Acne and pimples are the most annoying problem and common skin curses we face. Most of us have found ourselves in a situation where an ugly red spot appeared the day before an important event or date. The question is, can you do something about it without needing expensive medication?
First, let’s understand acne formation and learn what natural home remedies we can try to get rid of pimples.
How acne is formed
Inflammation caused by hormonal changes forms the red spots on our skin.
Acne is usually found on the face, neck, chest, back, and shoulders. It’s because there are more sebaceous glands on the skin than these areas. The function of the sebaceous glands is to excrete the oily substance (sebum) to lubricate your skin so that it looks radiant.
When your skin produces excessive amounts of sebum and dead cells as a result of hormonal changes in your body. These two can block hair follicles and form a soft plug, which is a favourable environment for bacteria to thrive when clogged hair follicles get infected and cause inflammation, the wall of the follicle swells and form a pimple.
Why you shouldn’t make your pimples appear
Breakout pimples can lead to tissue loss, ultimately resulting in acne scarring.
Popping pimples seems like the fastest way to get rid of the red spots on our skin to disappear. But it can permanently damage your skin! When you squeeze a pimple, you press the oil substance and dead skin cells more in-depth into the follicle. The extra pressure applied will rupture the follicle wall to rupture and spread the infected materials to the innermost part of our skin. This skin damage leads to tissue loss and ultimately, acne scars.
1. Aspirin mask
▲ Aspirin mask can effectively reduce your skin inflammation!
Aspirin is anti-inflammatory, so it can be a quick and inexpensive way to reduce a breakout. The other advantage is that most of us always have aspirin at home.
2. Aloe Vera gel
▲ The aloe vera gel has a pleasant soothing effect on the layer of your skin.
Aloe Vera is potent. It not only cools the skin but also reduces inflammation of blemishes and removes the oiliness from your skin. In addition to buying aloe vera gel from organic markets and drugstores, you can also make your own.
3. Toothpaste
Toothpaste is an excellent option if you have a giant pimple that you want to take care of quickly. It’s significant because it contains silica, the same substance found in jerky bags to keep moisture out. As such, toothpaste is known to dry out and reduce the size of pimples overnight. Just apply it to the affected area before sleeping and wash it off in the morning.
4. Honey mask
▲ The viscosity of honey helps remove dirt from the skin.
As well as being delicious, honey is a natural antibiotic that makes it perfect for treating and reducing blemishes. As a bonus, its viscosity helps remove excess dirt and impurities from the skin. You can use honey by making a simple facial mask.
5. Garlic
Garlic is fantastic for fighting acne due to its high levels of antioxidants and its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. There are two ways to use garlic for acne removal. The first is a preventive measure, which consists of adding more garlic to your diet. This helps your overall health and cleanses your blood, which can help prevent future outbreaks. For more immediate results, take a peeled garlic clove and rub it on the problem area several times a day. If your skin is sensitive, try crushing the garlic and mixing it with water.
6. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is known to be good for your skin. Besides, it also contains antibacterial and antifungal properties, which make it highly beneficial for acne treatment. Studies that compare tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide, an acne medication, show that it is just as effective. But don’t forget to dilute tea tree oil before using it; otherwise, the skin may become irritated.
7. Cucumber
Cucumber has an anti-inflammatory effect, which is why people use cucumber slices to fight puffy eyes! They also work well on blemishes and help reduce the angry redness of them. You can make a cucumber face mask for good and rejuvenating effects!
8. Egg white mask
Proteins are effective in removing blemishes and scars formed by pimples. They contain vitamins and amino acids that help rebuild skin cells.
9. Baking soda
Baking soda is a popular natural remedy for blemishes and pimples. Its antiseptic and chemical properties make it useful in destroying and reducing bacteria in the affected area. Furthermore, baking soda has a healthy function as it rejuvenates the skin and stimulates the growth of new skin cells.
10. Steam
No, not the software. Although I recommend that too.
Steam can help treat acne because it helps open your pores, so they don’t get clogged. The steam also hydrates and detoxifies the skin.
Opinions expressed by US Insider contributors are their own.
