Yes, there are 100s of prescription products and medicines available in the market to treat acne and even some personal care brands claim to help you get rid of acne after applying their products on your skin. While it may benefit you and fix your problem but then there are some of us who are hesitant to use harmful chemical induced products on our skin, so for people like us..
I’ve discussed below a list of 9 Natural Ingredients which is a crux of more than 200+ articles published online. What’s important to note here is that you can find some uncommon ingredients but it’s certain that all of them are proven to work, suggest studies cited therein.
But first, let’s try to understand what acne is and how it is caused?
In Simplest words, acne is the result of excess sebum production from your skin. However, it may also be characterized by inflammation, overgrowth of P. acne and Follicular hyper-keratinization (excess production of keratin).
This article is not about how acne is formed, but how it can be treated or taken care of to get a clear skin without skin care product. If you are interested in understanding the fundamentals and struggling with questions like: what causes acne? Which skin type is more prone to acne? How many types of acne are there? What does skin type have to do with acne and so on, then you should deficiently check out Acne Vulgaris: Types, Causes & Treatment. Everything You Need To Know. It provides science backed answers to most basic questions related to acne and builds context which will make it easy for you to better understand any article related to acne or any other skin condition.
Keep in mind that, acne is usually caused by one of the followings pathogenic factors and also treated by blocking by one or all the following pathogenic factors:
- Excess sebum production
- Inflammation
- Overgrowth of P. acne
- Excess production of keratin
So, Let’s Dive into the 9 Proven Natural Ingredients To Help You Get Rid Of Acne.
1. Green Tea (EGCG)
Green Tea, a well-known antioxidant, found to be very effective in improving cognitive functions, preventing cell damage and even boosting fat burning process, contains a constituent called Epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) which treats acne by inhibiting the growth of P. acne, a bacteria responsible for causing acne.
2. Eggplant (Lupeol)
Eggplant, originated in India, is now available worldwide and preferred because of the flexibility it provides in cooking. You can roast it, bake it, grill it and even make a sauce for it. Apart from that, it offers various benefits in lowering cholesterol, preventing cancer, managing diabetes and even maintaining weight but in case of acne, it is highly beneficial and a proven treatment. It treats acne by reducing inflammation caused by p. acne ultimately helping you get rid of acne or whiteheads.
3. Cypress Tree (LFCO)
Cyress Tree is one of the best recipes when it comes to treating acne, majorly because of its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Lactobacillus fermented Chamaecyparis Obtuse (LFCO), present in Cypress Tree, is very effective in treating inflammatory or non-inflammatory acne lesions. When studied, it was found to be more effective than Trea Tree.
4. Neem Tree (Azadirachta Indica)
Neem Tree can be used for many purposes such as killing bacteria, preventing plaque, reducing blood sugar and even heal ulcer but what most people are not aware of is that it can also be used to treat acne. In a study, herbal extract of neem was found to be very effective in the treatment of acne while inhibiting the growth of P. acne.
5. Eucalyptus Oil (Eucalyptus Globulus)
“An oil-in-water cream containing 2% eucalyptus oil was more effective than a commercial anti-acne gel with 5% benzoyl peroxide.” claims a study.
Though, Eucalyptus oil is not recommended to be applied on the skin as it is highly concentrated and may cause irritation, rashes and eczema etc.
6. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Turmeric is one of the most common spices used throughout the world, it’s not just about the flavor or the color that it provides to dish, but it is also packed with many health benefits. Turmeric is an antioxidant but also offers anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Various studies suggest that turmeric can is found to be very useful in the treatment of skin conditions such as acne and dermatitis etc. Additionally, it can also help you remove tan.
7. Aloe Vera & Basil (Aloe Barbadensis + Ocimum)
When a study was done on 84 subjects, a combination of basil oil and Aloe Vera was found to be very effective. With an increase in percentage of Aloe Vera, there was an increase in effectiveness of this combination. Aloe Vera reduced the inflammatory lessons faster than any standard product. Apart from this, Aloe Vera can be used to hydrate skin and soothe minor irritation and can even help you get Korean Skin.
8. Onion Oil (Allium cepa)
Amongst other benefits of Onion, it can also improve your appearance by improving scars, redness and texture of your skin. It also contains anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties which are essential in the treatment of acne and other skin conditions.
9. Cannabidiol (CBD)
CBD is one of the best recipes for acne. It is naturally anti-inflammatory and reduces acne by inhibiting the production of sebum, a substance responsible for acne.
Not only does CBD contribute majorly to the treatment of acne but also has a strong reputation in other areas of the heath conditions. Once such example would be Epidiolex, a first and sole FDA approved prescription drug used to treat seizures.
Conclusion:
All the ingredients discussed about are natural and can be used for multipurpose. Most importantly, these ingredients are proven to work as suggested in research studies cited therein. Good thing is, most of them are easily available and can be added to your routine. So, try it out, but with care and precaution. Usually, there is no side effect of natural ingredients but some of them are highly concentrated and might not be good for your skin.
