If you are suffering with acne and are on a tight budget, or you are completely confused by all of the Over the Counter (OTC) acne remedies available and don't know which one, if any, to use there are natural "home remedies" that can be used to treat and actually cure acne.
Home remedies are generally much less expensive that OTC products, and many of the ingredients are common household items.
Here is a List of Acne Home Remedies that You Can Use:
* Hydrogen Peroxide - with a cotton ball, dab some hydrogen peroxide on acne areas. Hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria and is also a drying agent.
* Salt Water - if you have really oily skin, use warm (not hot) salt water to wash your face. Salt water cleans the skin, getting rid of the excess oil. Regular store bought salt can be used but natural sea salt is even better.
* Baking Soda - a good skin wash that really cleans clogged pores. Take a tablespoon of baking soda and mix with a small amount of warm water until it forms a paste. Apply gently to the face with a circular motion, being careful not to get it into your eyes, and leave it on for about 30 seconds. Rinse with warm water. Do this twice a day.
* Witch Hazel - try dabbing witch hazel on problem acne areas with a cotton ball 2 to 3 times a day. Witch hazel comes from a flowering plant, and has been used for centuries as a natural astringent.
* Aloe Vera - known for its healing properties, aloe vera has also been used for centuries to heal skin problems and burns. Many people swear by aloe vera cream or gel to cure acne.
* Lemon Juice - obviously lemon juice is very acidic and is used by many to exfoliate the skin. Take some fresh squeezed lemon juice and apply it to your face and/or other acne problem areas. It's safe to use as an overnight facial mask - just remember to rinse it off with warm water in the morning...
* Tea Tree Oil - has been used for years as an antiseptic and anti-bacterial. Try dabbibg the oil on specific acne areas with a cotton ball. Tea tree oil is potent, so don't use it over large areas of your face. You can buy it at most any drugstore.
* Oatmeal Mask - a great home remedy for acne that leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth. You can either cook the oatmeal, then put it in the refrigerator until cool, or you can mix the uncooked oatmeal with water (purified water is best for your skin) until it forms a paste. Either way, apply it to your face and leave it on for about 30 minutes, then rinse off with warm water and pat your face dry. Use this mask twice a day.
* Vinegar - vinegar or apple cider vinegar is a natural bacteria killer and absorbs oil. Take a cotton ball and soak it in the vinegar (either kind of vinegar will do) diluted with water, and apply it to the acne areas.
Try some of these home remedies on your acne for a few weeks - some will work better for you than others, so experiment and find out which ones help to clear your acne.
Stefexec is a freelance writer with experience in several fields including Real Estate, Mortgage Lending, Finance, Home Business, Health and Fitness, Yoga, Meditation, and Natural Medicine.
This article may be published in it's entirety with the live website links included.
This entry was posted by admin on November 8, 2009 at 4:02 pm, and is filed under Acne Skin Treatment. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0.
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One comment
ShyMan903(233 days)
If you're already using a product like Clearasil, I wouldn't recommend adding in the lemon juice idea. Lemon is a citrus fruit, so it contains citric acid, which is probably where the idea of it having bleaching qualities comes from (I've also heard of people saying lemon can whiten your teeth). Acne products already can be drying to the skin on their own, so putting citric acid on top of that might not be the best idea. If you really want a good cure for acne scarring, you may want to see a dermatologist for a cream called Retin-A, which is designed to help with acne scarring. A product you can get without seeing a dermatologist is called Mederma. That product has an excellent reputation for lightning the appearance of scars,although I can't say I ever used it personally. I have used Retin-A, but going to a dermatologist and get prescription acne cream can be costly. Mederma is only about $20 for a bottle I believe. I would leave the lemons alone, as the real effect is probably very minimal.
If you're already using a product like Clearasil, I wouldn't recommend adding in the lemon juice idea. Lemon is a citrus fruit, so it contains citric acid, which is probably where the idea of it having bleaching qualities comes from (I've also heard of people saying lemon can whiten your teeth). Acne products already can be drying to the skin on their own, so putting citric acid on top of that might not be the best idea. If you really want a good cure for acne scarring, you may want to see a dermatologist for a cream called Retin-A, which is designed to help with acne scarring. A product you can get without seeing a dermatologist is called Mederma. That product has an excellent reputation for lightning the appearance of scars,although I can't say I ever used it personally. I have used Retin-A, but going to a dermatologist and get prescription acne cream can be costly. Mederma is only about $20 for a bottle I believe. I would leave the lemons alone, as the real effect is probably very minimal.