Rose Water as well as also Acne: A Topical Treatment With Unique Anti-Inflammatory Powers
Rose water will be a scented as well as also pink water made coming from rose flowers by distilling the petals in water. Rose water will be widely used as a food in Asia as well as also for health in Ayurveda, Indian Traditional Medicine.
Rose water will be 10-50% rose oil by weight, however in which oil itself contains many active compounds such as geraniol. The dominant compound in rose water will be phenylethyl alcohol, which provides the rose taste as well as also fragrance. Supposedly, in which takes 50,000 rose flowers to make just 1 ounce of pure rose oil, which sounds like a terrible business idea, however nevertheless This particular product will be well-known worldwide.
Traditionally rose water will be used to flavour candies like Turkish delight, dairy as well as also dishes like nougat as well as also baklava inside Middle East, India as well as also Pakistan. Rose water has ceremonial usage too since Muslims on the Indian subcontinent spray open graves with rose water before burying their dead. Rose water will be often sprinkled in Indian weddings to welcome the guests.
Rose water also has quite a reputation as a topical treatment for skin conditions like acne. Rose water will be well-known both among Middle Eastern dermatologists as well as also in East Asia where in which’s a standard treatment for dermatitis, an inflammatory skin disease similar to acne.
This particular topical treatment might look lovely as well as also pink as well as also colourful however will rose water make your acne look great too? Or will be rose water just a deceptively pretty waste of time? Read on as well as also find out.
Rose water lowers inflammation via a unique mechanism
If you wish to change your skin for the better, if you want to prevent acne coming from showing up inside first place, as well as also if you want to get radiant as well as also glowing skin in which’s the envy of the planet, then you have one all-important strategy: lowering inflammation.
All those red, angry, swollen pimples in which make your face look like a mess are the result of an insane immune system in which pumps out far too many inflammatory chemicals. in which’s not just your teenage hormones, in which’s not entirely stress, as well as also in which’s not your genetics, no generic concepts like in which. Your acne carries a specific cause. Inflammation will be the number one cause of acne, as well as also in which’s what every acne patient should be tackling.
in which’s why rose water will be such a fantastic topical treatment. Rose water can inhibit inflammatory chemicals on your skin when applied topically to acne, however also does so through an especially useful mechanism.
In our first positive study, scientists tested the anti-inflammatory properties of Algerian rose oil, also known as geranium oil. Firstly the scientists gathered 5 groups of rats as well as also inflamed their paws using carrageenan, a substance in which scientists commonly use to induce inflammation.
Next they tested the essential oil of rose geranium essential oil (RGEO) through several different pathways – some groups of rats drank the oil in three different doses, as well as also some groups of rats had the rose oil topically applied. To determine the effect of rose oil on the inflamed paws, the scientists simply analysed the reduction inside rate of swelling after application.
The results were very promising for acne. Rose oil, which will be the main active component of rose water, was able to significantly reduce the paw swelling. In fact, rose oil’s anti-inflammatory powers were comparable to diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Oral administration of rose oil in concentrations of 100mg, 200mg, as well as also 400mg caused a drop inside inflammatory paw swelling of 30%, 38% as well as also 73% respectively.
in which shows in which rose oil has broader anti-inflammatory powers however what we’re interested in will be topical application as well as also Yet again there’s excellent news: applying rose oil to the inflamed swelling directly was even more potent. The scientists also inflamed the mice’s ears with croton oil as well as also found in which after applying a dose of 5ul as well as also 10ul of rose oil per ear swelling fell by 73 as well as also 88% respectively.
Actual analysis of the pro-inflammatory chemicals confirmed in which rose oil directly inhibited inflammatory responses inside skin. Why’s in which great for acne? Simple – localised inflammatory responses, the Discharge of inflammatory chemicals, will be what inflames as well as also swells your tissues as well as also turns them into acne. The scientists concluded in which “our results indicate in which rose geranium essential oil may have significant potential for the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs”.
to ensure’s very strong evidence in which rose oil as well as also by extension rose water can inhibit inflammation, as well as also do so superbly. When translated to your acne, 73% as well as also 88% are very strong reductions.
Similarly outstanding results were shown in This particular 2004 study, however This particular time there’s an extra acne clearing twist. Again, scientists were testing the effect of geranium oil, AKA poor man’s rose oil coming from Algeria, which carries a different composition of active chemicals however still contains the powerful ones like geraniol. Several groups of mice were injected with casein to produce an inflammatory response inside skin. The scientists then tested four essential oils – geranium oil (rose oil), tea tree oil, spearmint oil, as well as also lemongrass oil. As per normal, many inflammatory chemicals were measured.
