Pimples are a skin condition that typically occurs around the age of puberty, give or take a few years. This skin condition can produce a blemished face which can cause mental anguish particularly when the acne is extreme. In many cases of acne, certain bacteria are the cause and the extreme amount of oil secretions aggravates the creation of the bacteria. Many parents and adolescents like to look for herbal pimple treatment that will combat the skin condition effectively. Although there are several kinds of herbal pimple treatment methods, not all of these may have the desired effect on everybody. Not all acne herbal treatment affect people the same way.
TYPES OF ACNE:
- Closed Comedo (White head): If the plugged follicle stays below the surface of the skin, the lesion is called closed comedo or white head.
- Open Comedo (Black head): If the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin, it is called an open comedo.
- Papule: The mildest form of inflammatory acne is called papule, which appears on the skin as small, firm pink bump.
- Pustule: Pustules are small round lesions, unlike papules; they are clearly inflamed and contain visible pus.
- Nodule or Cyst: They are large, usually painful, inflamed, pus filled lesions within the skin. Both nodules and cysts often leave deep scars in the skin.
- Acne conglobata: It is rare but serious form of inflammatory acne which develops on the back, buttocks and chest.
Green Tea Effective Herbal Treatment for Acne
Studies have shown that green tea is a very effective herbal treatment for those suffering from acne. Green tea is quite unique as compared to other teas in that it is not fermented. This useful herbal tea is steamed very quickly after it is harvested in order to keep all of its active ingredients in tact.
Green tea can reduce inflammation and aides in detoxification, which is extremely helpful to those suffering from acne issues of any kind. Overactive hormonal activity, which is a huge factor in acne breakouts, can also be limited by using green tea.
If you drink green tea to clear up your acne make sure that you do not add any sugar or other types of sweeteners to your tea. Doing so will result in all the positive effects of the tea to be negated.
Washing acne with this tea will reduce inflammations and aides in detoxification. If taken orally, it clears up the hormonal activities which are responsible in acne problems.
Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternafolia) - Acne Herbal Treatment
It is an extraction from Melaleuca tree. This herb is highly recommended not just as herbal pimple treatment but also for treating scratches and shallow wounds. Tea tree oil has antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties which come in useful in treating acne. This herbal pimple treatment is also useful for feminine hygiene, an antibacterial wash for the face, treatment for cuts and scrapes, nail fungus, ringworm and others.
Several laboratory studies have shown that tea tree oil effectively slows down the growth of Propionibacterium acnes (the bacterial strain associated with acne) thereby potentially reducing inflammation associated with the skin condition.
Tea tree oil needs to be diluted from its original pure form and should not be taken internally as this could cause some serious damage to the nervous system. Use herbal acne treatments externally only.
Treating the acne with tea tree oil will cut down the effect of inflammation and infections.Applied to pimples after washing and drying the skin, tea tree oil can reduce the duration and swelling of a blemish.
Aloe Vera Gel - Acne Herbal Treatment
Aloe Vera gel as herbal pimple treatment is applied topically on the acne and to be used for its antibacterial and astringent properties. Herbs have laxative properties so care needs to be taken when applying on ones skin. One might react adversely to this treatment so it might be beneficial to first perform a test to see how one reacts to it before any extensive applications.
Aloe vera has other properties other than just helping sunburn; extracted for the aloe plant it also hydrates skin and can be sued on cuts as well. Aloe vera can aid in keeping the skin supple, and has been used in the control of acne. It can also prevent scaring, fade marks and help heal acne spots. The pulp of the Aloe vera is an excellent skin cleanser.
Calendula - Acne Herbal Treatment
Hunt the bright yellow marigold in search of Calendula, the herbal ingredient found in essential oils and tinctures and known for its ability to control acne by reducing the inflammation and redness. Apply a dab of Calendula tincture on pimples at bedtime. Dilute a drop of essential oil with olive oil and gently apply before you fall asleep.
This flowering herb is often used as a remedy for damaged skin. It promotes skin healing and also contains analgesic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This herbal pimple treatment also encourages the production of collagen which is essential for elastic and healthy skin. The flowers of the calendula are edible and can be great for decorating food.
The use of a herbal pimple treatment can be beneficial for people as compared to chemically produced medicines. There are some drugs and medications which create harmful reaction son our bodies.
Fenugreek Leaves - Acne Herbal Treatment
A paste of fresh leaves applied over the face every night and washed with warm water prevents pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, dryness, wrinkles etc.
Mahonia or Oregon Grape (Berberis Aquafolium) - Acne Herbal Treatment
This herb has traditionally been used as an internal medicine for treating acne. However, one recent study, using Mahonia topically showed this herb to decrease sebum, reduce infection and inflammation. The antibacterial compounds in this herb is berbamine and berberine, which are also believed to reduce sebum production and kill bacteria when used topically. When used internally, these compounds are liver tonics that improve bile flow, stimulate digestion and act as a tonic on the bowel wall.
