Acne treatments can stop it, but they can also cause dryness, discoloration, and irritation. In addition to all these side effects, acne treatment is also usually expensive! Use the natural steps below (which are scientifically proven) and save money by using ingredients you may already have in your home.
Step
Method 1 of 6: Using Steam
Step 1. Prepare your face for the steam method
If your hair is covering your face, pull it back and secure it with a hair tie, bandana, or bobby pin. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser - either oil-based or plant-based. Dermatologists usually recommend using glycerin, sunflower oil, and grapeseed, as these are the best oils to absorb and break down other oils.
- Use your fingertips instead of a towel or sponge, which can further aggravate your skin condition.
- Massage the cleanser into the skin for about a minute in gentle circular motions. Don't exfoliate your skin, just make sure the cleanser is evenly distributed and absorbs dirt and oil.
- Rinse face thoroughly with warm water.
- Pat the skin dry using a clean cotton towel. Never apply a towel on your face, because your facial skin can become irritated.
Step 2. Choose your essential oil
The oils listed here all have antibacterial and antiseptic properties, meaning they can kill the bacteria that causes acne and prevent new ones from forming. You can choose based on personal taste (for example, which oil scent you like best), or depending on the situation you are in. If you are easily anxious or depressed, use lavender. If you have acne problems caused by bacteria, other than blackheads, choose herbs with antibacterial properties. If you're trying to fight an upper respiratory infection, use thyme to treat the infection and relieve congestion with its heat.
- Spearmint or peppermint oil might irritate some people's skin, so test it on your skin by dripping the oil on your wrist. After that, wait 10-15 minutes. If you don't experience irritation, you can use the oil. Start with a dose of one drop per 900 ml of water. Both peppermint and spearmint oil contain menthol, which has antiseptic properties and increases the body's resistance.
- Thyme boosts the immune system and has antibacterial properties. Thyme also improves blood circulation by dilating blood vessels.
- Calendula accelerates healing and has antimicrobial properties.
- Lavender is calming and can help people suffering from anxiety and depression. Lavender also has antibacterial elements.
Step 3. Prepare your steam water
Fill a 900 ml container with water and simmer for one to two minutes. After the water has evaporated for a few minutes, add 1-2 drops of the essential oil of your choice.
- If you don't have essential oils, substitute teaspoon of dry herbs per 900 ml of water.
- After you add the herbs or oil, bring the water back to a boil for a minute.
- After a minute, turn off the stove and lift the water container to a suitable area for steaming. Make sure you don't have to bend over the container too much, as you'll need to hold that position for a while.
Step 4. Perform a skin sensitivity test
Be aware that you may become sensitive to an herbal oil. Even if you've used it without problems in the past, you should test it again every time you steam your face with the oil. Try each oil for about a minute, then keep your face away from the steam for 10 minutes. If you don't sneeze and your skin doesn't react badly, reheat the water and continue steaming your face.
Step 5. Steam your face
Place a large, clean cotton towel over your head. You'll use this towel to create a kind of "tent" to trap steam around your face. Once you've made your tent out of towels, bend down so your face is above the steam.
- Keep your eyes closed during the evaporation process. This is important to protect the eyes from damage that may be caused by steam.
- Keep your face at least 30.5 cm apart so you don't burn your skin. Make sure the heat of the steam dilates the blood vessels and opens the skin pores, but don't damage them.
- Breathe normally and relax! Your experience will be pleasant and relaxing.
- Stay on the steam for about 10 minutes.
Step 6. Treat your skin afterwards
Rinse your face with warm water and pat it dry with a clean cotton towel, remembering not to rub your skin. Moisturize your skin with a non-comedogenic lotion or cream, which won't clog pores and make acne worse. Check the packaging to make sure you are using the correct non-comedogenic product.
- "Noncomedo" products will not produce acne in the form of blackheads, blackheads, whiteheads, or cystic acne. All the products you put on your face - from lotions to cleansing or make-up products - are likely made with a non-comedogenic formula to make them suitable for use by people who are prone to acne.
