Witch Hazel A Quick Remedy For Acne

Witch hazel is an astringent extracted from leaves and barks of Witch hazel shrub. A chemical found in witch hazel called tannins helps to break down excess oil; controlling sebum (oil) production is the main criteria in terminating acne cycle.

Because of anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant properties of witch hazel, many cosmetic products include it. After shave cream is the best example, witch hazel in this cream helps to tighten the skin, and many other medications include this astringent to slow down bleeding.

Not just acne you can cure many skin related diseases with witch hazel, which include minor burns, skin irritation, itching, inflammation and insect bites.

witch hazel for acne

How Witch Hazel Works in Treating Acne

As mentioned above a chemical in witch hazel astringent called tannins helps to break down oil resulting is clearing clogged pores which were blocked with excess oil and dead skin cells.

Not just this, if any bacteria (P.acnes) comes in contact with witch hazel it kills them. Thus two main reasons of acne (excess oil production and bacteria) can be resolved by applying witch hazel.

Diseases including diarrhea, vomiting, cough, tuberculosis, cold, eye inflammation and bruises are said to be cured with witch hazel but not yet proved.

Directions to Apply Witch Hazel

Get witch hazel from a local store.

Dip a cotton ball in witch hazel to apply it on washed acne affected area. Leave it for few minutes and rinse it off, apply twice daily.

If you’re like me (I love natural remedies) then you can add honey, avocado or egg white to make it a face mask.

Witch Hazel Face Mask

Things you’ll need

  • Witch hazel
  • Honey
  • Tea tree oil
  • Rose water (optional)

Instructions

  • Mix 1 tbsp of witch hazel, 1 tbsp of tea tree oil and 2 tbsp of honey in a bowl. Add rose water if you’ve dry skin.
  • Once you mixed it thoroughly apply a light layer to acne affected area.
  • Then rinse it off after 20 minutes.

You can try adding egg white, avocado, essential oil or sandal wood.

Side Effects

  • Though it’s safe for many adults it may cause mild skin irritation in some people.
  • Topically application has no high rate of side effects. But internal use is not safe.
  • Witch hazel contains safrole, this is a cancer causing chemical. Anyway amount of it is too small to concern.

Do you use witch hazel as face mask? Share your mask ingredients here.

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Benzoyl Peroxide Or Salicylic Acid for Acne?

Both benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are used to treat acne and both have their side-effects too.

These drugs are included in most recommended home remedies to treat acne.

Note: Consult your doctor before using any of these drugs.

Let’s start with Salicylic acid.

Salicylic Acid for Acne

Also known as beta hydroxy acid is commonly used to treat skin diseases. Salicylic acid promotes shedding of dead skin cells; this is a great way to exfoliate your skin. Many cosmetic products already included salicylic acid to their ingredients list.

Acne which is caused due to accumulated dead cells and excess sebum clogging pores can be treated when you can shed dead cells clearing pores. Anyway excess oil can’t be effectively control by salicylic acid. For this purpose (to control excess sebum) use jojoba oil or aloe vera gel.

Salicylic acid is a keratolytic and belongs to same class that of aspirin. If you’re allergic to aspirin don’t use salicylic acid.

Not just acne with salicylic acid you can treat warts, stretch marks, remove calluses and corns and other skin diseases.

Directions to use Salicylic acid

Concentrations of salicylic acid in products vary from .5% to 2%. Get the one prescribed by dermatologist. Follow doctor or instructions given on product.

Various forms of salicylic acid found in market are, salicylic acid pads, a salicylic acid lotion, cream, gel. Use any one among them.

Wash the area before applying medication. Pat dry and apply medication on bumps, avoid medication coming in contact with eyes, nose or other sensitive parts of the body, wash immediately if medication gets in these areas.

It’s important to continue using salicylic acid for best results.

Side Effects

Not every skin loves these remedies. You may see redness, dryness or irritation on your skin. Stop using salicylic acid as soon as you feel irritation.

Apply natural moisturizer after treating with salicylic acid.

Benzoyl Peroxide for Acne

This is one of the most recommended and inexpensive treatment for acne. Many over-the-counter products include benzoyl peroxide as an ingredient; even in medication this drug is prescribed.

Acne is mainly caused by excess sebum (oil), dead cells and bacteria. These bacteria are called P. acnes. When pores gets blocked oxygen is not allowed, so this oxygen less environment is favorable for P.acnes to grow and multiply. Applying benzoyl peroxide will promote oxygen into pores thus making it difficult for these bacteria to survive; also it reduces number of break outs on skin.

Directions to use Benzoyl Peroxide

Get a lotion or gel with 2% of benzoyl peroxide, higher percentage may irritate your skin.

Wash the affected part and then apply a thin layer of benzoyl peroxide, leave it for few minutes and rinse it off. Avoid nose, eyes and other sensitive parts getting in contact with this lotion or gel.

If you see no result after using for weeks, try increasing the dosage.