Golden Seal (Hydrastis Canadensis) - Acne Herbal Treatment
Topically, golden seal is an effective antibacterial, mainly due to its berberine content. When used in combination with Marshmallow to sooth inflamed skin it will reduce redness and kill bacteria causing infection. Internally, golden seal has historically been called the "King of Tonics", and is used as an antibiotic, liver tonic, and will increase bile production which in acts to detoxify the body by increasing elimination.
Burdock, Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) and Dandelion (Taraxicum officinalis), Cleavers, and Echinacea
Together, these herbs work as what once was referred to as “blood purifiers”. Today we use these herbs to improve digestive function by increasing the output of bile from the gall bladder into the small intestine. Many traditional herbalists will prescribe these herbs together as an overall tonic for the liver and gall bladder. If we view our liver as the main filter for removing toxins and metabolic by-products from our body; we can see that by improving liver function, the herbalist helps the body to remove unwanted waste and allows hormonal imbalances to normalise before having to resort to stronger herbs.
To help regulate and hormonal problems, women can try chaste berry used daily.
To Use
1: Steam your face for five to ten minutes to clean the pores with hot infusions of lavender, camomile, or thyme.
2: Rinse your face with honeywater, rosewater, or a dilute infusion of marigold tea to tone and close the pores.
3: Do this every day until the skin starts to heal.
Other Acne Herbal Treatment
Here are some other herbal acne treatment against . Some kinds of acne herbal tea you can easily make at home or find in a health food store. Here are the ingredients:
* Figwort 1 ounce
* Turkey corn 1 ounce
* Echinacea 1 ounce
* Thuja 1 ounce
* Yellow dock 1 ounce
* Arctium lappa 1/2 ounce
* Iris versicolor 1/2 ounce
You can also make a tea using any one of the following herbs. Chose one of these herbs or combine 2 or 3 of them to make a more powerful herbal acne tea. Drink the tea throughout the day.
* Burdock
* Dandelion
* Echinacea
* Fragrant valerian
* Goldenseal
* Ivy
* Marshmallow root
* Purslane
* Watercress
* Wild strawberry leaves
* Yarrow root
And here is a herbal extract, used to improve liver function, purify the blood, reduce acne inflammation, and fight acne bacterial infections.
The name of the herbal extract is Burdock-Sarsaparilla Compound and contains the following herbs:
* Burdock mature seed - helps to purify the liver, balances hormones, neutralizes acid, is anti-inflammatory, and useful in purifying the blood.
* Jamaican sarsaparilla root – helps scaling skin, is blood purifying, reduces itching, helps balance hormones.
* Nettle mature seed – is anti-inflammatory for the skin, neutralizes acid waste with its high mineral content.
* Yellow dock root – rich in iron and works to improve liver function, helps build good blood, helps purify blood and lymphatic liquid, helps increase bile, which helps to reduce constipation.
* Spilanthes flowing herb – improves immunity to fight bacterial infection on the skin.
* Sassafras root bark – blood cleansing, anti-inflammatory for the skin.
Honey Bee Pollen
Follow the honeybee’s lead and apply a natural ointment that contains pure bee pollen. Brimming with essential amino acids and B vitamins, dabbing bee pollen on your blemishes provides a dose of healthy antioxidants directly to the infected skin.
1 tsp. Honey mixed with water is good for all skin blemishes, and leaves the skin youthful & glowing. Honey mixed with milk, curds and ground sesame seeds in equal proportions is a sure formula for fair and lovely skin.
Garlic - Acne Herbal Treatment
Keep vampires and blemishes at bay with nature’s own remedy: garlic. Often used for infections, just peel and slice a garlic clove in half and hold the cut side on your blemish or use a small adhesive bandage to hold it in place all night.
Garlic Juice with 3 parts water is an excellent cleansing agent. Raw garlic applied ( rubbed) on the face can make persistent pimples/acne even in adults disappear without a trace/scar with repeated applications. The external use of garlic helps to clear the skin of spots, pimples & boils. Taking 3-4 pods of raw, skinned garlic, finely cut, combined with puffed rice and swallowed with water helps to clear skin infections quickly. The raw smell of garlic can be avoided by first soaking the skinned pods for a half an hour in milk.
Chinese Treatment of Acne
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Chinese herbal formulas are customized according to the TCM diagnosis made by the physician. Combinations and dosages of herbs are chosen and adjusted to work specifically for the individual. When administered correctly by a qualified TCM Doctor, Chinese herbs have been proven safe & effective without adverse reactions. In addition, quality control and safety research are implemented. Chinese herbs are provided in different forms: raw form (which is boiled to make a liquid), tablets, capsules, powders, and tinctures.