- Skin moisturizer that can be an option is head oil. You can use coconut oil or a coconut oil and garlic mixture: squeeze the liquid of one clove of garlic into 1 jar of coconut oil and mix well. The shelf life is about 30 days if you store the solution in the refrigerator. Apply this oil part by part on your face, with a dose of one or two times a day. Both coconut oil and garlic oil kill acne-causing germs. Its moderate fatty acid content prevents blackheads and ensures that your skin pores remain open. The garlic will be slightly flavorful; if you don't like it, maybe you can use regular coconut oil.
Step 7. Repeat this procedure until you see an improvement
At first, you can steam your face twice a day - once in the morning and once at night. After about two weeks, you will start to notice an improvement in the condition of your skin. When this happens, reduce the frequency of the steam treatment to just once a day.
Method 2 of 6: Using Herbal Masks
Step 1. Find out the reason why herbal masks can get rid of acne
The composition of the ingredients listed below has astringent properties, which cleanse, tighten and help restore skin while dealing with acne problems. Astringents can dry out the skin, so don't use them on dry areas. However, if your skin is oily, an astringent mask can help normalize your skin's moisture level.
Step 2. Make the base mix of your herbal mask
Mix 1 tablespoon of honey, egg white and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in a bowl. These ingredients have natural properties that will help restore your skin. For example, honey, which has astringent and antibacterial properties. Egg white will not only thicken the mask, but also act as an astringent, and lemon juice is an astringent that also whitens the skin naturally.
Step 3. Add essential oil
Once you've made the base mixture, add 1/2 teaspoon of any of the following essential oils (choose one):
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- lavender
- Calendula
- Thyme
Step 4. Apply the mask
Spread the mask mixture over the face and neck or on any problem areas. Apply using fingertips. This process can get a little dirty, so make sure you do it in an area that is easy to clean, such as a bathroom. Don't apply too much paste to prevent the mask from dripping off your face or taking too long to dry.
If you don't want to use a full face mask, use the mixture to treat problems in certain areas. Just use a small dabbing tool to apply the mask directly over the pimple
Step 5. Allow to dry
Depending on how much of the mask you apply, the drying time may vary. However, normally it is about 15 minutes. Be careful and make sure the mask doesn't drip anywhere while you wait for it to dry.
Step 6. Wash your face
After fifteen minutes have passed and the mask has dried and worked on your skin, it's time to rinse off the mask. Clean thoroughly with warm water and both hands. Do not use towels or sponges as they can irritate your acne prone skin. Pat your face dry with a clean cotton towel. Make sure you don't rub it and irritate the skin.
Apply a non-comedogenic moisturizer as a final step
Method 3 of 6: Using Sea Salt
Step 1. Learn how sea salt can help with acne problems
Experts don't really know how sea salt can get rid of acne. This may be due to its high concentration of acidity, which helps kill bacteria, or because sea salt contains minerals that help heal the skin. Sea salt can also help dissolve sebum.
- This method has been shown to be effective in cases of moderate to mild acne and will not interfere with other treatment methods.
- However, it is still better to tell your dermatologist about what you can do at home to get rid of acne.
- Don't overuse sea salt, as it can dry out your skin. In addition, this salt can stimulate sebum production, which can actually cause acne.
Step 2. Perform skin care preparation
Always clean your face first with a gentle cleanser that does not contain alcohol. Apply to face using fingertips and gently circular motion. Do this to keep your face clean. Wash for about a minute, then wash your face with cold or warm water. Pat your face dry with a clean towel and use one of the sea salt methods below as a follow-up treatment.
Step 3. Make a sea salt mask mixture
Masks are useful if the pimple you want to get rid of is on your face. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sea salt in 3 teaspoons of hot water. The water should be hot enough for the salt to completely dissolve when stirred. Add 1 tablespoon of one of the following substances:
- Aloe vera gel / aloe vera (to help with healing)
- Green tea (antioxidant)
- Honey (antibacterial properties and accelerate healing)
Step 4. Apply the mask
Spread the mask mixture over your face with your fingertips. Make sure you do it neatly. Avoid fluids near the eyes. Leave the mask on for 10 minutes, but not more than that. Sea salt absorbs water and can dry out the skin excessively if left on for too long.
