How to Eliminate Acne Naturally

Acne treatments may prevent breakouts, but they can also cause dryness, pigmentation changes, and skin irritation. These products not only come with potential unwanted side effects but are also expensive! Explore scientifically proven natural acne treatments and save money by using common ingredients found around you.

Prepare for a facial steam cleanse. If your hair falls onto your face, tie it back using a hairband, headband, or hair clips. Cleanse your face with a gentle face wash – you can use one that's oil-free or plant oil-based. Dermatologists recommend glycerin, grape seed oil, and sunflower oil because oils are excellent at absorbing and dissolving other oils.

• Use your hands to wash your face instead of a washcloth or sponge to avoid abrasive rubbing that could harm your skin.
• Gently massage the cleanser in circular motions for about 1 minute. There's no need to scrub harshly; just let the cleanser penetrate your skin through the pores to remove dirt and oil.
• Rinse with warm water.
• Pat your face dry with a cotton towel. Avoid rubbing or scrubbing, as this could further irritate your skin.

Choose the right essential oil for you. All the essential oils listed below have antibacterial or antiseptic properties, meaning they can eliminate acne-causing bacteria and prevent new breakouts. You can select the essential oil based on your personal preferences (for fragrance) or according to your specific condition. If you're feeling stressed or anxious, lavender essential oil is a good option. For cystic acne (often caused by bacteria) or blackheads, choose an herbal essential oil with antibacterial properties. If you're dealing with upper respiratory infections, thyme essential oil can help treat symptoms while clearing congestion through steam (a property of the oil).

• Peppermint oil or peppermint essential oil can be irritating to some, so test it by applying a drop to your wrist and waiting for about 10 to 15 minutes. If no irritation occurs, it's safe to use. Start with one drop of essential oil mixed with about a liter of water. Both peppermint oils contain menthol, which has both antibacterial and immune-boosting properties.
• Thyme has immune-boosting and antibacterial properties, and it also improves blood circulation by clearing blood vessels.
• Calendula (Marigold) enhances the skin's healing ability and has antibacterial properties.
• Lavender has a gentle fragrance that helps calm anxiety and stress. It also has antibacterial properties.

Prepare the steam water. Pour about 1 liter of water into a pot and bring it to a boil for 1-2 minutes. Then add 1-2 drops of the essential oil (from the list above) into the pot.

• If you don't have essential oils, you can replace them with ½ teaspoon of dried herbal tea mixed with a liter of water.
• After adding the herbs or essential oils, let the water boil for a little while longer.
• Turn off the heat and carefully move the pot of steam to a convenient location for steaming. Make sure you don’t have to bend over, as you'll need to maintain this position for a while.

Test your skin's sensitivity. Remember that you might be allergic to any essential oil, even if you've used it safely before. Always perform a patch test before steaming your face. Test each oil for about 1 minute, then keep your face away for 10 minutes. If you don't sneeze or show signs of irritation, you can warm the water again and proceed with steaming as usual.

Steam your face. Drape a clean towel over your head to trap the steam around your face. Once you've created a makeshift tent with the towel, lean your face toward the steam to inhale it.

• Keep your eyes closed during the steaming process to avoid burning your eyes with the heat.
• Maintain a distance of about 30 cm from the steaming pot to avoid burning your skin. You want the steam to open up your pores and relax your blood vessels, not to harm your skin.
• Keep your breathing steady and relax. Enjoy the steaming process.
• Steam for about 10 minutes.

Care for your skin after steaming. Wash your face with warm water and gently pat it dry with a clean cotton towel, avoiding rubbing. Moisturize your skin with a non-comedogenic toner or a cream that won't clog your pores, so your acne doesn't worsen. Always check the product labels to ensure it is non-comedogenic.

• Non-comedogenic products won’t promote acne, such as pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, or blackheads. People with acne-prone skin should be particularly careful with all facial products. From cleansers and toners to makeup, always use non-comedogenic products.
• One popular moisturizer is coconut oil. You can use pure coconut oil or mix it with garlic: squeeze the juice of one garlic clove into a jar of coconut oil and mix. The mixture can be stored in the fridge for 30 days. Apply a thin layer to your face 1-2 times a day. Both garlic and coconut oil can kill acne-causing bacteria. The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil will help prevent clogged pores, and garlic provides a distinct odor. If you don't like the garlic smell, you can use pure coconut oil instead.

Continue this skincare routine until you notice improvements. When starting, you can steam your face twice a day—once in the morning and once at night. After about two weeks, you'll begin to see signs of improvement on your skin, and at that point, you can reduce the frequency to once a day.

