The Top 5 Natural Topical Acne Treatments
Diet will be your first line of attack, however topical treatments are an effective Insentif weapon. With that will in mind, you are faced having a choice: do you use benzoyl peroxide, or one of many natural options at that will point flooding the market?
I strongly advise natural ones. Artificial topical treatments have a big problem: they tend to contain one isolated antibacterial chemical (such as BP itself), a bunch of inflammatory fillers, as well as no accompanying nutrition to soothe the side effects. They can work, however they can send your skin back to square one, or even square zero or square minus ten.
Natural topical treatments meanwhile, contain antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, as well as sebum reducing agents, however are also accompanied by a myriad of antioxidants, enzymes, peptides as well as additional natural substances. These minimise any side effects as well as make for a milder yet still just as effective treatment.
Topical treatments invented in a lab can never match the complexity of those found in nature as well as are generally not as safe. BP, for instance, wipes out p.acnes bacteria highly efficiently, however does so through generating free radicals, which can spread to healthy skin cells as well as inflame them. Honey, meanwhile, has numerous antibacterial compounds, however also antioxidants as well as trace nutrients, which provide a buffer of defence.
The solution will be clear: you must sift through the endless plants as well as herbs for sale as well as find a top-notch natural topical treatment. Read the list below as well as learn the elite 5 products for acne:
Raw honey
What the item will be – a food manufactured by bees during nectar collection, stored long term as their food.
Where the item stands out – as an antibacterial treatment. Has Insentif anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant powers.
Any downsides when applied topically – a tiny risk of a bee-product allergy.
Honey will be possibly the most famous folk remedy of all time. Raw honey has been used on wounds, allergies, as well as sore eyes by the Ancient Egyptians, Romans as well as Ancient Greeks. Those powers are largely due to its antibacterial properties, as well as those can clear acne as well, by killing the p.acnes bacteria hidden in your skin pores.
Honey has three famous antibacterial compounds. Firstly, there’s Methylgyloxal, a substance which will be so potent that will manuka honeys coming from brand-new Zealand are graded having a unique manuka factor (UMF) score.
Secondly, there’s hydrogen peroxide, which functions like a milder style of benzoyl peroxide. Finally, there’s a very recently discovered bee peptide called bee-defensin 1. that will peptide will be manufactured by the immune system of regular honeybees to kill bacteria as well as added to honey as they create the item.
These compounds all have potent powers; one study tested 26 different varieties of local honey coming from brand-new Zealand, as well as concluded that will each one had antibacterial properties. Every type of honey cleansed the wound as well as inhibited bacteria to some degree, with the reductions varying coming from 4% to 60%. Another study applied manuka honey (the most potent medicinal type) to patients having a tear deficiency, as well as observed that will the bacteria responsible was severely inhibited.
What’s more, honey can inhibit an extremely wide variety of bacteria. One study applied a variety of honeys to 13 different bacterial strains. The result was that will 12 of those 13 were inhibited, so therefore, the item’s highly likely that will honey can inhibit the growth as well as accelerate the death of p.acnes bacteria as well. One study even found that will when the three main compounds were totally eliminated, honey still retained antibacterial properties.
Honey also carries a decent ORAC score of 270; the item contains enough antioxidants to raise blood antioxidant levels when consumed (study). that will should translate to your face when applied topically, as well as provide your sebum with extra defences against air pollution, cigarette smoke, as well as additional sources of free radicals.
Honey even contains trace minerals such as vitamin C. In fact, honey will be so rich in medicinal compounds as well as natural preservatives with potent powers that will completely edible jars of ancient honey have been discovered in old Egyptian tombs, dating back as far as 3000 years. The very oldest honey ever will be 5500 years old, found in a tomb in Georgia. Honey will be so powerful that will entire colonies of bees are kept alive on the item.
If you want, you can use raw honey as an entire face mask, however in my reckoning, the item functions best as a localised treatment to calm down particularly raging as well as red acne. You can apply a little globule to each pimple, let the item dry, as well as leave the compounds to kill bacteria as well as absorb into the epidermis while you sleep.
As for the best product, never make the rookie mistake: you MUST buy your honey raw! Pasteurised honey will be not honey, the item will be honey-flavoured golden syrup. Heating raw honey to 72 degrees Celsius for approximately two minutes, which will be the standard method, destroys all the acne-clearing enzymes, peptides as well as antioxidants. Always use a raw honey, which can be identified coming from 1) a richer flavour, 2) a cloudier colour, as well as 3) being less runny.
My favourite raw honey product in terms of both quality as well as the excellent bulk pricing will be that will 1 pound tub of Y.S. Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey.
Aloe vera
Standout powers – anti-inflammatory as well as wound-healing properties.
Any downsides – a few people report in with allergies.