- Rinse off the mask with warm or cold water after 10 minutes, then pat your face dry with a clean towel.
- Use a non-comedogenic moisturizer as a finishing touch.
- While you may be tempted to apply this mask frequently, use it only once a day. Otherwise, your skin will be so dry it won't even be able to help with moisturizer.
Step 5. Make a sea salt spray as an alternative to the mask
The ingredients used to make this spray are actually the same as those used to make masks. However, you will use 10 teaspoons of sea salt mixed with 30 teaspoons of hot water and 10 teaspoons of aloe vera gel/green tea/honey. Once your mixture is ready, pour it into a clean spray bottle.
Store the mixture in the refrigerator to preserve it
Step 6. Spray the mixture onto your face
Every time you treat your skin with anything, make sure you wash it with warm water and a gentle skin cleanser. Cover your eyes to protect them from the salt water sting, then spray the liquid onto your face and neck.
- Same with masks, don't let the liquid stay on your skin for more than 10 minutes. You should rinse it thoroughly using cold or warm water.
- Pat the skin dry, then finish with a non-blackhead moisturizer.
Step 7. Soak in a bath filled with salt water for a “whole body” way
If your acne problem is on a large part of your body, soaking it is a better option than using a mask or spray. While regular table salt won't hurt your skin, it also doesn't provide the benefits of the minerals found in sea salt: calcium, magnesium, sodium, chlorine, iodine, potassium, zinc, and iron. Therefore, do not use table salt for bathing.
- Add 2 cups of sea salt to the warm-hot water as the water fills the tub. This helps dissolve the salt.
- Soak in water for up to 15 minutes. Do not do more than that, because your skin can dry out.
- If you have a pimple on your face, soak a wet towel in water in the bath and place it over your face for 10-15 minutes.
- Rinse the sea salt water with cold water.
- Pat your skin dry and use a moisturizer on your body to combat the effects of sea salt, which can dry out the skin.
- Do not bathe in sea salt water more than once a day.
Method 4 of 6: Using Natural Home Cleaning Mixtures
Step 1. Find out how pimples form
Sebum is the body's natural oil, which, when produced in excess, will clog pores and cause blackheads and whiteheads. When the skin is also infected with Propionibacterium acnes bacteria, other pimples will form.
Step 2. Learn the theory of fighting acne naturally
Sebum, the main cause of acne, is an oil. Based on chemical principles, the best way to dissolve oil (and dirt, dead cells, bacteria, etc.), is to use another oil. We are all too used to thinking that oil is always bad for the skin, so we usually use skin cleansing products that contain (usually) irritating chemicals. We forget that the natural oils in the skin are produced to protect, moisturize, and keep the skin healthy. Oil has the ability not only to wash away dirt and unwanted oils, but also to prevent the peeling you see often produced by cleansing soaps.
Step 3. Choose your primary oil
Choose wisely and avoid oils that cause sensitivities and allergies. For example, if you are allergic to nuts, don't use hazelnut oil. The list of oils below varies - some are more expensive than others, and some are easier to find than others. However, they are all non-comedogenic, and will not clog pores and make acne problems worse:
- Argan oil
- Hemp seed oil
- Shea nut oil (shea olein)
- Sunflower oil
- Alternative oils you can use (which are non-comedogenic for most people) include olive oil and castor oil. Castor oil may be considered drying to some people's skin, while for others it is moisturizing.
- Coconut oil is different in that it contains a moderate range of fatty acids. This oil kills bacteria, including the Propionibacterium bacteria that trigger acne. This oil also combats the long chain of fatty acids in sebum, which can clog skin pores.