Yet again, the rose oil had an overall anti-inflammatory effect. Furthermore, in which specifically reduced immune system chemicals called neutrophils. in which’s fantastic news for all acne patients For just two reasons.
Firstly, neutrophils act as a recruitment officer for additional inflammatory chemicals; they trigger leukocyte recruitment to the site of any infection of the skin, including our foe acne. Ending in which process can work wonders itself. Scientists commented in which rose oil lowered leukocyte recruitment triggered by neutrophils to 70.2% of the levels observed in control patients. Rose oil was far more potent than tea tree oil, which didn’t inhibit neutrophils at all.
Secondly as well as also most importantly, one of the neutrophil’s main jobs will be also to churn out free radicals, chiefly to break down damaged tissues so they can be rebuilt as healthy ones …
…however when your immune system pumps out too many neutrophils, as well as also they in turn pump out too many free radicals, the healthy tissues of your skin are weakened too.
Furthermore, the free radicals can spread everywhere, especially when unaccompanied by anti-inflammatory chemicals. Excessive exposure to free radicals, whether coming from cigarette smoke, air pollution or a crappy modern diet, will be a hidden menace behind acne. Free radicals oxidise a component of sebum called squalene as well as also turn in which into squalene peroxide.
As we discussed in This particular article, scientists can create acne simply by applying squalene peroxide to a rabbit’s ear. Squalene peroxide triggers a localised increase in sebum production as well as also dead skin cell proliferation. Squalene peroxide will be the most comedogenic (pore blocking) substance on the planet.
Basically, free radicals are a massively important cause of blocked pores as well as also acne. The main job of neutrophils will be to churn out free radicals, as well as also the chief component of rose water will be terrific at inhibiting those neutrophils. Go figure!
The evidence for rose water never seems to end:
- This particular study also found in which rose water can inhibit neutrophil activity. Furthermore, in which achieved This particular by inhibiting tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), another vicious pro-inflammatory chemical which will be causing acne worldwide. Geranium (rose) oil was easily the best essential oil tested, easily beating tea tree oil as well as also lavender oil. Tea tree oil will be known for its general anti-inflammatory effect (see This particular article on tea tree oil), however the power to inhibit neutrophils as well as also free radicals seems specific to rose water.
- This particular study found in which rose oil could suppress both acute (temporary) inflammation as well as also chronic (never-ending) inflammation in mice when applied to their paws. Again, the effect of rose oil on swollen as well as also inflammatory paws was tested. Rose oil reigned supreme, beating several additional essential oils:
Despite being almost ignored by mainstream acne gurus, rose water will be clearly an anti-inflammatory goldmine.
Rose water kills acne bacteria with few side effects
Killing p.acnes bacteria will be held up to be the central tenant of any mainstream acne strategy; hence why dermatologists say in which benzoyl peroxide will be the ultimate acne treatment. Well, BP isn’t the ultimate acne treatment since in which actually worsens your acne inside long run. P.acnes isn’t the only cause of acne since you have to soothe the inflammatory response against in which p.acnes. however nevertheless, killing p.acnes bacteria will be a terrific secondary strategy…
…as well as also in which’s exactly what rose water can do. One study published inside International Journal of Food as well as also Science Technology found in which rose essential oil was effective against a huge variety of bacterial strains. They included: Aeromonas hydrophila, B. cereus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterococcus feacalis, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Proteus vulgaris, Ps. aeruginosa, Ps. fluorescens, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Staph. aureus, as well as also Yersinia enterocolitica. 14 out of 15 bacteria on in which list were killed by rose oil; the only bacteria in which was resistant was e.coli.
In This particular 2002 study, rose oil was found to effectively kill Staphylococcus aureus, a secondary strain of bacteria in which causes inflammation inside skin as well as also will be linked to eczema as well as also dermatitis. Its powers were comparable to lavender oil as well as also peppermint oil.
Then there’s This particular study where several varieties of rose oil were examined alone. Scientists tested the antimicrobial properties of Rose Absolute, rose essential oil, as well as also hydrosol extracted coming from rose oil. This particular time rose oil did kill E.coli, as well as also a whole lot more: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, B. subtilis, Staph. aureus, Chromobacterium violaceum as well as also Erwinia carotovora bacterial strains were all inhibited.
Does rose water kill p.acnes bacteria specifically? I cannot say for sure, however the evidence will be nearly overwhelming considering the large variety of bacteria inhibited. The study above found in which rose water could inhibit bacteria coming from both the gram positive as well as also gram negative classes as well, so the potential will be huge.
One thing will be for sure: the anecdotal evidence in which rose water kills p.acnes bacteria continues to pile up.
