Acne vulgaris is described as the number one cause of acne pimples. There are two types of acne, inflammatory and non-inflammatory, both of them needs to be kept under control. Acne, as we know it, may cause discomfort and will most likely lower one’s self esteem. We are going to help you find some great home remedies and you will also learn how to remove pimples naturally. Some of the home remedies one can use to control acne are discussed below.
- Use of healing masks, possibly the fastest way to get rid of acne
To begin with, hydration and healing of the skin is a crucial procedure that may help in the elimination and prevention of acne. Honey, yogurt, cinnamon, essential oils as well as other ingredients can be used to create easy to make masks that will hydrate the skin and also fight the causes of acne. Since we’ll concentrate on homemade remedies, I have provided two recipes for face masks that may be of great help in eliminating acne.
Honey and Cinnamon recipe for face mask
Add two spoonful of raw honey to one tablespoonful of coconut oil and a half tablespoon of cinnamon. Mix the ingredients and apply it on your face as you take care not to apply around the eye region due to irritation. Allow it to sit for about ten minutes then proceed to wiping your face using a damp cloth. Rinse your face using warm water.
Both honey and Cinnamon usually help to fight acne due to their antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. For better results, it is suggested that one adds tree oil to either one of the masks as it’s considered a good home remedy to keep off acne.
Honey and Yogurt recipe for face mask
Add one tablespoon of raw honey to one tablespoon of yoghurt and mix well. Smear the mixture to your face and ensure that you do it generously around the hairline, jawline and all the affected areas. Allow it to sit for about ten minutes then wipe it off using a damp cloth.
- Cleansing, Exfoliating and Moisturizing
a) Cleansing
Undeniably getting rid of blackheads, whiteheads as well as pimples start with cleansing of the skin. Vinegar, apple cider, coconut oil, probiotic and other essential oils are all important ingredients to a good cleanser. Coconut helps to fight bacteria and fungus. Also, honey soothes the skin while tea tree oil invigorates the skin. Cleansing is an easy process that includes dampening the skin using warm water, application of the cleanser on the face and neck, massaging, rinsing as well as patting dry. However, cleansing ought not to be done quite often as it may irritate the skin as well as causing an over-production of oil.
On the other hand, if acne happens to occur in sections around your hairline, commercial hair products may be the main cause. Hair sprays, gels and shampoo conditioner often contain harmful chemicals that may cause acne breakout. Some of these chemicals include petroleums, panthenol, sulphates, silicones panthenol among other things. Instead, one should consider using homemade honey citrus shampoos as it is free of harmful chemicals and leaves the hair soft. It is essential to educate oneself about the ingredient shown on the labels in order to ensure that one do not put these chemicals on their skins.
b) Exfoliating
Occasionally, clogged pores as well as dead skin are the number one cause of acne breakout. It is therefore recommended that one removes buildup from the skin by exfoliating. However, as one exfoliates, one should remember that commercial scrubs contain chemicals that may end up irritating the skin therefore doing more harm than good. They should use DIY scrubs as they are not only easy to make but also economical. A base plus a textured substance is all one needs in order to make a good exfoliator.
The textured ingredients happen to be sea salt, brown sugar or ground oatmeal. A base may be coconut oil or kefir. The role of a textured substance is to assist in the removal of dead skin as well as the unplugging of the pores.
How do you make your own exfoliator and exfoliate?
Mix two tablespoon of the gritty ingredients with about two tablespoon of the desired base. Proceed on to rubbing the mixture on your skin in a circular motion. Pay attention to the regions that are affected by acne. Using a damp cloth, wipe your face and rinse it with warm water.
c) Moisturizing
Unlike what most people believe, it is essential to moisturize an acne prone skin. This is due to the fact that most topical applications contain chemicals that dry the skin hence tricking it to producing more oils than necessary. Once excess oil is produced, clogged pores and more acne are the results. Coconut oil is one of the most recommended moisturizers that exist in the market as it is versatile and healthy. Notably, a study published by Biomaterials discovered that coconut oil contains lauric acid which performs bacterial cleanup against all the acne that happens to have been caused by bacteria. Lately, coconut oil has been in high demand in the market as the information about its benefits has been widely spread. Besides containing lauric acid, it also has antioxidants and medium chain fatty acids that hydrate as well as restore the skin and hair.
How to maintain a good moisturizing routine at home.
Begin by warming half a tablespoon of coconut oil in the palm of your hands. Apply the now warm oil on your face and neck after washing it. Let the oil sit for about five minutes. Proceed on to wiping the excess oil off your face using a dry piece of cloth. Note that it is only the already absorbed oil that helps to moisturize the skin and any excess could cause acne breakout. Easy, Right?
