problem of acne and pimples completely. One can get rid of acne and many other skin problems by following a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water throughout the day, exercising regularly and replacing processed foods, fast or junk foods and fatty foods with healthy and nutritious foods like, whole grains, fish, nuts, seeds and fruits and vegetables.