Step 4. Determine the second antibacterial/antiseptic agent
The herbal essential oils on this list also have properties that will minimize the presence of P. acne/Propionibacterium bacteria. Most of these oils smell good, so choose based on your personal taste. Make sure you always try it on a small area of your skin to determine if you are sensitive to it. Always do this for whatever essential oil you want to use.
- Oregano: antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
- Eucalyptus: antibacterial and antifungal
- Lavender: antibacterial, soothing, and provides a sense of relief
- Rosemary: special antibacterial against P. acnes
- Frankincense: anti-inflammatory and antibacterial
Step 5. Stir in your oil cleanser
You can make as much or as little cleaner as you want. It may be more efficient to make large quantities and store them in a cool place away from sunlight. The ratio you should maintain for this cleaner is:
For every 29.5 ml of primary oil, add 3-5 drops of a second essential oil
Step 6. Use your natural cleanser
Pour a small amount of the oil mixture into your palms and apply it on your face. Never use a towel or sponge as this can irritate your pimple even more. Use small circular motions to massage the oil into the skin for 2 minutes.
Step 7. Wash your face
A simple rinse won't be as effective as usual, as water doesn't dissolve the oil. To remove an oil cleanser from your face, place a towel soaked in warm water on your face and leave it on for 20 seconds. Gently and gently wipe off the oil, then rinse the towel in warm water. Repeat this procedure until you have removed all the oil from your face.
- Use a cotton towel to pat your face dry.
- Use this method twice a day and keep your face from sweating excessively.
Method 5 of 6: Developing a Good Cleaning Routine
Step 1. Make sure you wash your face regularly
Do this at least twice a day - once when you wake up to wash away the oil that has accumulated on your skin while you sleep, and once before going to bed to wash away the oil that has accumulated throughout the day. Also, make sure you always wash your face after sweating a lot, whether you've been at the gym or just because you've been outside in the heat of the day. Take a shower at least once a day, and consider taking another shower if you're sweating a lot.
- Always use a non-blackhead product or an oil-based cleanser that you make yourself.
- Use sea salt as directed. Using dry sea salt in excess can dehydrate the skin and lead to excessive breakouts.
Step 2. Use proper facial washing technique
It may be tempting to use a towel or exfoliating glove to wash your face, but really the best tools you can use are your fingertips. This is especially so if your skin is already acne-prone, lest the skin be further irritated with an abrasive surface. Massage the cleansing agent into your skin in gentle circular motions for about 10 seconds.
Do not exfoliate the stained skin to prevent immature skin from sticking out. It's like peeling off dry blood that's still trying to heal your skin, leaving scars and patches of different color
Step 3. Don't pop your pimple
No matter how ugly your face is because of acne, you have to understand that acne is actually useful because it can trap harmful bacteria. The fluid that comes out of a broken pimple contains a lot of P. acnes bacteria. You might be happy to see this fluid come out, but really you're only exposing other healthy parts of your skin to the bacteria that used to be on the pimple. This will cause the pimple to spread, rather than disappear. Cracking a pimple can also leave scars and patches of skin with a different color.
Step 4. Protect your skin from the sun
A popular myth says sunbathing can help treat and prevent acne, but scientists have yet to find evidence to support this claim. In fact, both sunlight and tanning beds can damage the skin and increase the risk of cancer. Be aware that some acne treatments or others can even make your skin more sensitive to the sun. These medications include antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim; antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benedryl); drugs to treat cancer (5FU, vinblastine, dacarbazine); heart drugs such as heart drugs such as amiodorone, nifedipine, quinidine and ditiazem; steroid anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen and acne medications such as isotretinoin (Accutane) and acitretin (Soriatane).
