HOW TO GET RID OF ACNE WITH SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES
One of the beauty problems that a very large percentage of the population has faced at one point or the other in their lives is that of acne. The most common of these being pimples, it has been the ruin of many a childhood, and is still battling some more teens (and young adults) in this time and age. One day, you could just go to bed with a clear face and the next day, there are breakouts everywhere.
For something that has been around for as long as acne has been, it is surprising that not everyone is aware of the various ways in which they can do away with the commonplace skin problem. Before we go into the various home remedies for acne, how about we look at what causes this menace in the first place?
- Your Hormones are Everywhere
Before we start looking at other, external sources of acne causes, it might help to look at the contribution of our own bodies to the ‘production’ of acne on the body and skin.
The hormones in the body are the main controls of the sebaceous glands – the center for the production of oils in the skin. If the hormones are not properly balanced, it would lead to an excess production of these oils in the body. Alone, the oils might not be dangerous, but they end up mixing up with the dead skin cells, causing blockage in the skin and inevitably, acne.
Hormonal activity can also be spiked by the menstrual process and/ or the onset of puberty in individuals. Little wonder you started to see your first signs of acne when you hit the age range of puberty
- Your Choice of Food
Sometimes in the treatment of acne, you might be surprised to see that one of the recommended practices is to change your diet. Some people have an aversion to spicy foods (such as tomatoes and peppers) which are known to contain some acidic materials in them. These spike the pH levels of such people, triggering breakouts on the skin.
Likewise, some other people get irritated by other kinds of foods too. It is not uncommon to hear people having cases of acne after they have ingested foods rich in oil (e.g. groundnuts, coconut, deep fried foods, etc.), dairies, baked products, and so much more.
- Your Products are Against You
Guess what? Not everyone is naturally dispensed towards having acne. More than half of the cases of acne recorded are faults of the kind of skin care products that the patients have been using. Even those that are prone to acne have succeeded in making their cases worse just because they have not taken care to look out for the products that best fits their skin.
One of the most used moisturizing agents that can be found in beauty products is mineral oil. What they don’t tell you is that such oils also clog your pores, leading to breakouts. Another thing to put on the watch list is silicone. Avoid this ingredient at all costs.
- Your Light Up the Place
Every time you set fire to a stick of cigarette and take a puff, you are reducing the level of oxygen that the body is able to send to your face. Asides from the fact that you are increasing your chances of cancer, you would be reducing the rate of formation of collagen and elasticity of the face, making you lose valuable protein and elasticity. Not only would you be prone to wrinkles, the skin dries out, tricks the glands into producing even more oil and voila! The pimples are here!
The above list is in no way exhaustive. If we were to start listing out all the causes of acne, we might not leave that single topic today. Have you thought about how bad your hair care products might be affecting your skin? Maybe you had no idea that scrubbing too hard on the skin irritates it, or keeping all that stress bottled up is not only bad for your health, but the skin too. No matter what the cause of your acne is though, the good news is that you can apply the same treatments and get the best results nonetheless.
As I have always clamored for, we would only be looking at 100% natural ways to get rid of acne on any part of the body. Below is a list of some of the home remedies and directions to getting rid of your acne without any side effects.
- Ice Cubes
Reaching into your deep freezer might be all the effort you need to make in clearing out your pimple. This method works best if the pimple has not fully developed to the extent where it is infected. Simply, put the block of ice in a clean, soft cloth, and apply on the problem area. Do this for a couple of seconds at regular time intervals to avoid numbness and loss of sensation in the skin. You can repeat this procedure for as long as you want daily. Normally, the pimple should leave in two to three days.
- Honey/ Honey Paste
Honey, asides from being a natural sweetener, is also a disinfectant designed by nature. Simply dip a cotton wool into a honey jar and plaster that over the problem area. Leave the cotton wool to stand over the infected skin for about thirty minutes, after which you wash away with warm water.
For an overnight mask, you could mix the honey with a touch of cinnamon. Stir this till it becomes a paste, then apply generously on your face. You can then wash off the sticky remnant the next morning.
- Lemon Juice
Asides from the antioxidants in lemon which would help to rejuvenate the skin, the acidic content also kicks against microbes that cause unsightly happenings on the skin. You could dip a cotton wool into the lemon juice and gently dab it over the infected area. This could be washed off any time after half an hour. Likewise, you could make a paste with lemon juice and cinnamon. Apply this to your face like you would a facial mask and leave it overnight.
- Toothpaste
I bet you thought that nice swirl of paste was only good for the teeth, right? Take some of your favorite toothpaste and touch the problem areas of your skin with it. You can do this at any time of the day, and even overnight. Make sure every application of toothpaste stays on the pimple/acne-infected area for a minimum of thirty minutes too.
It is worthy of note that toothpaste has been known to cause drying in the skin. In excessive use, it can cause your skin to ‘panic’ and produce even more quantities of oil, leading to further breakouts. Thus, it is advised that you use toothpaste in longer intervals than any other suggested remedy here.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Being a basic solution in itself, apple cider vinegar would even out the pH of the skin, making it hard for the microorganisms to flourish otherwise. Wash off your face and dab off with a clean towel. Mix about one part of the apple cider vinegar to three parts of water, soak a cotton wool in it and gently work the solution onto your skin. You can leave this to rest overnight, or wash off in an interval of ten minutes.
Just like lemon juice, the apple cider vinegar has the tendency to work as an astringent. To prevent drying out of the skin, apply some modicum of moderation when using this remedy.
Asides from the natural and home remedies as listed above, it is good practice to maintain great skin hygiene, keep your pores clear and exfoliate your skin to get rid of the dead skin cells at least twice in a week. Do this, and you could one day wake up to that skin you’ve always been dreaming of.