Food Cures: Chinese Medicine physicians include dietary & supplement recommendations in their treatment regimens. Here are some examples:
Some foods that can help alleviate acne: squash, cucumbers, celery, carrots, carrot tops, lettuce, potato, cabbage, beet tops, alfalfa sprouts, mung beans, dandelions, pears, cherries, papaya, persimmons, raspberries, and watermelon. Drinking plenty of water helps too.
Some foods to avoid or limit: spicy and oily foods, coffee, alcohol, sugar, chocolate, ice cream, soft drinks, dairy foods, red meat, shellfish, bamboo shoots and white mushrooms.
In prescribing herbal formulas, Chinese physicians generally do not take a "one dose fits all" approach. Chinese herbal formulas are customized. Each person is presumed to present a unique pattern of harmony and disharmony. Combinations and proportions of herbs are chosen and adjusted to fit not the ailment but the individual who suffers from the ailment. Two patients of acne are likely to be prescribed with different formulas if, for example, one was a nervous fellow with a dry tongue, while the other was easily tired and sleepy.
Acne formulas
1. Two formulas from
by Dr. Henry C. Lu (Kodansha International Ltd., 1997),
p. 144:
a) 10 grams of lily (bai he*), 100 grams of mung bean,
5 grams of rock sugar.
b) 9 grams of peach kernel (tao ren),
30 grams of Job's tears (yi yi ren),
9 grams of seagrass,
9 grams of kelp, salt as seasoning.
2. The formula from
by Dr. Carol Hart and Magnolia Goh (Dell Publishing,
1998), pp. 145-46:
8 grams of Japanese catnip (jing jie),
8 grams of sileris root (fang feng),
8 grams of dahurian angelica (bai zhi),
8 grams of bupleurum (chai hu),
8 grams of gardenia (zhi zi),
8 grams of peony (shao yao),
8 grams of forsythia (lian qiao),
8 grams of scutellaria (huang qin),
8 grams of unripe aurantium (rind) (zhi shi),
8 grams of ligusticum (chuan xiong),
8 grams of platycodon (jie geng),
8 grams of licorice (gan cao),
8 grams of angelica root (dang gui).
3. The formula by the old physician from Beijing:
25 grams of peony tree bark (mu dan pi),
25 grams of Chinese Wolfberry root bark (di gu pi),
50 grams of honeysuckle flower (jin yin hua),
20 grams of forsythia (lian qiao),
25 grams of dandelion (pu gong ying),
15 grams of amur cork tree bark (huang bai),
25 grams of belvedere fruit (di fu zi),
20 grams of densefruit pittany root bark (bai xian pi),
25 grams of portule herb (ma chi xian),
15 grams of pine pollen (song hua fen),
25 grams of figwort root (xuan sen),
40 grams of Job's tear seed (yi yi ren).
* the bracketed words are Chinese transliterations of the herbs. This is for the convenience of some readers who might like to buy the herbs in Chinatown.
How to Prepare Herbal Medicine
There are detailed procedures outlined in the books above as the proper ways of preparing herbs. But for the general public, I think the following steps are good enough:
1. Place the herbs in a lidded earthenware pot;
2. Add just enough cold water to cover the herbs plus an
additional cup so that the water level will be slightly
higher than the herbs;
3. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to low heat for
another 20 minutes, before removing the pot from the
heat;
4. Strain the herbs to get a cup of herbal tea and drink it
when it's warm;
5. Repeat the process each day for 60 days.
Side effects
Chinese herbal medicine is well-known for its lack of side effects. Minor problems can arise: Chinese herbs can cause gastro-intestinal reactions (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting), or allergic reactions (skin rash). If you have these reactions, stop the medication.
Zinc Supplement
Zinc is one of the best minerals to use for the treatment of acne. Several Studies have shown that the mineral zinc may be an effective treatment for inflammatory acne. It reduces the build-up of DHT and promotes skin healing. Zinc in the form of Zinc gluconate or zinc sulfate can help prevent acne. Zinc helps heal blemishes, reduces inflammation, and reduces androgenic hormonal effects on the skin. It is usually regarded as more effective element than antibiotics for skin health.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A reduces sebum and keratin production and thus it is effective in maintaining healthy skin. Normally a higher dose of vitamin A is required for the treatment of acne.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is essential for the proper metabolism of steroid hormones and can reduce the sensitivity of skin to the effects of testosterone. It may help premenstrual or mid-cycle acne.
Vitamin E
It is an antioxidant. It enhances the effectiveness of certain enzymes needed for good skin health and improves the absorption of vitamin A.
Selenium
Selenium helps in reducing the inflammation of acne.
Chromium Supplements
Chromium helps with blood sugar regulation, which can be an important factor with acne.
Acidophilus
Bowel toxicity may contribute to acne flare-ups. Acidophilus supplements like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus are beneficial to maintain a healthy balance of intestinal flora. They also produce small amount of hydrogen peroxide that compel bad germs to leave the body. It is beneficial to take acidophilus in the treatment of acne.
resource:
* The Herbal Resource
* Skincare Company
* eHow
* Acne Control