Method 6 of 6: Adjusting Your Diet
Step 1. Eat foods that contain a low glycemic index (GI/Glycemic Index)
Skin specialists tell us that despite the stories you hear about milk and chocolate, diet doesn't cause acne directly. However, recent research examining the dietary patterns of mixed populations (with a subpopulation of non-acne teenagers) around the world, shows something interesting. When their diet is compared with the diet in the United States, where people with acne make up 70% of the total population, and teenagers who don't have acne problems, it's clear that dairy products combined with high levels of sugar are not consumed. by those without acne, but consumed by US teenagers with acne. The results of this study explain why for some people, certain types of food, including dairy products and diets that consume a lot of sugar, increase the risk of acne. These foods increase inflammation and provide an environment that supports bacterial growth. Studies have shown that foods with low glycemic (GI) levels can reduce the severity of acne. Low glycemic foods are foods that release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly. The foods with the lowest GI levels are:
- Bran cereal, muesli or rolled oats
- Whole wheat, whole wheat bread
- Most vegetables except beetroot, pumpkin and sweet potato
- Nuts
- Most fruit except watermelon and dates. Mangoes, bananas, papayas, pineapples, raisins, and figs have moderate GI levels
- Peas
- Yogurt
- Whole grains usually contain a low to moderate GI. The lowest GI levels are found in brown rice, barley, and whole wheat pasta
Step 2. Include vitamins A and D in your diet
In addition to eating foods with low GI levels, make sure you also eat the right nutrients to nourish your skin. The most important vitamins for healthy skin are vitamins A and D. Eat these foods:
- Vegetables: sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, pumpkin, broccoli, red pepper, summer squash
- Fruits: cantaloupe, mango, apricot
- Legumes: black peas
- Meat and fish: beef liver, herring, salmon
- Fish: fish oil, salmon, tuna
- Dairy products: milk, yogurt, cheese
Step 3. Get more vitamin D through sun exposure
Although many foods contain vitamin D, vitamin D is not available in excess in the foods we eat. You can try to increase your vitamin D intake through eating, but the best way to get it is by exposing your skin to the sun for 10-15 minutes a week. Sunlight stimulates the production of vitamin D by the skin. Don't wear sunscreen cream, and leave as much of your skin exposed as you're comfortable with.
Don't overexpose your skin to the sun if you're not wearing sunscreen cream. This can be very dangerous and lead to cancer
Step 4. Increase your consumption of omega 3 fatty acids
Studies suggest that omega 3 fats can be beneficial for people with acne. Omega 3 fatty acids limit the body's production of leukotriene B4, which increases sebum production and results in inflamed acne. Sebum is a natural oil produced to moisturize the skin, but when sebum is produced in excess, it clogs the skin and causes acne. By increasing omega 3 fatty acids in your diet, you can help control acne. Foods you should look for include:
- Seeds and nuts: flaxseed and flax oil, chia seeds, butternuts, walnuts
- Fish and fish oil: salmon, sardines, mackerel, whitefish, shad
- Herbs and spices: basil, oregano, cloves, marjoram
- Vegetables: spinach, radish seeds, chinese broccoli
Tips
- Use a clean towel on your pillow every night (or flip the towel you used to wipe your face, so you don't have to wash too much!). Oil and bacteria from your face and hair will stay on the pillow for a long time. Try doing this to prevent bacteria from spreading - it's an effective way to help fight acne.
- Wash your face with a bar of soap, then use a little water and baking soda. After that, splash your face with water. Do this twice a week.
- Try using only one type of treatment at a time to see what works and what doesn't. You will be able to draw conclusions about the most successful method to reduce the growth of your acne.
- If you've tried all of these methods and still don't see any improvement, visit your doctor and ask him for a dermatologist's recommendation.
- Women with excessive acne problems may experience hormonal imbalance, which is usually part of the cause of this issue. For example, when women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) were tested for hormones through a saliva test, it was found that their estrogen levels were too high and their progesterone levels too low. This condition is called “estrogen dominance” and is treated using a bioidentical progesterone cream. Natural health experts are usually able to deal with this effectively. Women who experience this condition will also notice an improvement in their acne problems, at least up to 50%, maybe even more if using a progesterone cream. However, this does not mean that all cases of acne are caused by hormonal imbalances.
Warning
Do not place dry sea salt directly on your skin, as the salt can give a stinging sensation and be too harsh
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