Pimples, acne, blemishes, marks, scars are some
words that any one would want to keep away from. But pimple is one such widely
prevalent skin condition that seems to pop up anytime, without any warning and
is highly annoying on the bearer. Be it teenagers, men or women, everyone seems
to have dealt with pimples at some point or the other and have robbed their
peace of mind due to it.
Pimples (also known as zits) can pop up due to a number of reasons. They
can range from hereditary genetic problem, puberty, hormonal imbalance in the body,
bacterial growth due to intake of oily and high glycemic food, medicines, allergy
to skin care product, not cleaning the face after using makeup, change in
weather condition to even stress.
Squeezing, prodding, scratching or pricking pimples seem to be the most common reaction a person with pimples does. But this actually does more harm than good. This simple looking activity increases the production of sebum (oily secretion from the skin's sebaceous glands) along with scattering bacteria on the skin surface, giving root to more pimples and also triggering blemishes. In short, stop this habit immediately.
Squeezing, prodding, scratching or pricking pimples seem to be the most common reaction a person with pimples does. But this actually does more harm than good. This simple looking activity increases the production of sebum (oily secretion from the skin's sebaceous glands) along with scattering bacteria on the skin surface, giving root to more pimples and also triggering blemishes. In short, stop this habit immediately.
There are many anti-acne and pimple creams, anti-acne face washes and acne treatments one can try. For some people these products work well, but quite a few complain of their ineffectiveness or concerns like excessive dryness and redness after use. This has resulted in many looking out for natural DIY methods to cure pimples/acne.
So, here is what you can try and do to lessen and eventually eliminate pimples naturally and effectively.
1) Green
Tea
Green tea is not only a refreshing and healthy
beverage that can be consumed regularly, but it also helps considerably in
clearing pimples and acne. Green tea is proven to be rich in antioxidants (aids
in healing acne marks and scars) and catechins (is antimicrobial in nature).
Besides this, green tea also has anti-inflammatory properties that help in
lessening inflammation and redness that is generally caused by pimples/acne.
How to Use it
How to Use it
Green Tea can be used in a number of ways. But
the best way would be to sip your cup of green tea as well as use it topically
to get great benefits.
For making a great green tea as a drink, heat a cup of drinking water, till it starts boiling. As soon as the boiling starts, turn off the heat. To this add 1 spoon of dried green tea leaves or your organic green tea bag or 1 spoon of green tea powder (whichever your prefer). Cover the cup with a small lid and let it steep. After about 5-6 minutes, remove the lid. You can take a spoonful of the tea and check if it is strong enough for you. If you are using the powdered or leaf variety, then strain the tea with a sieve. To this, add ½ spoon of honey (optional). Give the tea a stir and drink your beverage for a refreshing and healthy skin and body.
While preparing green tea, you have used a tea
bag, loose leaves or powdered version. Do not discard it. If you have used a
tea bag, then cut it and extract the leaves. To the used green tea leftovers, add
a spoon of honey (raw honey, good quality honey or Manuka honey). If you need the consistency of the mask to be a bit watery, then
add a spoon of the steeped green tea or mix 1/2 spoon of lemon juice to it. Your mask is ready. Now wash your
face with a gentle face wash and pat your skin dry. Apply this green tea and
honey mask on your affected area and leave it for 25-30 minutes. Thereafter, rinse
your face with slightly warm or cool water and pat try. You can apply this mask
2 times a day and follow it up for 3-4 days.
## Honey has excellent anti-bacterial properties,
is rich in antioxidants and is also a good humectant. These properties help
fight acne, fade pimple marks and also leave your face moisturized, soft and
supple.
2) Turmeric
A very popular yellowish-orange colored spice,
turmeric roots have been traditionally and popularly used in making Ayurvedic
and Chinese medicines. A variety of turmeric-based medicines has not only aided
in healing health problems but has also helped treat and eliminate many skin
problems since centuries. Nowadays we find a number of natural skin care products
containing turmeric as one of its main ingredients which help give out a glowing,
clean, blemish-free and healthy skin.
Turmeric has been proven to have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties (due to its active
compound curcumin). Besides this, turmeric is also rich in antioxidants. Hence
it is not surprising to find its mention in anti-acne and pimple treatment at all.
How to Use It:
Turmeric can be used in making homemade face
packs to treat a number of skin concerns including pimples. I am writing the recipes
of two easy home masks to treat spot pimples that a number of users have found
effective – turmeric and honey mask and turmeric and lemon mask.
To make the turmeric
and honey mask, take ½ spoon of turmeric. To this add 1 spoon of raw honey
and 1-2 spoons of milk. Mix all these ingredients together to make a smooth
paste. Apply this paste using your fingers or a makeup brush on the pimples and
leave it on your face for about 20-25 minutes. Wash your face thereafter with slightly warm or cool water. Try doing this home treatment daily once, for 4 consecutive
days to see effectual results.
Another mask that works well for pimples is the turmeric and lemon mask. Lemon is easily
available and another cheap ingredient in DIY treatment against
pimples and acne. Rich in Vitamin C, lemon juice has shown mild astringent
qualities, which helps in lessening oil from the skin. Also being acidic in
nature, lemon juice helps fight bacteria along with reducing redness ensued due
to acne. Lemon juice is also known for its skin lightening or bleaching effects.
