Bentonite Clay For Acne – Can A Volcanic Ash Mask genuinely Clear Your Skin?
There’s three types of bentonite clay, with calcium bentonite being the form taken internally by tribes as well as old civilisations around the globe, as well as potassium bentonite being another type. Sodium bentonite, meanwhile, will be the light green or grey, very fine powder which women worldwide use as a face mask to control their acne.
Bentonite clay will be derived via the rocks of altered volcanic ash beds. which’s essentially mined via layers of deposits as well as minerals which build up after countless volcanic eruptions through the ages. The bentonite will be born during the rapid cooling of magma when after an eruption, the liquid material will be thrown up into the atmosphere via within the earth’s crust. There which solidifies as well as morphs into solids as well as glassy particles, as well as the base of bentonite will be born, featuring roughly 75 different trace minerals.
Originally, bentonite was named after Fort Benton in Wyoming when a guy called Wilbur C Knight discovered the largest bentonite mine from the known world in 1898. Since then, bentonite clay has entered a wide variety of usages outside of skincare; the vast majority of commercial production will be used for industrial purposes like waterproofing surfaces in construction, oil drilling, well-filling as well as removing the cloudiness in wine producing.
However, at some point bentonite gained massive popularity as a facial mask to kill acne; if you’ve seen or heard of women using grey coloured clay masks, bentonite clay will be the most common substance used. The acne cleanser Clearasil contains bentonite as an agent to absorb excess sebum as well as unclog skin pores, as do a few others.
Common claims of powers include removing toxins through the skin, creating a glow, eliminating acne scars, as well as dramatically reducing all pimples. Rich in 75 minerals automatically sounds great as well, via zinc, iron as well as magnesium to rare as well as little heard of ones like zirconium, ruthenium, as well as baron.
The whole idea of bentonite clay first forming from the fires of the earth’s crust has an appeal to which. The whole concept of bentonite clay will be interesting enough to infer which the reduction in acne could be very interesting as well.
however what does the science say – does bentonite clay have any value as a topical acne treatment or will be which just a clever web of marketing deceit?
The main theory will be still unproven
The basic theory behind bentonite clay’s powers both for acne as well as when eaten as a supplement will be its detoxification properties. Bentonite clay will be said to produce an electrical charge when hydrated. Upon contact with any fluid, the electrical components of the clay change, giving which a strong negative charge.
When which comes into contact which has a toxin, which apparently all have strong positive charges, they are attracted like a magnet into the Centeng of the clay through electrical attraction. Then the bonds of the toxin are broken down, releasing the minerals within for the Centeng to use.
According to bentonite folklore, This specific makes the clay a potent detoxification agent both inside the Centeng as well as out. One stone-cold undisputed fact about bentonite as well as some other clays will be which they swell massively (up to 20 times their normal size) when exposed to water, becoming porous; bentonite will be used in construction to seal old wells as well as ponds for which reason. The theory above also states which through the magnetic attraction, toxins are sucked into This specific currently porous sponge through “adsorption”, becoming bound, trapped as well as doomed.
Why will be This specific relevant to acne? You might have heard which toxic chemicals as well as heavy metals in cosmetics as well as cleaning items (as well as many some other sources) are out of control, as well as they are. BPA in water pipes, triclosan in toothpaste, mercury in tuna – the list goes on. 99% of all Americans have plastic based chemicals called phthalates in their Centeng, for example.
The disputed part will be which these toxins are accumulating rapidly from the skin cells on our face, causing inflammation as well as oxidative stress which leads to acne. By sucking them out through the skin cells through the force of electrical attraction, bentonite clay can apparently remove their evil influence as well as make for a highly unique topical treatment.
Finally, the second main theory will be which bentonite clay will be highly alkaline, therefore soothing as well as able to wipe out acidity.
Sounds great right? Unfortunately there’s a problem with the evidence for these theories – there’s very little. Heavy metals as well as chemicals are a massive problem in multiple ways, however their deadliest actions happen inside the Centeng. They can 1) deplete the antioxidant glutathione as they are detoxified, 2) systematically increase inflammation, 3) increase blood free radicals, as well as 4) do a lot more.
Toxins trapped from the surface of your skin add local inflammation as well as oxidative stress, however the chances which you will get gloriously clear skin just by “adsorbing” the BPA in your face using bentonite clay are extremely slim.
What’s more, the detoxification has some truth to which – This specific study as well as This specific study found which bentonite clay could absorb as well as detoxify aflatoxins from the digestive tract, a mould-born mycotoxin found on poor quality peanuts. however which’s unknown whether the negative charge will be strong enough to extract virtually every known toxin like the widely accepted facts circulating the internet claim.