Learn why herbal face masks are effective in acne treatment. The ingredients in the mask, as outlined below, have properties that cleanse, tighten pores, and regenerate damaged skin while treating acne. Pore-tightening ingredients can dry out the skin, so avoid applying them to dry areas. However, if you have oily skin, a pore-tightening mask can help balance your skin's moisture levels.

Mix the herbal face mask ingredients. In a bowl, combine one tablespoon of honey, one egg white, and one teaspoon of lemon juice, and mix them thoroughly. These ingredients have natural skin-healing properties. For example, honey has antibacterial properties and tightens the skin, while egg whites not only thicken the mask but also tighten the skin, and lemon juice helps tighten the skin and naturally lighten it.

Add essential oils. Once the face mask mixture is ready, add ½ teaspoon of one of the following essential oils:

• Peppermint
• Spearmint
• Lavender
• Calendula
• Thyme

Apply the mask. Use your hands to spread the mixture over your face, neck, or any other affected areas of your skin. Masking can get messy, so it's best to do it in an area that's easy to clean, such as in the bathroom. Don't apply the mask too thickly, as it might fall off, or you might end up waiting longer for it to dry.

• If you don’t want to apply the mask to your entire face, you can target the acne-prone areas. Use a cotton swab to dab the mixture onto individual pimples.

Wait for the mixture to dry. The drying time will vary depending on how thick or thin the mask is. Typically, the mask will dry in about 15 minutes. Be careful not to let the mask spill while you wait.

Cleanse your face. After about fifteen minutes, the mask should be dry and absorbed into your skin, making it time to rinse it off. Use your hands to gently wash it off with warm water. Avoid using a washcloth or sponge, as they may irritate your acne-prone skin. Pat your face dry with a clean, soft towel, avoiding any harsh rubbing that could cause irritation.

• Finish by applying a moisturizer.

Discover how sea salt helps treat acne. Experts haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly how sea salt works to reduce acne. It might be due to the high salt concentration, which helps kill bacteria, or because sea salt provides essential minerals that aid in skin healing. Sea salt might also help break down excess oil.

• This method may improve acne for those with mild to moderate breakouts without the need for any acne medications.
• However, it’s always best to consult with a dermatologist to ensure the safety of the at-home treatments you're using.
• Be careful not to use too much sea salt, as it can dry out your skin and trigger more oil production, leading to further breakouts.

Cleanse your skin to fight acne. Always use a non-alcoholic facial cleanser. Dispense a small amount of cleanser onto your palm and gently massage it in circular motions to remove dirt. Wash for about a minute, then rinse with cool or lukewarm water. Pat your skin dry with a towel, then use one of the sea salt remedies below to treat acne after cleansing your face:

Mix a sea salt mask. Applying a sea salt mask is quite effective for acne on your face. Stir one teaspoon of sea salt into three teaspoons of hot water. The water should be hot enough to dissolve the salt completely as you stir. Then, add one teaspoon of any of the following into the mixture:

• Aloe vera gel (to heal the skin)
• Green tea (for antioxidant properties)
• Honey (for antibacterial effects and skin healing)

Apply the mask. Use your hands to evenly spread the mixture over your face, avoiding thick application. Keep it away from your eyes. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, but don’t leave it on longer. Sea salt will absorb moisture and can dry out your skin.

• After 10 minutes, rinse the mask off with cool or lukewarm water, then gently pat your face dry with a clean towel.
• Finish by applying a non-comedogenic moisturizer.
• Though you may be excited, only use this cleansing treatment once a day; otherwise, your skin could lose too much moisture, even when combined with moisturizer.

You can make a sea salt spray instead of a mask. The ingredients for the spray are similar to those for the mask. However, use 10 teaspoons of sea salt dissolved in 30 teaspoons of hot water, along with 10 teaspoons of aloe vera/green tea/honey. After mixing, pour the solution into a clean spray bottle.

• Store this solution in the refrigerator.

Spray this solution on your face. Every time you use any acne treatment, be sure to rinse your face with warm water and a gentle facial cleanser. Close your eyes to avoid getting sea salt water in them, then spray the sea salt solution onto your face and neck.

• As with the mask, don’t leave the solution on your skin for more than 10 minutes, and be sure to rinse it off thoroughly with cool or lukewarm water.
• Pat your skin dry, then apply a non-comedogenic moisturizer.

Soaking in a saltwater bath to treat full-body acne. If you're dealing with widespread acne breakouts, immersing your entire body in acne-treating water is a better option than using masks or sprays. While regular salt won't harm your skin, it lacks essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, chlorine, iodine, potassium, zinc, and iron, which are beneficial for your body. Therefore, using regular salt won't be as effective for a bath treatment.