- Eating a healthy diet
- Consuming food with a low glycemic index
A low glycemic index diet is a diet where one excludes foods containing processed grains, flour products as well as added sugar. This way of eating is one of the best natural home remedies that can help to prevent acne occurrences. Glycemic index refers to the absolute measure of how quickly foods happen to raise the blood sugar level. Basically, processed and refined foods especially those found in the Western diet tend to be of high glycemic diet while on the other hand, meat and whole plant foods tend to be of a low glycemic index.
In addition, glycemic loads refer to the measure of the difference between the product of glycemic index and the level of carbohydrates with fiber where fiber is subtracted from the resultant product. Often, refined or rather processed foods happen to have both high glycemic index and glycemic load while vegetables and fruits have a higher glycemic index although the glycemic load is lower.
Back in the year 2007, a study was conducted and published by the American Journal of Clinic Nutrition suggesting that glycemic load also contributes to acne development. During the research, a group of about 40 males was split into two sub-groups. One of the groups was fed with a diet that contained 45% low glycemic carbohydrates as well as proteins that measured 25%. On the other hand, the other sub-group was fed with carbs without limiting the glycemic index. After a few weeks, it was noted that acne had decreased among the people belonging to the group that were fed on a controlled glycemic index unlike those that were fed on a higher glycemic index.
The solution to preventing and controlling new breakouts is therefore adapting eating habits that eliminates foods that cause blood sugar spikes as well as inflammation.
How to start an acne free diet
- Start by including foods rich in zinc in your diet. These foods include yogurt, kefir, pumpkin seeds as well as chicken.
- Consume foods that are high in fiber. They include nuts, fruits, vegetables as well as seeds. These foods play a good role in ensuring that the colon is cleansed as well as supporting the growth of bacteria in the gut.
- Eat more foods rich in Vitamin A. These foods include spinach, carrots as well as beef liver.
- Ensure that you consume healthy fat. This is because healthy fat contributes to a healthy skin which includes treatment of acne breakouts. Salmon is rich in Omega 3 which happens to be among the healthy fat and is therefore recommended.
- Basically concentrate on eating leafy greens, berries as well as healthy proteins.
What kind of food should you avoid to maintain an acne free skin?
- Food with excess sugar and carbohydrates.
High portions of sugar as well as grain products tend to feed yeast and candida that may happen to be in the body thus increasing acne breakouts.
- Gluten and wheat
These foods should be avoided at all cost because they may trigger inflammation of the gut which may as a result affect the skin.
- Fried and fast food
Fried foods contain ingredients that bring about inflammation including sodium, chemicals, flavorings and sugar.
- Hydrogenated oils
These oils are found in foods like pizza as well as packaged foods that contain soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil and vegetable oil. They should be avoided because they cause oily skin which is one of the main causes of acne.
- Conventional milk products
Conventional milk products are a known cause of acne breakouts. If one must consume dairy milk, they should go for goat milk or raw milk.
- Chocolate
Chocolate happens to have compounds that may cause acne breakouts. Pure dark chocolate is recommended however.
- Eating guggul.
People with the cystic kind of acne are encouraged to use guggul supplements. For better results, one should consume the supplements two times a day for a period of three months. You will not be disappointed!
4. Avoid sun exposure for long periods
Acne prone skin ought to be protected from too much sunlight especially when it shows signs of breaking out. This is because ultraviolet rays often target pigment producing cells thereby speeding the risk of acne occurrences. Since it is senseless to say that we can absolutely avoid direct sunlight, application of a sunscreen is the ultimate solution. However, natural sunscreen is what you should go for, avoid the commercial ones. This is because they contain chemicals that may irritate sensitive skin and thus cause acne breakout. Coconut oil is as good as olive oil and is said to have an SPF value of eight and is therefore considered as a helpful natural sunscreen. Application should be done once every two to three hours. On the other hand, one may limit the number of hours they stay in the sun on a daily basis. This ensures that one gets to receive only the needed amount of sunlight for the necessary Vitamin D.
5. Using holy basil and sweet basil
Both holy basil and sweet basil are essential oils that are responsible for fighting bacteria causing acne. Both can be applied topically or consumed internally. Sweet basil does as well (if applied on the affected areas) as holy basil. However, Holy basil oil tea not only tends to control hormone levels but also supports healthy blood sugar. These two conditions happen to be linked to acne breakout. Therefore, taking herbal tea on a daily basis will ensure natural hormonal balance and thus help to fight acne from the inside. Evidently, this method proves to be the best remedy for acne breakouts as it lasts longer due to the maintenance of the hormone level.
In conclusion, it is clear that acne breakout can be easily controlled by both topical application and internal consumption of natural substances. This makes the process easy and economical since the needed ingredients can be found anywhere. How to remove pimples fast can be done by choosing one of the recipes above and run with it. The choice is yours. Only you can decide on the best course of action to take in order to eliminate your acne breakouts.
Remember that it is a process that requires time and patience before the body can adjust to the new treatment and diet. Before you know it your skin will be glowing and nobody will be able to tell that you ever suffered from acne. Your family and friends will be astonished to see the new you! All the best as you try out the simple home remedies provided above!