Many people use lemon juice on the face directly to tackle acne. However,
stinging/itching and dryness are often complained by sensitive and dry skin
users. Hence a turmeric and lemon mask works better. For this mask, take ½ spoon of
turmeric. Add 1 spoon of lemon juice and 5-6 drops of rose water to it. Mix and blend it well. Apply this mixture on
your pimples and leave it for about 20 minutes. Rinse it thereafter with warm
water and pat dry your face. Application of a light moisturizer on your face is
recommended after this treatment.
## The use of rose water is because rose water
has anti-inflammatory properties that aids in reducing redness and also calms
the skin from any irritation caused by lemon. It also acts as a wonderful
toner/cleanser by getting rid of oil and dirt that has accumulated in the
clogged pores.
3) Tea
Tree Oil
Essential oils have shown amazing and versatile skin
and hair benefits, with tea tree oil being one of the front runners. Quite a few studies on
tea tree oil have lauded on its antiseptic and healing properties, which are
important requirements against acne. The compounds in tea tree oil have also shown
antimicrobial and antibacterial properties and work amazingly in unclogging
pores and disinfecting them. Its many important qualities are the reason why tea
tree oil is one of the top DIY remedies for acne/pimples.
How
to Use it
Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil and is highly
concentrated. It is hence advisable to either dilute it or mix it with other
ingredients. Do NOT use this oil directly on the affected parts. Slight irritation
or stinging is normal, when using this oil.
To use diluted
tea tree oil, take ½ a cup of water and add 3 drops of this wonder oil to
it. Soak a cotton ball in this liquid mixture and apply it on the pimples. Let this
liquid mixture rest and dry on your face for 25-30 minutes and then wash it off with
cool water. Apply a light moisturizer on your face, once it dries off. This treatment
can be done twice a day for best results.
Tea tree
oil with aloe vera
is another effective combination. Aloe vera does not need any introduction in
skin and beauty treatments. Its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties
(soothes and calms irritated skin), have resulted in its topical usage in a
number of skincare and anti-acne products. Aloe vera is also loaded with
anti-oxidants, which helps rejuvenate the skin. To make, tea tree oil and aloe
vera mask, it is first necessary to obtain a good quality aloe vera gel from the
store. If you have aloe vera plants in your home garden, then you can extract fresh aloe gel. To make the mask, mix 1 ½ spoon of aloe vera gel, 1 spoon
of coconut oil and 3 drops of tea tree oil. Blend it well. Now apply this mixture
using a cotton swab or your fingers to the affected skin area and leave it for a
minimum of 30 minutes. Rinse it off with cool water and pat dry.
4) Garlic
The more I think of garlic, the more benefits it
seems to offer to its user. Garlic can be eaten as well as applied topically to
reduce pimples. Its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties are well-used in
traditional medicines. The presence of sulfur compounds called thiacremonon in
garlic, act as a drying agent, which further help in healing the scars.
How to Use it
Garlic is versatile and can be used in numerous
ways. Some people crush garlic cloves and apply them directly on the pimples. However
this causes a lot of burning sensation and irritation (especially to people
with sensitive skin), so I would say, avoid it. Instead dilute garlic or mix it
with some soothing ingredient to prepare a more effective mask.
To make garlic-based masks, take 3 cloves of
garlic. Peel, crush and mash it up to form a paste like consistency. If needed,
add ½ spoon of water to achieve it. To this, add 1 spoon of yoghurt or raw
honey or aloe vera gel to it. Mix it well. Using your fingertips, gently apply and
massage this mixture on your affected areas. Leave it on your skin for 15
minutes, then rinse it off with cool water and pat dry. Repeat this process
daily for 3-4 days.
5) Ice
Using an ice pack is one of the easiest and inexpensive home cures to shrink and eliminate pimples quickly. Another advantage of an ice therapy is that it can be used as a standalone technique as well as in conjunction with other home remedies or acne products to treat pimple outbreak. Applying ice on pimples/acne helps by reducing its swelling, lessening accompanying pain if any and also by shortening its lifespan.
How to Use it
When using an ice therapy for pimple outbreak, you need to remember two things i.e. to not apply the ice directly on the pimple and to always wash your face before icing the pimple. After ensuring that your skin is freshly washed and patted dry, take an ice cube and wrap it in a thin, clean cloth. Then place this wrapped ice cube directly on your pimple. Hold it for a minute and then remove. After about 2-3 minutes, reapply the wrapped ice again for a minute. Try doing this a couple of times. This targeted pimple therapy can be carried out twice or thrice a day. To get the best results, use ice therapy along with any of the above homemade masks or acne creams/treatments that work for you.
Note:
The above-mentioned home remedies for pimples and acne work extremely well ONLY when
you follow a healthy diet and proper hygiene. Adopting unhealthy practices and
applying home remedies on your zits won’t work for long. These are just short-term measures. So try and eat fresh fruits
and vegetables more often, drink at least a litre of water daily to flush out
toxins from your body and avoid fried and sugar based foods as much as
possible.
Also, if you have used the above home made cures or some other DIY remedies that have worked for you, then feel free to share it in the comment section.😊
great blog on how to remove acne scars
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