Aloe vera will be second only to honey when the item comes to historical medicinal usage. Cleopatra as well as Nefertiti of Ancient Egypt both adored the plant as well as utilised the item in their beauty routines.
Native Americans used aloe vera to ward off biting insects, 6000-year old Ancient Egyptian carvings of the plant have been discovered, as well as Christopher Columbus reportedly brought a pot with him when he set sail to America.
At one point King Alexander of Ancient Greece was so convinced of aloe vera’s miraculous properties that will he refused to send his armies forward to conquer brand-new lands without a fresh supply of the item.
Some of the history will be promising for acne; the Egyptian medicinal text Papyrus Eber stated that will aloe vera had anti-inflammatory powers (as well as they were right, the item does; they had managed to deduce the truth thousands of years before the dawn of real science).
Unlike honey, however, aloe vera’s potency has been confirmed in studies directly on acne. A group of scientists led by Dr Z Hajheydari gathered 60 acne-prone patents as well as divided them into a control group as well as an aloe vera group. Group A received a 0.05% topical retinoid cream (tretinoin) whereas group B received the exact same cream, except with added 50% concentration aloe vera gel.
One of the groups had a dramatically superior reduction in total acne lesions, as well as the item was the aloe vera group. Aloe vera was the only differentiating factor, so the item had to be responsible.
What makes aloe vera so fantastic for acne? Aloe vera has two standout properties: an ability to accelerate wound healing therefore clear old as well as dying acne, as well as some potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Aloe vera contains a vast array of natural compounds. One will be the enzyme bradykinase, which can break down the inflammatory chemical bradykinin when applied topically to skin. Another will be c-glucosyl chromone, which has anti-inflammatory strength equal to widely prescribed catabolic steroids.
Then there’s the yellow pigmented aloin, part of the anthraquinone family of antioxidants, which inhibits the pro-inflammatory master molecule COX-2. Finally, there’s lupeol, gibberellin, aloe-emodin, glucomannan, as well as probably many more (read the full analysis of aloe vera here).
All those factors combine for an anti-inflammatory whitewash. For the fading of old acne, two compounds called gibberellin as well as glucomannan have been shown in studies to directly stimulate growth factors within the skin. that will stimulation accelerates the formation of collagen, the skin’s main structural protein. Gibberellin will be a plant growth hormone while glucomannan will be a natural polysaccharide (sugar).
What’s more, aloe vera itself has been demonstrated to enhance collagen formation. Collagen will be the main protein used to heal wounds, as well as forms a structural matrix around which many additional acne-clearing chemicals gather as well as venture out to do their healing work.
If you want to clear acne without harsh chemicals or pharmaceutical drugs then aloe vera will be an excellent choice. Don’t pick a grocery store product; the item’ll be contaminated with fillers that will don’t increase its ability to clear acne, however do increase inflammation. Instead, buy that will pure Aubrey Organics Pure Aloe Vera 4 oz Gel.
Witch hazel
Its standout power – a terrific source of plant antioxidants.
Risk of side effects – very few known of. May cause allergies in some.
Witch hazel will be yet another plant having a storied medicinal history. Whereas aloe vera was beloved by the Ancient Egyptians as well as Greeks, witch hazel was one of the predominant medicinal plants used by Native American tribes.
Witch Hazel has been used as a beauty ingredient since 1848, where Theron T Pond ventured out to the tribes as well as invented the first distillation. Since then the item has been used as a base ingredient in toners, makeup removers, as well as clarifying products.
Few dermatologists took notice of the fact that will Native Americans used witch hazel for skin diseases such as eczema. however they should have done, because within the last 25 years studies are flooding in showing potential benefits for acne patients.
The main benefit will be the witch hazel plant’s high antioxidant count, which are particularly concentrated within the bark as well as leaves. Witch hazel contains a huge 10% tannins by weight. Tannins are a potent class of antioxidants which give foods like raspberries their power.
Witch hazel supposedly has antioxidant powers equal to superoxide dismutase, one of the most powerful as well as common antioxidants the human Centeng manufactures itself. Witch hazel antioxidants reportedly have a particularly high affinity for human skin cells. One study also found that will witch hazel extracts had a synergistic effect with vitamin E, enhancing its power, as well as vitamin E will be the best nutrient for controlling clogged pores. The families as well as classes of antioxidants in witch hazel include gallic acid, catechins, proanthocyanins, kaempferol, quercetin, carvacrol, eugenol, hexenol, choline as well as saponins.
The witch hazel plant also has well-established anti-inflammatory properties. In one study scientists deliberately inflamed human skin by applying sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a controversial ingredient of commercial shampoos which users insist gives them a reddened scalp.