• Once the tub is filled with water, add 2 cups of sea salt. It’s best to use warm or hot water to fully dissolve the sea salt.
• Soak in the water for about 15 minutes, but don’t stay longer. Prolonged soaking in saltwater can dry out your skin.
• If you have acne on your face, soak a clean towel in the water from the bath and place it on your face for 10-15 minutes.
• Rinse off the sea salt water with cool water.
• Pat your skin dry and apply a moisturizer to prevent the sea salt from drying your skin.
• Don’t bathe in sea salt more than once per day.

Understand how acne forms. Sebum is a naturally secreted oil, and when it is produced in excess, it can clog pores, causing blackheads and whiteheads. When the skin is infected by the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria, pimples, pustules, cysts, and abscesses can form.

Get familiar with natural acne treatments. Sebum, the most direct cause of acne, is an oil. Based on chemical principles, the best way to dissolve oil (along with dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria) is by using another type of oil. We are conditioned to think of oil as bad for our skin, so we often use cleansing products with harsh chemicals to remove oil. However, we forget that oil is naturally secreted to protect, moisturize, and keep the skin healthy. Oil can not only remove dirt and unwanted excess oil but also protect the skin from becoming thin when using soap.

Choose the right oil for your skin. Be careful when choosing oils to avoid skin sensitivity and allergic reactions. For example, if you're allergic to nuts, avoid using hazelnut oil. The following list of oils varies – some are more expensive, while others are more readily available. However, all of these oils are non-comedogenic and won’t clog pores:

• Argan Oil
• Hemp Seed Oil
• Shea Butter Oil
• Sunflower Oil
• Some oils that are generally safe for most people include olive oil and castor oil. Castor oil may cause dryness for some users, while it hydrates many others.
• Coconut oil is different from other oils because it contains medium-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil kills acne-causing bacteria, including Propionibacterium acnes. This oil can combat the long-chain fatty acids in sebum that clog pores.

Choose an additional antibacterial oil. The herbal essential oils listed below have properties that minimize the presence of P. acnes bacteria. Most of these oils have pleasant aromas, so you can select based on your personal preference. For all oils applied to the skin, always do a patch test on a small area first to check for any allergic reactions.

• Oregano: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory.
• Tea Tree: antibacterial, antifungal.
• Lavender: antibacterial, soothing.
• Rosemary: particularly antibacterial against P. acnes.
• Frankincense: anti-inflammatory, antibacterial.

Make a facial cleanser with essential oils. You can make as much or as little as you like, but making a larger batch might be more cost-effective, and you can store it in a cool, dark place. The ratio you should maintain for all batches is:

• For every 30ml of base oil, add 3-5 drops of additional herbal essential oils.

Use a homemade facial cleanser. Pour a small amount of the oil mixture into your palm and apply it to your face. Never use a washcloth or sponge to avoid skin irritation. Gently massage in circular motions on your face for about 2 minutes.

Wash your face. Simply washing your face with water won’t remove the oil from your skin. To remove oil, wet a washcloth with warm water and place it on your face for about 20 seconds. Gently and slowly wipe off the oil, then wash your face again with warm water. Repeat until all the oil is removed from your face.

• Pat your face dry with a cotton washcloth.
• Use this method twice a day, and after sweating heavily.

Wash your face daily. Cleanse your face at least twice a day - once when you wake up to remove oils accumulated on your skin overnight, and again before bed to eliminate all the dirt from the day. Additionally, always wash your face after sweating heavily, such as after a workout or spending time outdoors on a hot day. Shower at least once a day, and consider showering again if you sweat a lot.

• Always use one of these two options: either an acne-free product or your homemade cleanser.
• Use sea salt as instructed. Soaking your skin for too long in dry sea salt can dehydrate your skin, potentially causing breakouts.

Wash your face properly. You can use a washcloth or an exfoliating glove to clean your face, but the best method is to wash your face directly with your hands. Especially when dealing with acne, avoid rough-textured items that may irritate the skin. Gently massage in circular motions for about 10 seconds to allow the cleanser to absorb into your skin.

• Don’t peel off acne-prone skin, as it can remove the healing skin layer and leave scars or uneven patches.

Do not pop your pimples. No matter how bad your pimples may look, you need to understand that they contain harmful bacteria. Pus from popped pimples is filled with P. acnes bacteria. While you may feel satisfaction from seeing the pimple burst, you are actually spreading the bacteria from the old pimple to other healthy skin areas. This causes the acne to spread rather than be removed. Popping pimples can also lead to scarring and uneven skin tone.