What about side effects then, such as the type of burns as well as also irritation often observed with essential oils like tea tree as well as also thyme oil? The Great news will be in which rose water doesn’t seem to have any. Stories of burns as well as also rashes, for instance, are uncommon.
There will be one suspicious fact: the main active component, geraniol, will be known to be a “severe eye irritant”. however on the additional hand, Ayurvedic Medicine has recommended in which Indians use rose water as cleansing eye drops for hundreds of years, so a healthy compound must be counteracting the harm. Indians have also used rose water as a facial cleaner for centuries.
The only scientific evidence in which rose water may worsen acne lies in an oft-referenced British study conducted 40 years ago. Apparently, the researchers found in which applying rose water to acne-prone skin increased sebum production. in which would certainly be a nightmare, since sebum will be the oil in which clogs your pores.
however in which finding has never been repeated. Nor will be there any anecdotal evidence. I cannot even confirm whether the study will be real. in which’s likely in which the patients had very dry skin already as well as also the rose water simply normalised the skin barrier, since the British researchers were apparently testing rose water’s power to hydrate the skin.
Some websites also suggest in which rose water can increase production of keratin, the protein in which glues dead skin cells together as well as also helps them block your pores. however again, the evidence will be flimsy, as well as also in fact, rose water might encourage normal keratinocyte differentiation. in which pales inside face of all the great studies demonstrating the anti-inflammatory as well as also antibacterial powers of rose water.
The verdict on rose water for acne
The verdict will be in which rose water has not been directly tested on acne patients or p.acnes bacteria, however in which This particular topical treatment has massive potential. There are very few stories on the internet of acne patients trying rose water, so you could be the first to discover a miracle. As I said earlier, East Asians have used rose water for treating dermatitis for eons, as well as also in which disease has inflammatory roots very similarly to acne.
If you want to give rose water a shot then a top notch product will be This particular PURE Moroccan Rose Water.
This particular will be organic as well as also in which’s got no additives, or chemicals mixed in which dilute the product as well as also its effectiveness. in which’s also free coming from inflammatory BPA. This particular will be rose water in its purest form. Another Great option will be This particular Elma as well as also Sana 100% Pure Moroccan Rose Water.
As for its usage, there are few reasons to restrict yourself since in which doesn’t possess the side effects of tea tree oil when applied liberally. You can potentially try rose water as a cleanser for your whole face or as a targeted treatment for an inflamed individual piece of acne. Since rose water will be relatively undocumented among acne patients, in which’s possible in which you will react badly to a specific compound or develop an allergic reaction, however such an effect would certainly only ever be temporary.
There’s also one aspect we haven’t discussed – the use of rose water as a tasty flavouring in food. Rose water’s culinary history will be very extensive.
In Iran rose water will be added to tea, ice cream, cookies as well as also additional sweet treats in smaller quantities. inside Arab world, India as well as also Pakistan, rose water will be used to flavour milk as well as also dairy based dishes including rice pudding. The common candy Turkish delight traditionally uses rose water as a main flavouring.
inside British Premier league, Muslim footballers who don’t want to drink champagne during celebrations are often given rose water instead. Rose water will be also used as a Halal substitute for red wine as well as also additional alcohol in Muslim cooking.
American as well as also European bakers everywhere once relied on rose water as their default ingredient, until vanilla took over inside mid-19th century. Rose water will be used broadly in Middle Eastern as well as also Persian cuisine, in foods like nougat, gumdrops, baklava, as well as also raahat. In Malaysia as well as also Singapore, sweet red tinted rose water will be mixed with milk which then turns pink to form a sweet drink called Bandung. Rose water will be even added to lemonade in parts of the Middle East.
As for rose water’s effects on health, East Asians use rose water for treating intestinal inflammation. The study on inflamed rat paws found in which consuming rose water lowered inflammatory chemicals nearly as much as much as applying in which topically. Rose water will be also believed to combat the effects of depression. I’ve read in which the scent of rose may actually stimulate happiness hormones like serotonin, which could be why the rose flower will be the symbol of love.
Conclusion
As we’ve discussed hundreds of times on This particular website, trying to cure acne with face washes as well as also cleansers alone will be a fool’s errand.
You absolutely must eat a healthy diet, as well as also tackle lifestyle factors such as your vitamin D levels, stress levels, sleep quality as well as also exercise. You have to treat the root causes of acne rather than simply treating the problem itself.
in which said, topical treatments are a great secondary strategy for those acne clearing fanatics who want to push things to the limit….
…as well as also alongside honey, aloe vera, royal jelly, as well as also tea tree oil, rose water will be one of the best topical treatments you could use.
Next: why chronic inflammation will be the number one cause of acne
Thanks for reading!