Effective Natural Acne

Treatments

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Natural Acne Treatments

1 Using Tea Tree Oil to Treat Your Acne

Tea tree oil is an extract of leaves from the Australian-native Alternofalfia tree. The

substance possesses strong anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and has been used to

treat ailments such as athlete's foot, body odor and bad breath in the past.

More recently, tea tree oil has become an increasingly popular home remedy for treating acne.

While using tea tree oil as a topical treatment can effectively reduce redness caused by acne

and may help to prevent more severe breakouts, it does not work to cure the condition from

the inside out.

As you probably already know, acne is caused by internal factors and although tea tree oil

does in fact kill the bacteria responsible for heavy breakouts, it does not solve the root

problem. However, this doesn't mean that tea tree oil has no place in your skincare regiment.

Keeping your skin clean and free of bacteria is obviously still important, and tea tree oil

provides a viable means of cleansing and fighting the dirt and particles that clog your pores

and lead to breakouts. For best results, you should always dilute tea tree oil before applying it

to your skin. Due to its potency, it can result in an allergic reaction if not first diluted

according to your skin type.

If you have oily skin, try mixing one tablespoon of tea tree oil with nine tablespoons of water.

For more sensitive skin types, substitute water with aloe vera gel for a gentler result. This will

neutralize the chemicals in the tea tree oil and prevent you from developing any skin rashes.

Regardless of your skin type, always wash your face using a regular facial cleanser before

applying your tea tree oil treatment. When you're ready to apply it to your face, you may want

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Natural Acne Treatmentsto use a cotton swab to evenly distribute a thin mask of the mixture to your entire face. Rinse

thoroughly after letting set for ten minutes or less.

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Natural Acne Treatments

2 Benefits of Using Honey to Treat Acne

Manuka honey comes from the manuka bush, which is indigenous to New Zealand and is

often regarded as the most effective type of honey when it comes to treating acne. Due to the

richness and sugar content of honey, it works well as an antibacterial agent.

When using honey to treat acne, mix with water and apply a thin layer to your face or the

affected area. The water will work in combination with the honey to flush out any bacteria on

your skin, along with any dead skin cells. Honey also contains antimicrobial agents and

secretes hydrogen peroxide. This powerful combination makes honey a viable treatment for

infections and minor wounds as well as acne.

Applying a daily mask of honey and water is a great way to naturally smooth and cleanse your

skin. Since honey is sticky, it helps you extract the dirt and other impurities that clog your

pores and cause breakouts.

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Natural Acne Treatments

3 How to Use Baking Soda to Treat Acne

You are probably already aware of how important exfoliating is if your goal is to have clear,

healthy skin. The main benefit of exfoliating is to blast the dead skin cells off of the top layer

of your skin.

Certain types of exfoliants may contain mild acids like Alpha Hydroxy Acid, which burn away

some of the outermost layer of your skin in order to allow new skin cells to grow in place of

the old ones. Such products have varying levels of effectiveness, depending on their acid

concentration. If the concentration is too low, it is unlikely to be very effective. On the other

hand, concentrations that are too high will damage the skin rather than help it heal and

become more healthy.

The other method of exfoliating your skin is to use physical exfoliants such as scrubs or

brushes, which also remove dead skin cells by literally scraping them away. Baking soda

falls into this category of exfoliants. If you're looking for a physical exfoliant that is gentle on

the skin and causes minimal irritation, baking soda may be ideal since it's a very fine yet hard

powder.

While baking soda is not actually an antimicrobial agent, it is acid neutral and behaves as a

mild buffer. What this means is that it can neutralize other types of substances upon contact,

if they are acidic or basic.

If you want to try using baking soda to treat your acne, start by adding a teaspoon of powder

to your normal facial cleanser and mix well. Next, message it into your skin in the same way

you would any other exfoliant. Repeat this two or three times weekly and continue if you see

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Natural Acne Treatmentspositive results. If you notice any redness or irritation, use less of the baking soda and always

apply a moisturizer afterward for best results.

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Natural Acne Treatments

4 Apple Cider Vinegar as an Acne Treatments

What exactly is apple cider vinegar? Well, it's a natural liquid with antibacterial properties

which is also packed full of different types of minerals. A few examples include iron, copper,

calcium, sulfur, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, fluorine, silicon and magnesium! Every one

of these essential minerals promotes overall health in every part of your body.

The process of making apple cider vinegar starts with crushing up fresh apples and allowing

them to ferment in barrels made of wood. As a result of fermentation, a bacterial foam is

created and is known as "mother." This mother is also commonly added to different varieties

of vinegar as well, to speed up the maturing process and help increase production of excess

apple cider vinegar. The reason for this lies in the enzymes and pure minerals contained in

this foam, as it is the key ingredient needed to ensure that natural vinegar ends up being safe

and chemical free.

