I have personally suffered from acne since my teenage years and now well into my adult years I still struggle to get that perfect skin. As I have tried everything from topical creams to antibiotics and the contraceptive pill, which help somewhat but then of course the problem returns when you stop treatment… I am now always on the lookout for more natural solutions. This blog post is therefore going to focus on natural remedies I have used and how I’ve got on with them plus some others I am yet to try.
Lemon juice – I have tried this a few times in the last couple of years when my acne has got so bad to the point where I have had enough. I basically squeeze fresh juice from a lemon into a bowl, soak a cotton pad with the juice and rub all over my face before bed. It does sting like crazy, but my philosophy of no pain no gain, means I just put up with it. The stinging goes after less than a couple of minutes. If the stinging is too much for you then, just dilute juice with some water. I leave this on my face overnight and wash off in the morning. I do see results quite quickly – within a day or two – but this works more for acne scarring by lightening the skin or making spots appear less red. I also find it gives a nice glowy complexion. I’m not sure this really stops spots from forming but may stop them developing into big angry ones.
Aloe Vera – We have a couple of plants at home so I cut a small piece of one of the leaves and squeeze the juicy gel out and apply to clean skin before bed. Again I allow it to dry on my face overnight. You will find this smells a bit weird but only for the first minute or two. This makes my skin soft and maybe helps with scaring and healing the skin. I didn’t find this got rid of my acne but I like to use this now and again to soften up my skin.
Zinc – I have recently read many great reviews on zinc and how the problem of some people’s acne is because they are zinc deficient. I also hear it’s particularly great for hormonal acne, which is the cause of my acne. I’ve only recently started taking zinc tablets but because I have changed a few things in my skincare routine it’s difficult to fairly comment at the moment. But do come back as I will be writing another post in a few weeks on the result of new skincare products I am testing. Anyway, I have read that some people see a difference in a couple of days of taking zinc and others say within a week, acne is reduced by 80-90%. This is definitely worth a go as zinc is natural so no harm there but obviously be aware of the quantities you are taking and don’t go over the RDA unless your GP says ok. I think zinc can be harmful but in much higher quantities so do your research first!
Green Tea – Please don’t pour a hot cup of green tea on your face – scalding scars are worse than acne scars! Anyway, joking aside, I first soak the tea bag and then rub it on my clean face before I go to bed and leave on overnight. For me this didn’t work but again others have had success so worth a try. Drinking green tea is also supposed to help with healing the skin because of the antioxidants it contains.
Olive oil – I haven’t tried this but have heard it’s good for acne scaring. You simply massage the oil into and around the scar and leave it for a while to soak in. This helps to soften and moisturize the skin which helps diminish the scar.
Tomatoes – Hmmm, not tried this one either but tomatoes are high in vitamin A. It’s this vitamin which is responsible for keeping the body from producing too much sebum which is largely responsible for the formation of acne. Plus tomatoes are rich in antioxidants which are beneficial for repairing the skin. So get eating that juicy red fruit which pretends to be a vegetable!
So there you go, a few natural remedies which you can play with… do comment below if you have tried any and what your experience is. Or please share if you know of anymore? Once I have found and tried a few more myself I will also write another post. In fact you will see a few skin related posts on this blog as I’m very interested in the subject. As with any remedy, I would give it a good few weeks before swapping to something else as it does take time for the skin to react and renew and even though some people see positive results in a couple of days, that is not always the case. If you have an adverse reaction, obviously discontinue use immediately. Good luck in achieving your perfect skin!