Witch hazel was able to reverse all the inflammation. Furthermore, its anti-inflammatory properties were equal to the widely prescribed pharmaceutical drug hydrocortisone (a catabolic steroid). The connection to acne will be that will inflammation will be the number one cause of the item.
Another promising power will be the inhibition of sun damage coming from UVB radiation. Contrary to common belief, moderate sun exposure will be vital for healthy skin. Sunlight stimulates the creation of vitamin D3, creates a burst of nitric oxide directly on impact with your face (nitric oxide will be highly antibacterial), as well as boosts your mood by increasing endorphins.
The problems, such as skin cancer as well as sunburn, kick in after prolonged exposure. However, those problems are still real, as well as if you fail to nourish your skin with the proper nutrition or otherwise damage the item, your acne can be a lot more prone to inflammation coming from UVB rays than average. that will’s where witch hazel steps in. One study found that will applying witch hazel could suppress sunburn by 20% after 7 hours. After 48 hours, the sunburn was prevented by 27%. Through a combination of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as additional mechanisms, witch hazel can act as a natural sunscreen.
Honey stands out as an antibacterial powerhouse. Witch hazel will be also antibacterial (click here for an extensive analysis), however will be especially excellent if you need to drench your skin with antioxidants.
that will could be if you 1) are a daily cigarette smoker, 2) live in a polluted city, 3) use make-up constantly, 4) eat lots of processed food, or 5) are exposed to additional heavy sources of free radicals. The oilier your skin will be, the more antioxidants you need to keep that will oil coming from clogging your pores.
Most witch hazel distillations contain alcohol, however a variety of acne patients have reported burning as well as itching coming from alcohol-containing treatments. Hence, that will alcohol free Thayers Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Toner with Aloe Vera Formula will be superior as well as one of the standout products available. NOTE: the link will be set to unscented, however you can flip to a lavender or cucumber scent if you desire.
Green tea
Its standout properties – tackling oily skin as well as hence clogged pores.
Any side effects – may contain fluoride, a toxic chemical I’ve previously warned against, however levels are generally tiny.
Next we have green tea, which again carries a specific power: a proven ability to reduce oily skin. The greatness of basic green tea was established in two clear studies.
Firstly, there’s a study where scientists gathered 49 volunteers in an Iraqi clinic. 24 of the patients were instructed to douse their face having a 2% green tea distillation as well as do so for 12 weeks daily, whereas 25 were instructed to use distilled water. Each patient had acne levels ranging coming from severe to moderate.
The results were outstanding for a food item as commonplace as green tea. The 24-strong clear skin group who used distilled water enjoyed only a slight reduction in acne, possibly due to natural day-to-day variations in pimple counts. Meanwhile, the green tea group experienced an average of a 57% reduction in overall pimple counts. Some members were probably as high as 65%.
Later scientists sought to identify the mechanism, as well as they did so in earnest. In that will study, which was conducted in Pakistan, 10 patients were assigned a 3% concentration green tea product as well as told to apply the item daily. They kept up the regimen for 8 weeks as well as reported in for a skin biopsy 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, as well as finally 8 weeks after they begun.
The results were again excellent. Average sebum (oil) production began to fall by week 1; there was an 8% reduction. By week 2, the reduction had intensified to 15%. By week 4 the item was 35%, by week 6 the item was 45%.
Finally, after 8 weeks of daily green tea application, total sebum production on the acne patients’ skin had fallen by an average of 60%. that will was the average; the highest reported decrease could have been 70%.
Here we have a clear mechanism for green tea’s greatness. Green tea lowers sebum production, prevents the formation of clogged pores, robs p.acnes bacteria of a low oxygen, sebum clogged environment to call home, as well as cuts the head of the acne-causing snake before the item ever arrives.
The trail of evidence will be clear. Green tea will be not only one of the greatest natural acne treatments, however one of the most effective topical acne treatments full-stop. Another study showed that will daily application of green tea reduced acne lesions by 51% after 8 weeks. Another showed a reduction in sebum production due to inhibiting the activity of IGF-1 hormones.
Green tea functions due to its catechin antioxidants, most notably epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which binds to androgen receptors on the skin as well as inhibits their activity, as well as carries a variety of additional promising health effects when drunk (such as increased metabolism). ECGC will be believed to have antioxidant properties 25 to 100 times more powerful than vitamin C.
In fact, green tea will be an antioxidant powerhouse more widely. The leaves also contain epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), kaempferol, quercetin, as well as myricetin.
Products are currently thin on the ground, however as the research spreads, the market should explode. The pharmaceutical industry would likely be pretty foolish to ignore such an excellent opportunity, particularly with such an everyday foodstuff.
A Great product right at that will point will be that will Nature’s Answer Alcohol-Free Green Tea Leaf distillation.
