Herbal Remedies for Acne

In most cases where a person has begun to suffer from acne it is because the sebaceous glands (found at the end of their hair follicles) are producing too much oil. These increased oil levels in the skin can then cause the pores to become blocked and infected and so they start to notice spots forming. Most people will often seek out their doctor's advice on how to treat the problem and they will generally prescribe some form of anti-biotic medication. However, there are others who would prefer to use more natural and safe ways of treating their condition and luckily for them there are plenty of different herbal remedies for acne that they can select from.

Below we take a look at a few of the different herbal remedies a person may want to consider trying in order to treat their acne. However it is important that before they do they actually discuss their plans with their doctor first.

1. Aloe Vera - This particular herb contains anti-inflammatory and immune stimulant properties. Plus the aloe gel also contains anti-bacterial and astringent properties both of which can help to fight the bacteria, which is causing the acne to erupt. To use this type of herbal remedy you need to apply the gel directly to the area of skin that is affected.

2. Calendula - Contains properties that help the skin tissue to heal. It like the Aloe Vera contains anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties along with analgesic ones as well. You can either apply the herbal treatment directly to the skin in a cream format or else infuse some of the herb in hot water or then allow the steam that is produced to be absorbed into the skin. Plus you can even apply this directly to your skin as a face wash and will help to prevent further infection.

3. Lavender - Just like all the herbs that we mention in this article this particular one contains both anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that can help to fight the bacteria that are causing the acne. As with all treatments we mention here this needs to be applied topically (directly) to the affected area and the essential oil should be mixed with water or carrier fluid before it is applied.

4. Tea Tree Oil - This is a very effective remedy for acne as it contains antiseptic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, which can help to treat the acne bacteria. In most cases it is most effective when the essential oil is mixed with water or a carried fluid and then applied directly to the areas of skin that have been affected by the acne.

But as well as these herbal remedies there are plenty of other ones which are both safe and effective to use in treating this skin condition and which you may want to consider trying. One such herb is walnut leaf which has very good astringent properties and is normally mixed with a carrier fluid or water and then used as a skin wash. Otherwise you may want to consider trying witch hazel, which has both astringent and anti-bacterial properties like many of the others.

However, it should be noted that all the herbal remedies for acne that we have discussed above work on treating the condition from the outside. In order to really ensure that the acne does not return you need to look closely at what is the underlying cause for the condition. In many cases it is a person's diet and their lifestyle habits that have resulted in the condition occurring in the first place. So making changes to what they eat and what they do can help to improve not only their skin condition but their health overall.