Any chemical or antibiotic treatment for acne is not only expensive, but also has a negative impact on skin health. Harsh chemicals, and medication side effects, may be something you have to put up with when a serious illness threatens you. However, skin-friendly herbal remedies may be a good idea if you really want to eradicate the problem and restore the natural balance of your body. The phytochemicals found in herbal remedies can help undo the chemical imbalance — in your internal systems — that causes acne to appear in the first place.
Herbal acne treatments stimulate blood cleansing, liver function and restore hormonal balance. They help eliminate harmful bacterial and fungal infections, and can also help suppress the production of androgen hormones in your body. Some herbs used regularly for acne also have anti-inflammatory properties that help treat acne and other skin conditions.
The primary way to operate many herbal acne treatments is to reduce the amount of P. acnes bacteria in your body. This results in acne reduction in a much softer and less harsh way than occlusive treatments such as benzoyl peroxide. As a rule, these herbal remedies often work just like medicines, but they have much fewer or no side effects, and they do almost no harm to your skin.
Some common herbs used to combat acne include German chamomile, calendula, witch hazel, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, licorice root, aloe vera, burdock root, jojoba oil, neem, and tea tree oil. Aloe vera, for example, has healing and soothing properties which are great for skin conditions in general and acne in particular. The same properties make it effective in treating acne. Burdock root can be turned into a tea and cleanse the skin of toxins.
Jojoba oil reduces the excess production of sebum, thus reducing the spread of acne. It is also a natural moisturizer with soothing properties. Neem is a great skin herb from India that has a number of medicinal properties. Herbal neem tea, though bitter, will go a long way in clearing up acne, as is making a paste of it, preferably left with some gram flour as a packet. Tea tree oil is antibacterial as well as antiviral and can be used topically directly on pimples.
Whether you use fresh herbs, herbal teas, or homeopathy, which are often derived from such herbs, you are sure to get good results, without exposing your skin to the irritation, itching and other side effects of regular acne treatments.
