December 18, 2007
Using Herbs As An Alternative Acne Treatment
You can find herbs, herbal remedies, and products infused with herbs just about anywhere these days. Health food stores, drugstores, your local market, even the cosmetics counter at the department store all have products that contain herbs and botanicals.
Actually, natural means, "occurring in nature." By the way, cyanide and arsenic are found in nature and so are hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornados. So, I'd say that the label natural is virtually meaningless.
Besides, many of the so-called "natural" products also contain many other "unnatural" chemicals including preservatives, dyes, stabilizers, and fragrances. In fact, if a product was truly natural, you probably wouldn't want to use it anyway. It might not stay fresh; it might smell really bad, and it might not penetrate your skin where it has to do its work.
There is a budding interest to study plants that contain antimicrobial substances that may help eliminate P. acnes Here are a few of the more promising candidates:
- Tea tree oil: Tea tree oil (derived from the tea tree plant native to Australia) has long been regarded as a topical antiseptic in Australia. A laboratory study found that certain active components of tea tree oil effectively slow the growth of P. acnes. The oil's proponents claim that even severe cases of acne have been shown to benefit from it.
- Green tea cream: This herbal treatment is derived from the medicinal portion of the green tea leaf. Its advocates believe that the leaf is as effective as benzoyl peroxide in treating acne.
- Calendula: Commonly known as pot marigold, you can buy this popular ornamental plant for your garden at most nurseries in the spring. Its orange flowers can be made into tinctures, lotions, and creams. Acne suffers are encouraged to wash their skin with tea made from the flowers. If marigolds don't clear your acne, try planting them in your backyard.
The following herbs have been considered to have general antiinflammatory properties and claims have been made that they may be helpful in the treatment of acne:
- German chamomile
- Witch hazel
- Licorice root
- Flaxseed and flaxseed oil
- Black currant seed oil
- Evening primrose oil
- Echinacea
- Goldenseal
Many cosmetic counters make statements about the botanical and natural ingredients that are found in their products. A variety of vitamins, minerals, and herbs can be quite appealing to those who seek a natural treatment for their acne. Green tea has become a popular ingredient in many cosmetic and health products: moisturizers, cleansers, bath products, shampoos, toothpastes, and perfumes.