In addition to being a popular home remedy for treating acne, apple cider vinegar is also a

common natural treatment for ailments such as allergies, sore throat, lowering cholesterol

and even helping to boost the immune system!

While this may sound like a promising acne treatment based on the many different uses of

apple cider vinegar, it's important to understand how it works and what to expect. The

common belief is that it will be effective against acne as a result of reducing bacteria found on

your skin.

So how well does apple cider vinegar really work when fighting acne? It will depend entirely

on the person using it. Unfortunately, the results for different people have been far too varied

to make any clear statements that are likely to apply to most people suffering from acne.

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Natural Acne TreatmentsWhile many swear by apple cider vinegar and claim that it has truly cleared up their skin,

others insist that they have noticed no difference at all.

A very small percentage of acne sufferers who have tried using apple cider vinegar as a

treatment have claimed that their condition worsened as a result! So this is something you can

try, but don't have unrealistic expectations going into it.

What you must keep in mind is that even if it seems to work relatively well for you, it's not

fixing the root cause of acne. We don't yet fully understand the causes of acne, especially in

the case of each individual sufferer. But remember that topical treatments are only able to

penetrate the skin so deeply and they cannot address the true culprits, which are your glands

and hormones.

You do have another option for using apple cider vinegar to treat your acne, but it will require

a strong stomach! Rather than use it only as a topical treatment, you can also try drinking a

few tablespoons of the liquid each day. By ingesting this powerful and strong tasting liquid,

you will benefit from its detoxifying effect and it will help to flush out toxins and impurities

from the inside out. You can also use it both as a topical treatment and by drinking a small

amount each day, if your acne is particularly stubborn.

When using apple cider vinegar as a topical treatment for your acne, you should always dilute

one parts apple cider vinegar with three or four parts water, depending on how strong you

wish to mix your treatment. Apply using a cotton ball and leave to set for ten minutes before

rinsing thoroughly. You can do this twice each day until you notice results or decide it' not

working for you.

For severe cases of acne, you may try mixing a more diluted and weaker solution and letting it

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Natural Acne Treatmentsset overnight before rinsing. Just remember that you should only feel a tingle from the apple

cider vinegar when it's applied to your face. If it starts to hurt or burn, you should remove it

rihgt away and try a weaker mixture next time.

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Natural Acne Treatments

5 Using Yogurt Masks to Treat Acne

You probably already know the health benefits of eating yogurt, but did you know it can also

act as an effective acne treatment? In fact, applying a yogurt mask a couple of times each week

can keep your skin glowing and healthy without having to spend tons of money on products

containing chemicals and preservatives. This makes yogurt a popular choice among natural

home remedies for acne.

When using a yogurt mask to treat skin affected by acne, it's important to only use plain white

yogurt with live cultures. Always avoid using flavored or sweetened types of yogurt to treat

your acne. Yogurt contains lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid that effectively smooths dry or

rough skin. Yogurt masks also effectively dissolve the dead skin that builds up in your pores.

Additionally, plain white yogurt contains high levels of zinc, which helps in the skin's healing

process and can effectively reduce scars resulting from acne. When using yogurt masks to

treat your acne, it's best to add a dash of skim milk to your mixture before application. Once

you have your yogurt and milk ready to apply, rub the substance into the areas of your skin

affected by breakouts until your skin absorbs most of the yogurt. Let this mask stay on for

about thirty minutes before washing with lukewarm water.

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Natural Acne Treatments

6 Using Oatmeal Masks to Treat Acne

Oatmeal is another option for a low-cost and natural home remedy for treating your acne. You

can create an oatmeal mask easily at home by using either cooked or plain oatmeal and it will

work as an effective exfoliant while also soothing your skin at the same time.

The major benefits of using an oatmeal mask to treat your acne include: the removal of dead

skin cells from the surface of your face, naturally absorbing excess oil from your skin, and

providing relief from painful inflammation caused by acne.

If you'd like to use pure Oatmeal by itself to create your mask, it's incredibly simple. Just boil

one half cup of Oatmeal using one third cup of water, then let cool. It should end up being a

pasty consistency that will be easy to apply to your face and leave set for about twenty minutes

or so before rinsing with warm water.

As we discussed earlier, baking soda is also an effective exfoliant and you can also mix the

powder with oatmeal to increase the level of exfoliation when making your mask, if you desire.

Other popular combinations for oatmeal masks are tomatoes, onions and egg whites.

Tomatoes act as an astringent, cleansing your facial pores and causing a tightening effect after

rinsing. Egg whites have a similar tightening effect and may be suitable for your mask as well.

Onions, on the other hand, act as an anti-inflammatory agent and are effective for preventing

acne scars, which are a major concern to many sufferers.

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