Side Effects

Like salicylic acid bezoyl peroxide may leave your skin dry and flaky. Though you may see acne is treated, you‘ll have dry skin left.

Consult your dermatologist before continuing with these remedies.

acne treatment

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8 Argan Oil Skin Benefits – A Remedy to Treat Acne

Beauty of natural resources is, they come with lots of benefits for human and have less or no side-effects. Same goes for argan oil; this gold liquid of Morocco is extracted from nuts of argan tree. (Argan trees are found in Morocco)

Argan oil comes with bunch of natural antioxidants, vitamins, fatty acids and carotenoids. The antioxidant property of argan oil helps to cleanse the skin pores that are clogged by sebum and dead cells. These nutritional properties of argan oil grabbed attention from cosmetic industries and most of them are now including argan oil their cosmetic products for skin and hair.

argan nuts

Traditionally unroasted argan oil is used to treat various skin diseases. We will be discussing about this later in this post.

Skin benefits of Argan Oil

1. Antioxidant

Antioxidant is a molecule which breaks chemical chain reaction that result in free radicals which damage skin cells. Vitamin E in Argan oil is primary antioxidant which helps skin in reducing acne inflammation and balances the skin moisture levels by controlling sebum production.

2. A Great Skin Moisturizer

Dry skin is the main cause of most skin diseases like itching, eczema and psoriasis. Essence of argan oil is a great skin moisturizer. Absence of cholesterol makes argan oil more effective than other natural moisturizers like olive oil and shea butter.

Wash the affected part with water and pat dry with smooth towel. Massage in circles with few drops of argan oil. For best result repeat it regularly.

3. Anti-aging property

Lack of hydrate makes skin lose its natural elasticity forming wrinkles; aging is the main cause of wrinkles. Applying argan oil topically helps rehydrate the skin and reduce wrinkles.

4. Controls Sebum

argan oil benefits for skin to treat acne

Acne causes when sebaceous glands releases excess sebum (oil), this oil along with dead skin cells gets clogged at pores blocking oxygen. Topical application of sebum as mentioned above helps to moisturize and control sebum level throughout the skin.

5. Reduce Stretch marks

Argan oil along with maintaining pH level helps to fight free radical that causes blocking of pores. Pregnant women can use argan oil to reduce their stretch marks.

6. Treating Acne with argan oil

Acne is not a single skin disease condition. Pimples, blackheads, whiteheads and cysts all fall under acne. Main causes of acne are:

  • Dead skin cells.
  • Excess sebum production which blocks skin pore not allowing oxygen.
  • And bacteria grow rapidly due to lack of oxygen.

Applying argan oil on pimples or acne flare-ups, balance sebum level on the skin and terminate chain reaction that causes free radicals.

Acne, which spoil your appearance act as a spoilsport even after treating by leaving scars on your face. Studies prove that daily application of argan oil make acne scars disappear.

Also read about 14 natural remedies to get rid of white patches

7. Essence of Argan oil for Eczema and Psoriasis

Dry skin is main triggers behind these chronic skin diseases (though main cause is still unknown). Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes sliver patches on skin, applying argan oil helps retain skin moisturizer and reduce psoriasis symptoms.

Likewise, eczema triggers with dry and unhealthy skin, antiseptic property in organic argan oil reduces itching and regain moisture.

8. Boost Immune System

Argan oil is made of 80% of fatty acid this makes it more resistant to oxidation. Oleic acid is effective in lowering cholesterol improves circulation and boost immune system.

Did you ever use argan oil to treat acne or any other skin disease? Please share in comments.

Image source: 1, 2

Benefits of Raw Honey for Skin – Reddit User Shares Acne Transformation Pics

Honey manufactures, Bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide making honey anti-bacterial.

Apart from treating heart, cancer and other diseases, the earth’s old sweetener proved that it can treat skin diseases too.

Reddit user cthulhuandcats shares how raw honey helped her to treat acne.

Like everyone she decided to see dermatologist, who insisted her antibiotic medicine. Yes, it worked! But on a high price and skin became dry and started cracking. Now, she decided to try out few natural remedies to get rid of these flaky marks. After a long research she decided to go with honey and you won’t believe it transformed her skin.

After months of honey treatment skin is now hydrated, soft and no blemishes. Have a look at her photos.

(source)

Nutritional Values in Honey

Raw honey has more nutritional values than heated honey. Heated honey is turned into pure sucrose making it lose many nutritional values. It’s difficult to get raw honey in grocery store; you can get organic raw honey from farmers market.

Since many years honey has been used by human as healing medicine. With its antibiotic properties honey can help in healing process.

