Acne is very troublesome for the sufferer and often requires longer term treatment. The two main causes of acne are hormonal imbalance and build-up of toxins in the body.
Herbal remedies can help to restore distorted hormone balance, eliminate toxins from the body and heal the skin. Depending on how severe the acne is, these natural remedies for acne can be used on their own or in combination. For the odd spot external remedies are sufficient. If the problem is more widespread, it is better to take remedies internally and combine with external treatment.
Herbal teas
Drinking herbal teas is one of the simplest natural remedies for acne you can take and they are quite effective in improving the condition of your skin.
Drink one or two cups of chamomile tea on a daily basis. To make the tea use 2 teaspoons of loose herbs or 2 teabags per cup. Chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties and will reduce the inflammation of the skin caused by acne. To achieve satisfactory results, it is vital to drink it every day. A small number of people are allergic to chamomile, so be careful.
A more elaborate herbal tea for acne combines yellow dock, red clover and ribwort plantain. Yellow dock and red clover are general detoxifiers and ribwort plantain soothes inflamed skin and supports skin healing. Drink one cup a day until the symptoms improve, then continue with half a cup per day for four months.
To make the tea combine 20g of dry yellow dock with 40g each of dry red clover and ribwort plantain. Pour boiling water over 2 teaspoons of the mix and infuse for 10 minutes. Then strain the herbs and add honey as a natural sweetener if you wish. Drink while hot.
Herbal tinctures
Herbal tinctures can be taken internally or applied externally. To prevent spots from growing, apply neat calendula (marigold) tincture directly onto the spot with a cotton bud. Do this 2-5 times a day. Caution is needed if you are allergic to plants of the daisy family.
A tincture you can take internally consists of a mix of four individual tinctures, namely yellow dock, red clover, mountain grape and ribwort plantain. You can buy these tinctures ready-made from herbal suppliers or make your own. For yellow dock use a tincture strength of 1: 5, for all other herbs 1:2.
To create the mix use 20ml each of yellow dock, red clover and mountain grape tincture and combine with 40ml of ribwort plantain tincture. Keep the mix in a dark glass bottle and store at room temperature. This way it will keep up to one year. Take 5ml of the mixture diluted in some water, three times daily until the symptoms improve. Teenagers should drink less. Continue to take one dose daily for up to four months to maintain the improvement.
Other herbal remedies
If you get a lot of painful spots that resemble small boils, take propolis capsules daily. Propolis is a bee product and comes from a variety of tree resins. It is a powerful natural antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal remedy. Start with 1g per day and increase to 3g if your symptoms are severe. Be careful though if you have a history of allergies.
Wipe the affected areas with witch hazel after washing. Witch hazel will help to dry out spots and tones the skin.
You can also dab tea tree oil neat on developing spots. Do this twice a day.
Big spots respond well to treatment with calendula ointment. Apply as soon as the swelling becomes painful and keep re-applying up to six times a day altogether. Be careful if you are allergic to plants of the daisy family.
These natural cures for acne deal with the external symptoms of acne and will help to improve your skin. However, to cure acne permanently you have to address other factors such as diet and lifestyle as well.