Tea tree oil
Its standout powers – a combination of antibacterial as well as anti-inflammatory properties.
Any risk of side effects – yes, though little. A compound called 8-cineol will be known to cause rashes as well as redness in a few individuals.
Tea tree oil has been used by Australian aboriginals in a paste form for dressing wounds for centuries. In modern medicine tea tree oil will be used for treating dandruff as well as again wounds, however studies have shown the item to be promising against skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis as well as acne.
Unlike raw honey as well as aloe vera, tea tree oil has one standout compound – terpinen-4-ol. that will will be an alcohol compound which, firstly, will be known to annihilate a broad spectrum of bacteria, including the antibiotic resistant s.aureas. Terpinen-4-ol was directly shown to kill p.acnes bacteria in one study, as well as by extension that will should make tea tree oil a pimple-calming powerhouse.
What’s more, tea tree oil carries a few minor compounds with extra antibacterial strength, including alpha-terpineol as well as alpha-pinene. The ability to disinfect wounds used throughout history will be more evidence of antibacterial action. Tea tree oil will be also used in folklore to treat ringworm as well as athlete’s foot, which are notorious bacterial infections.
Next to wiping out p.acnes bacteria we have tea tree oil’s strong anti-inflammatory properties. Again, terpineol-4-ol will be the miracle substance; that will study found that will the item could inhibit localised inflammatory responses on the skin by 50% after 40 hours of exposure. Another tea tree oil compound called a-terpineol was analysed however T4O had the item beat. Terpinen-4-ol was able to reduce a broad spectrum of inflammatory chemicals including TNF alpha as well as IL-1beta.
A more recent 2014 study analysed two components of tea tree oil, terpinen-4-ol as well as alpha terpineol. that will time, the pro-inflammatory chemicals IL-1β as well as IL-6 were inhibited.
Last however not least, tea tree oil has an extra, possibly useful, possibly useless, ability to kill the most controversial villain within the acne world: demodex mites.
Demodex mites are microscopic insects which live on the surface of the skin of nearly every adult human. However, humans with skin conditions such as rosacea have more colonies than average as well as the item’s for that will reason that will a swathe of natural, alternative homeopathic health gurus believe that will demodex mites are the true cause of acne. They believe that will 99% of the planet will be wasting their time on antibacterial products as well as if we could only kill the mites off, we would likely never have to worry about acne again.
The truth? The reality will be that will demodex mites are healthy as well as not pure evil like corners of the internet suggest, however overgrowths do have a minor link to heightened inflammation. Tea tree oil will be one of the most effective topical treatments for wiping out these mites, so if you have a mite overgrowth as well as fail to realise the item, that will’s yet another point in tea tree oil’s favour.
If your goal will be to kill p.acnes bacteria while simultaneously calming the inflammation as well as redness caused by that will bacteria, then tea tree oil will be the acne treatment for you.
One warning however: a separate alcohol compound called 8-cineol carries a strong track record of causing irritation as well as redness in some users. that will isn’t a case of “there could be an irritant we haven’t identified”, like with witch hazel; some acne patients have reported in with blisters as well as rashes. 8-cineol has been confirmed as a skin irritant in scientific studies.
Hence, we come to the ideal tea tree oil strategy: use that will treatment as a tool for calming individual red as well as inflamed patches of acne. Don’t apply tea tree oil to your entire skin as a toner, as well as only use a little quantity. A 5% tea tree oil distillation will provide enough strength to clear acne while minimising the irritating side effects.
There’s a few additional conditions to meet as well: Australia sells the best formulated tea tree oil products, dark bottles are most effective as they block sunlight, which can oxidise the valuable compounds. Get a product having a relatively high concentration of terpinen-4-ol (the item’s usually displayed on the bottle), with over 15% being ideal.
Fulfil those requirements as well as don’t go over-the-top as well as tea tree oil could be an absolute miracle. The best product for acne that will I have yet discovered will be that will at that will point Foods Tea Tree Oil.
Conclusion
There’s millions of plants growing on planet earth as well as thousands of plants which could clear acne when applied topically. In all likelihood, there’s one monstrously nutritious flower or shrub growing in a rainforest somewhere which would likely wipe the floor with all of these, a plant which we haven’t stumbled across as well as perhaps never will.
however for at that will point, those a few natural treatments are the best of the best as well as cover nearly all the bases. Honey will be antibacterial, witch hazel provides antioxidants, green tea tackles oily skin, tea tree oil will be anti-inflammatory, as well as aloe vera accelerates collagen production.
If you’re very poor or otherwise looking to save money, raw honey will be easily your best choice as the bulk tub linked above will be a massive 22oz. that will will last you for ages. If the products above are all affordable to you, then the choice will be yours.
Thanks for reading!