Have a look at nutritional values of honey.

source

Benefits of Raw Honey for Skin

  1. Honey is natural humectant, this property helps to draw water from air to keep skin moist and to fight dryness.
  2. Antibacterial properties in honey help to fight bacteria and condemn further infections.
  3. Anti aging and helps in rejuvenating your skin.
  4. Best remedy to exfoliate dead cells cleanses skin.
  5. Sugar in honey is absorbed gradually into the bloodstream to result in better digestion.
  6. Apply raw honey on acne affected part to get rid of those annoying pimples. You can also try with other chronic diseases like eczema and dermatitis.
  7. Protects your skin from harmful UV rays.
  8. Weak immune system is the main cause of major skin disease, consuming honey will boost immune system, so that your body can fight germs by itself.
  9. Smoothing honey and lemon juice can help you get rid of nerve-wracking scars.
  10. Cleanse your skin of bacteria and reduce redness or inflammation.
  11. You can also include honey in your facial scrub.
  12. Dabbing little honey on sun burns or skin burns will make you feel better instantly.

It was rumored that Cleopatra – an Egyptian queen use honey and milk for luxurious bath. (source)

Recipe

Skin Lotion

  • 1 tbsp of honey
  • 1 tbsp of grape seed oil
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • and 3 drops lavender essential oil

Mix the solution and apply it on your skin.

Skin Cleansing Scrub

  • 1 tbsp of honey
  • 2 tbsp of finely grained almonds
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • and an aromatic herb of your choice.

Know any other home remedy to treat skin disease? Share here in comments.

Have a healthy diet

Reference:

  • http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/the-benefits-of-honey.htm
  • http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-nutrition.html
  • http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2011/06/28/a-sweet-sweet-summer-does-raw-honey-have-health-benefits/

7 Homemade Moisturizer for Dry Skin and Face

Though our skin is naturally made to lockup the moisture, at times it fails to do its job because we fail to supply nutritional elements to our body.

Also, change in climate like winter or dry air makes skin dry. Dry skin is most common skin situation where bacteria may invade triggering itch and sometimes leading to chronic skin diseases. (Read tips to get rid of dry skin here.)

Well you can fight this itchy, flaky patch and literally wipe them out.

You don’t have to think about a beauty spa or a pricey moisturizer. Check out your kitchen, it’s stocked up with all the natural moisturizers.

Wait, wait… don’t rush to kitchen now! Take time and read these homemade moisturizers to treat dry skin.

1. Honey

honey - home remedy for skin burnNot just sweetening your tea, honey is equipped with a bunch of nutritional value to soothe skin. It’s a natural humectant, which helps to keep things moist by drawing water molecules from air. Antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in honey benefits skin to fight dryness and infection.

With amazing benefits of health, honey can help you get a smooth, good complexion and acne free skin.

Recently a Reddit.com user shared her experience with raw honey and how it helped to get rid of acne. (source)

Recipe:

Dissolve equal amount of honey (2 tbsp) and water then add 6 tbsp of water. Apply the solution on face or any other part, rinse smoothly after 15-20 minutes.

Don’t miss: Honey and cinnamon face mask

2. Avocados

Besides being consumed as food avocado has many health and beauty benefits. It contains vitamin A, biotin and antioxidants which is essential for healthy skin. Vitamin A helps in purging off dead skin cells and biotin helps to prevent dry skin. Emollient properties in avocado oil help to keep skin moist.

Apply mashed avocados on affected part and rinse it off after 15-20 minutes.

3. Olive oil

Olives is enriched with vitamin E, vitamins A and K, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and amino acids. Apart from treating diabetes, breast cancer and lowering blood pressure olive oil can help your skin to get back its moisture. Not just dry skin; with olive oil you can treat stretch marks, oily skin and other skin diseases.

Recipe:

Mix honey, egg yolk in olive oil and stir well. Apply it on affected part or whole body including face leave it for about 15-20 minutes and rinse it off with lukewarm water.

4. Shea Butter

It’s a fat extracted from nuts of African Shea tree. Apart from using it in medical ointments it also used for skin and hair benefits. Most of soap industries include Shea butter as ingredient.

Similar to natural fats found in upper layer of skin, Shea butter is rich in Vitamin A. Skin conditions including dry skin, eczema, dermatitis, sunburn and insect bites can be treated.

Check out its manufacturing date is no more than 18 months. As old Shea butter have less moisturizing benefits.

Also read: Shea Butter for treating acne

5. Aloe Vera

aloe vera to treat dry skinAloe Vera is an excellent remedy to soothe itchy skin. This nature driven medicine helps to moisture and get rid of itchy dry patches.

Anti-allergic properties of Aloe Vera help to cure skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, itchy skin and dry skin.

Recipe:

Cut one of the tentacles of Aloe Vera plant and apply the gel on affected part. You can also get Aloe Vera cream from local drug store.

You can add Coconut oil and Butter milk to this list of home available moisturizers for dry skin.

Healthy Diet

Which moisturizer you use at home? Let us know.

 

 

 

 

Reference:

  • http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/moisturizing/products/5-moisturizing-home-remedies.htm
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/homemade-cures-dry-skin-rough-heels_n_4136308.html
  • http://blog.freepeople.com/2013/01/5-natural-homemade-remedies-dry-skin/
  • http://www.sheainstitute.com/asbi-library/21reasons/