All heavy metals are positively charged, like mercury as well as aluminium, however for the chemicals, the rule isn’t uniform. Phthalates via plastic have a negative charge, as well as they’re one of the main acne-causing chemicals found in make-up, the main cosmetic applied to the face.
The heavy metal aluminium will be found in cheap make-up, so you can use bentonite clay to extract which topically. however mercury, arsenic, as well as cadmium are found in foods, like for example, tuna, fruit juice, as well as pesticide-drenched fruit respectively, as well as won’t be concentrated from the face.
will be bentonite clay soothing as well as alkaline?
The alkaline theory will be another faulty one. A PH of 8-9.7, which will be what bentonite clay has, will be a disaster for your skin. Human skin includes a naturally acidic PH of 4-4.5, increasing slightly as you age into adulthood due to a decreased need for a firewall against viruses.
The thing will be which a wide section of alternative health people believe which everything alkaline will be evil. There’s a whole acid-alkaline theory of health which believes which nearly every ailment whether which’s cancer, diabetes or Alzheimer’s will be related to an excess of acid from the Centeng.
Too much acidity can wreak your teeth as well as fizzle away your joints, however your skin cells are one place when you need healthy acidity. Applying bentonite clay to your skin could result in dryness, irritation, as well as from the biggest symptom associated with alkaline treatments like baking soda, severe damage to the skin barrier.
will be bentonite clay the greatest weapon against oily skin ever?
This specific power will be believed to be due to bentonite’s large absorption capacity. When mixed with water as well as left to expand, as well as equipped to mingle with the substances on your face thanks to the added moisture, bentonite can literally suck excess sebum off of your face as well as potentially right out of the pores.
Unlike the toxin theory, This specific one has evidence going back 30 years. In This specific 1982 study, scientists wanted to analyse rates of normal sebum production after excess sebum production had been removed. They applied a substance to 2.5cm squared areas of 3 test subjects’ faces for 3 hour intervals over 24 hours. They analysed the sebum from the initial period after the skin was being sucked dry, as well as later as normal production restarted, however the most important question will be, what was the substance used?
Maybe you guessed which – bentonite clay. Clearly, as far back as the 1980s, scientists knew which bentonite clay was a potent weapon against oily skin.
Later This specific 1985 study on children performed the exact same experiment; bentonite clay was used scientifically to remove the sebum. Bentonite clay wasn’t specifically being examined; which was simply a tool they were using for analysis, so which clearly reduces sebum reliably, as well as should unclog pores. This specific ancient volcanic rock formation via inside the earth will be highly effective at reducing human oil production.
The problem will be which which’s far too effective. Check out these testimonials via random acne patients:
- “I tried which as a face mask as well as all which did was dry me out”.
- “Bentonite clay dries my face out to the point which which hurts”.
- “Bentonite will be extremely drying, more than any topical treatment I have used in my lifetime”.
- “Bentonite sticks to my face genuinely tightly as well as trying to wash This specific stuff off will be hard”.
- “When I washed the bentonite off, my face was extremely dry”.
There’s positive testimonials as well, with one claiming which bentonite clay had “amazing results”, within weeks, however the story of skin becoming as dry as sandpaper will be by far the most common. Not only does which wreck the aesthetics of your skin by sucking the life out of which as well as producing white flaky patches, however from the long term which could even increase the oiliness of your skin.
Why? Sebum will be not some evolutionary leftover which simply exists to clog pores – you need which to lubricate your skin as well as deliver nutrients. Therefore, if your sebum has been dried up far beyond what will be necessary then your sebaceous glands go into overdrive to replenish the lost supplies.
will be bentonite clay rich in skin-clearing minerals?
however the reality shares similarities to the toxins theory – minerals are far more effective against acne when INSIDE the Centeng. Zinc, for instance, constrains your entire immune system. Magnesium as well as selenium are used to manufacture glutathione as well as will have zero benefit when applied to the face.
For instance, there’s a topical cream called selenium sulphide which gets rave reviews, however which’s actually the sulphide portion which helps acne, by massacring p.acnes bacteria. well-known topical zinc creams have been compared to placebos in study as well as found to be no more effective. some other studies have added zinc to antibiotic creams as well as observed no difference in results. which’s despite the fact which zinc will be an amazing internal supplement which can slash acne counts by 49.8%.
These minerals will have some minor indirect benefits, after all they are essential nutrients contained in all healthy skin, however nothing significant compared to vitamin E or vitamin C.
