What Are Natural Ways to Get Rid of Acne and Blemishes?

What Are Natural Ways to Get Rid of Acne and Blemishes?
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Acne is not fun. When the sebaceous glands produce too much oil pores become clogged and pimples form. The excess oil plus the presence of bacteria can also cause blemishes. Characterized by a seemingly incessant appearance of whiteheads and blackheads, redness and inflammation on the skin, acne can affect not only teenagers experiencing hormonal changes but adults as well.

Teenage acne is more difficult to remedy, although addressing diet and health can go a long way in attaining clear skin. Adult acne is common enough and is often a sign of stress, poor eating habits, hormonal shifts, or even heredity. While acne creams may help to kill bacteria they are only effective in the short term. They also have the side effect of irritating the skin and costing money. Using natural ways to get rid of acne instead may take several weeks to work but the transformation is real and lasting.

What Are You Eating?

A diet filled with processed foods, sugar, refined flours, and excess saturated fat can easily contribute to skin blemishes. This sort of diet burdens the organs of elimination with toxins, forcing the skin to be an avenue for toxin release, and it causes an internal state of imbalance. A healthy diet for getting rid of acne naturally consists of:

  • Lots of fruits and vegetables, the more raw, fresh, and organic the better
  • Fresh juices instead of sugary processed juice
  • Whole grains, look for unprocessed natural grains such as barley, oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat, and quinoa
  • Lean proteins including tofu, fish, and poultry
  • Yogurt, which contains beneficial bacteria
  • Green tea, which is very purifying
  • Take flax seed oil or borage seed oil for the omega oils
  • Plenty of clean water, aim for eight glasses every day

Focusing on these foods will provide the body with what it needs to regularly cleanse itself of toxins as well as the necessary nutrition to heal, replenish, and thrive. Stop drinking soda and instead drink plenty of fresh apple, papaya, and pineapple juice. Snack on berries and raw veggies instead of chips and cookies. Have frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, salmon instead of steak, whole wheat instead of white. Cut out the hard cheeses, fried foods, salty dishes, hydrogenated oils, caffeine, and alcohol.

Helpful Herbs for Acne

Drinking herbal infusions is a natural and effective treatment for getting rid of acne. Some herbs help to cleanse the body, removing the toxins which may be causing blemishes or simply inhibiting a state of balance. Use one or several of the following herbs to make a tea; drink one to three cups daily. Use two teaspoons of dried herbs for every one cup of boiling water. Infuse for about ten minutes. Expect results in two to three weeks.

  • Burdock root
  • Red clover
  • Milk thistle
  • Dandelion
  • Figwort
  • Cleavers
  • Mountain Grape

Another way to use herbs is to take an herbal tincture. Take a dropperful of burdock root for example one to two times a day instead of drinking the tea.

Homemade Topical Treatments

Addressing diet is essential and using herbs is powerful for treating acne through the internal body. It is also important to cleanse and

strawberry, yogurt, honey

nourish the skin externally. Try these natural recipes instead of constantly dousing your skin in chemical cleansers and creams.

For a natural cleanser:

  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 1 large or two medium sized strawberries

Blend all ingredients together. Rub into face with a circular motion and then rinse off and pat dry.

For a natural astringent:

  • 2 drops of lavender essential oil
  • 2 drops of chamomile essential oil
  • One-fourth cup of rose water

Add all ingredients to a bowl. Dab onto face with a clean cloth or cotton ball.

For a natural anti-blemish treatment:

  • Tomato paste
  • Nonfat milk powder

Mix in equal parts. Apply to pimple and leave on for about ten minutes before washing off. Dabbing on apple cider vinegar with a cotton ball at night is also known to help clear up blemishes.

There are natural ways to get rid of acne. It may take more effort to change your diet, drink herbal tea, and make your own skin care products, but the rewards are great.

References

Balch, Phyllis, CNC. “Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition.” (The Penguin Group, 2006).

Page, Linda. “Healthy Healing: A Guide to Self-Healing for Everyone, 11th Edition” (Traditional Wisdom, 2003).

Hoffmann, David. “The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies.” (Element Books, 1996).

Photo Credits

photo by: Jules Stone Soup (CC/flickr) https://www.flickr.com/photos/stone-soup/4195076305/sizes/m/in/photostream/

photo by: Love Janine (CC/flickr) https://www.flickr.com/photos/geishabot/4579250516/sizes/m/in/photostream/

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