Sensible Home Treatment For Acne

Acne is a common skin malady that affects many adolescents and even some older folk. The wide occurrence of acne cuts across gender and cultural differences as males and females anywhere in the world are susceptible to the condition. As such, traditional home treatment for acne exists everywhere.

Some of these home based cures seem practical while others are a tad far fetched. These homemade remedies have been trivialized, tried, and tested over many years. It may be worth the look to examine some of the more sensible home grown solutions available for acne.

Facing the myths on acne

A common belief is that acne is caused by dirty skin. While this may sound somewhat truthful, it is incorrect to say that pollutants alone cause acne. In fact unhygienic conditions simply aggravate the acne condition. Nonetheless, the health of a person's skin is certainly a very important consideration. So, what then causes acne?

The human skin sheds millions of dead skin cells everyday. Not to mention that it harbors a veritable ecosystem of good and bad bacteria. This, combined with the onset of elevated hormones during puberty provides ideal circumstances for acne-causing bacteria to flourish within blocked oil-filled pores of the skin. Acne therefore is a bacterial infection of the skin brought about by blockage of the pores by an excess of dead skin cells and an unhealthy build-up of skin oils or sebum.

There are those that say certain foods, such as chocolates or other fatty or sugary items cause acne. While there are no scientific proofs supporting this, most physicians would dissuade acne patients from eating oil-rich foods as a precaution to a full blown acne infection.

As common sense would dictate, hygiene is vital whether or not the acne malady exists. Keeping your skin clean by washing with a mild soap can reduce the build-up of oil and dead skin and may be beneficial in unblocking the skin's pores. A fair warning though: excessive washing can cause the skin to secrete more oil than is necessary. Hence, washing twice a day at most should be enough; otherwise it would be detrimental and may even worsen the acne.

Home grown remedies for acne
Aloe vera is popular among herbalists because of their well-accepted medicinal properties. Extracts of aloe vera are regarded as effective on skin diseases and for treating wounds. Aloe vera extracts are known to perform antibacterial and antifungal functions and this may have been generalized to cases of acne. Nevertheless, there are no significant scientific studies that support the use of aloe vera in the management of acne.

The papaya fruit is another known traditional treatment for acne and other skin conditions. While it does not seem to possess antibacterial properties, the papaya is laden with the papain enzyme, useful for breaking down protein. It can be deduced that this tenderizing effect of papaya can be applied to remedy keratin blockages on the pores. Again, however, no scientific proof exists to categorically confirm the effectivity of papaya on acne.

Other substances used in home based acne solutions include tea tree oil and neem oil both of which have some limited support from a few studies. Tea tree oil in particular is said to be comparable to benzoyl peroxide, one of the leading active ingredients of over-the-counter medications for acne.

In conclusion, diet, keeping your skin clean and a few garden remedies may be beneficial in managing an acne infection. Even so, it is best to consult a physician before trying out any home treatment for acne.

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