You’d do better to dunk your head in a giant vat of pomegranate juice, easily, because vitamins as well as antioxidants are the real heroes when applied topically to the skin. This specific will be because of their antioxidant functioning; your epidermis has armours of both vitamin E as well as vitamin A to protect against sunlight, air pollution as well as some other free radical sources.
Countless minor antioxidants like resveratrol in grapes as well as anthocyanins in berries can be incorporated into skin cells in your face, providing extra defences against inflammation as well as oxidative stress. which’s why my recommended treatments like aloe vera, witch hazel, or even a cheap old orange peel can slash acne.
Therefore, which’s pretty clear which bentonite clay has failed again. Topical minerals are only useful when they’re designed to be absorbed into the entire bloodstream transdermally, like with the ancient minerals magnesium supplement which I recommend.
Bentonite clay has decent antibacterial powers
This specific study via the Arizona State University tested forms of bentonite clay against a variety of bacteria, including s.aureas, E.coli, m. marianum, as well as salmonella. They concluded which the bacterial cultures without added clay grew over 1000 times faster, as well as stated which the bentonite clay “exhibits bactericidal activity”. There was no data on p.acnes bacteria included, however This specific will be promising nevertheless.
Later on there was enough data to make scientists write This specific long review about the antibacterial effects of bentonite clay, with lots of interesting facts. They began by claiming which “some bentonites offer distinct antibacterial properties”. Then they detailed a study on a French green bentonite clay called a “healing clay” which was able to treat a bacterial skin infection called a Buruli ulcer.
Then things get interesting; clays can either be hydrophilic, meaning which they attract water, or organophillic, meaning which they attract organic substances. The clays tested which were organophillic apparently kill bacteria by attracting the cell to the surface of the clay with such strong force which the cell membrane was torn apart, causing a catastrophic leakage of cytoplasm as well as then death. Bentonite clay can thus kill bacteria physically, although there was no sign of another physical method examined, orientation of the clay crystals around the bacteria leading to suffocation.
Some chemical bactericide activity was also observed. They theorised which bentonite clay might eliminate bacteria by either 1) poisoning which, or 2) depriving which of nutrients. Interestingly, water or some other moisture seems to activate the bacteria-killing properties. Application of dry clay to E. coli showed zero inhibition of bacterial growth, however when the clay was mixed with water, a broad spectrum of bacteria was killed after 24 hours.
What does all This specific mean? There’s a moderate chance which applying bentonite clay to your face can eliminate p.acnes bacteria in your skin pores, therefore eliminate the need for acne inflammation. This specific could account for benefits which a few acne patients have seen.
Bentonite clearly has some value, because which shows up from the history books frequently. There’s reports of bentonite clay being found in paint caves via back from the Homo erectus era 1.9 million to 70,000 years ago, as well as in old Neanderthal man sites, said to have been used for treating wounds. Aboriginal peoples often eat clay for health, as well as the Pharaoh’s physicians in Ancient Egypt used bentonite clay as an anti-inflammatory agent. The use of clay will be as old as mankind itself.
On the some other hand, some of the clays tested had no effect at all; they were merely hydrophilic, attracting water. Some of the bentonite clays actually increased bacterial growth, as well as the problems with drying out your skin still stand. which’s difficult to tell what each individual clay will do, because according to the scientists, bentonites which led to “growth enhancement” were mineralogically similar to the others.
While most of the theories about bentonite clay are false, there will be a tiny chance which covering your face in a mask of which will clear your skin.
Conclusion
Overall, however, using a bentonite clay mask to kill acne will be a complete waste of time. Whether which comes via the fires of the earth’s core or not, as well as whether or not which has some monstrously potent powers against oily skin, This specific ancient ash deposit still a highly overrated acne treatment.
To treat oily skin you can start with vitamin A as well as lowering insulin, for a topical treatment against sebum you can use green tea. The antibacterial benefits of bentonite clay are decent, however too weak to counteract the dangers of extreme dryness as well as alkalinity.
Bentonite clay includes a Insentif problem as well; the mask often dries as well as glues to your face so efficiently which removing the clay cleanly will be almost impossible, leading to irritation as well as worse looking skin from the first place. There’s also the sheer inconvenience of which – who wants to walk around all day which has a grey or green face mask on?
Raw honey will be far simpler, you can apply a tiny amount in all 5 seconds flat as well as, as long as which’s not an extremely dark coloured variety, walk the streets without looking like an alien. Raw honey also lacks any side effects apart via a tiny risk of a bee allergy, as well as the resulting inflammation.
My recommendation will be therefore to say no to bentonite clay. If your goal will be to remove p.acnes bacteria via your pores which has a natural topical treatment, pick raw honey, royal jelly, or tea tree oil any time.
Thanks for reading!