Protect your skin from the sun. A common misconception is that a tan can treat acne, but scientists have not found evidence to support this claim. In fact, both the sun and the tanning process can damage your skin and increase the risk of skin cancer. Some acne medications or other treatments can actually make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. These include antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim; antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benedryl); cancer treatments (5-FU, vinblastine, dacarbazine); heart medications like amiodarone, nifedipine, quinidine, and diltiazem; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen; and acne treatments like isotretinoin (Accutane) and acitretin (Soriatane).

Consume foods with a low glycemic index (GI). Dermatologists believe that milk and chocolate, or a particular diet, do not directly cause acne. However, recent studies have analyzed the diets of teenagers without acne around the world. The study compared the diets of over 70% of American teens with acne to those without acne. The findings showed that teens without acne did not consume high-sugar dairy products like their American counterparts. This explains why certain foods, especially high-sugar dairy and processed foods, can increase the risk of acne in some people. These foods promote inflammation and create an environment conducive to bacterial growth. Research has shown that foods with a low glycemic index (GI) can reduce the severity of acne. Low-GI foods release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly. Some of the foods with the lowest GI include:

• Whole grains, natural muesli, rolled oats
• Whole wheat flour, rye bread, whole grain bread
• Most vegetables except beets, pumpkins, and yellow turnips
• Nuts
• Most fruits except watermelon and dates. Mango, bananas, papaya, pineapple, raisins, and figs have a medium GI.
• Legumes
• Yogurt
• Whole grains with a GI ranging from low to medium. Brown rice, barley, and whole wheat pasta are some of the lowest GI foods.

Include vitamins A and D in your diet. Along with incorporating low-GI foods into your diet, ensure you are providing essential vitamins for healthy skin. Among these, vitamins A and D are the most crucial for skin health. Add the following foods to your diet:

• Vegetables: sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, pumpkins, broccoli, red peppers, zucchini
• Fruits: cantaloupe, mangoes, apricots
• Legumes: black beans
• Meat and fish: beef liver, herring, salmon
• Fish: cod liver oil, salmon, tuna
• Dairy products: milk, yogurt, cheese

Boost your vitamin D levels with sun exposure. While there are many vitamin D supplements, this vitamin is not abundantly found in the foods we eat. You can try to increase vitamin D intake from food, but the simplest way to synthesize vitamin D is through sun exposure for 10-15 minutes a week. Sunlight stimulates the skin to produce vitamin D. Avoid using sunscreen and let your skin absorb as much sunlight as possible.

• Don't stay in the sun too long without sunscreen as it is dangerous and may lead to skin cancer.

Increase your intake of omega-3 fats. Studies suggest that those with acne can benefit from omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the body's production of leukotriene B4, a substance that increases sebum production and leads to inflammatory acne. Sebum is a natural oil that moisturizes the skin, but when produced in excess, it can clog pores and cause breakouts. By increasing omega-3 fats in your diet, you can manage your acne. Foods to include are:

• Fruits and seeds: flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts
• Fish and fish oil: salmon, sardines, mackerel, white fish, herring
• Herbs and spices: basil, oregano, cloves, marjoram
• Vegetables: spinach, radish sprouts, kale

• Cover your pillowcase with a clean cloth and change it daily, this alone is half the battle in maintaining cleanliness. Oil and bacteria from your face and hair linger on the pillowcase for a long time. Try this method to prevent the spread of bacteria – it's a highly effective way to eliminate those annoying pimples.
• Cleanse your face with a gentle facial cleanser, then mix water with baking soda to create a paste, applying it to your face. Finally, gently pat your face with your hands using the solution. Repeat twice a week.
• Only use one treatment at a time to see which ones work and which don't. This way, you can identify the most effective acne treatment for yourself.
• If you've tried all these methods and still see no improvement, it might be time to consult a doctor or a dermatologist.
• In women with severe acne, the primary cause may be hormonal imbalance. For instance, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may undergo hormone testing via saliva tests, where their estrogen levels could be too high, while their progesterone levels are too low. This condition is called 'estrogen dominance' and can be treated with bioidentical progesterone cream. Any natural therapy doctor can effectively treat this condition. Women who experience this notice that using progesterone cream can reduce their acne by at least 50% compared to not using it. However, not all cases of acne are due to hormonal imbalances.

• Do not apply dry sea salt directly to your skin. It may cause burns, and as the saying goes, 'too much of anything is harmful.'