A pimple-speckled skin can be an insult to your beauty. If you suffer from stubborn pimples, take heart,here are seven skin care hacks and useful tips that help to cure your stubborn pimples. If you follow these hacks religiously, you’ll enjoy a glowing and beautiful skin.
Self-Help Pimple Treatments
Diet and Sleep. New York University researchers have reported that a diet high in dairy products and high glycemic foods can increase the risk of acne. Eliminating sugar, drinking lots of water and including Omega-3 foods in your diet will help prevent acne breakout.
Be sure to get your beauty rest because stress is one of the biggest causes of acne. Getting plenty of rest reduces acne-associated stress.
Avoid Popping the Pimple. Popping the pimples increases the risk of scarring. If you pop a pimple, you increase the danger of pushing the infection further down causing swelling, redness and more severe blockage.
Wash Your Face. Wash your face twice daily. Use a mild soap and warm water and gently wash your face. Avoid scrubbing your skin. Use over the counter lotions which contains benzoyl peroxide.
Avoid Touching Your Face. Refrain from touching your face with your hands. If you’re talking over the telephone, do not let the receiver touch the skin of your face because it may contain skin residue or sebum on it.
Practice Good Hand Hygiene. Wash your hands regularly with soap and if possible try to keep your nails short.
Glasses. Your glasses may contain sebum and skin residue, so clean them regularly.
Wear Loose Fitting Clothes. Allow your skin to breathe. If you suffer from pimples on your back, shoulders or chest wear loose clothing. If possible avoid wearing headbands, caps, and scarves. In case you have to wear them wash them on a regular basis.
Hair and Makeup. Keep your hair clean and try to get your hair away from your face because sebum and skin cells collect in your hair. Remove all your makeup before you sleep. Use makeup that is non-comedogenic (won’t clog skin pores) or non-acnegenic (won’t cause pimples or acne). You can find these details on the label of the product.
It’s best to buy a facial cosmetic that says “oil-free.” An oil-free makeup won’t cause clogged pores and pimples.
Sun Exposure. If you are overexposed to sunlight, it might lead to the production of more sebum. Certain medications used by people with acne make the skin more prone to sunburn.
Shaving Your Face. While you shave your face make sure that the blade is sharp or use an electric shaver. Soften your skin with warm soapy water before applying the shaving cream
Over the Counter Treatments. Go in for over the counter products that contain the following active ingredients Resorcinol, Benzoyl Peroxide, Sulfur, Salicylic Acid, Retin-A and Azelaic acid. They may be available in the form of gels, pads, creams, soaps, and lotions. It is advisable to start with the lowest strengths.
When you first use these medications you make experience redness, skin irritation, and burning. But after continued use, these side effects will go away. If you have sensitive skin, you can uselotions or creams. Gels work well for people with oily skin.
Skin Care Hacks
Tea Tree Oil. Tea tree oil is one of the most recommended remedies for acne. The natural antimicrobial properties make it an excellent alternative to the harsh synthetic chemicals and kill acne-causing bacteria. Tea tree oil contains terpinene-4-ol that’s responsible for its microbial activity.
When you apply it to the skin, it destroys the skin-dwelling bacteria that causes acne. Tea tree oil deeply penetrates into the skin to unblock the sebaceous glands. It disinfects the pores, dries out whiteheads, zits, pimples, blackheads and prevents further breakouts.
Tea tree oil balances your skin by controlling oil production. You can use it as an antiseptic that removes damaged skin cells.
How to Use Tea Tree Oil:
- Apply a few drops of tea tree oil to the affected area using a cotton ball. Keep it for 3-4 hours or overnight. Repeat regularly for best results.
- Diluted tea tree oil. Add one part of tea tree oil to nine parts of water. Apply to the affected area using a cotton ball. Leave for 20-25 minutes. Rinse with cool water and pat dry. Use a moisturizer that doesn’t clog the pores. Repeat 2 times a day. You can also use this method as a face rinse. It is useful for treating cystic acne. If you have sensitive skin, you can dilute the tea tree oil with aloe vera gel.
Lemon Juice. Lemon juice contains citric acid; it acts as an antiseptic since bacteria has a difficult time adjusting to acidic environments. This lemon juice significantly reduces the number of bacteria that live on the top of your skin.
Lemon contains antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. The phytoncides and vitamin P present in lemon juice prevent the growth of bacteria. The L-ascorbic acid present in lemon juice contains astringent properties that constrict and shrink the skin pores and dries out the acne lesions.
The citric acid acts as a chemical exfoliate. It removes the dead cells and oil that clog the pores resulting in infection. Lemon is rich in vitamin C.Vitamin C fights against free radicals causing breakouts. Lemon juice balances the skin’s pH levels and reduces redness and inflammation caused by acne.
How to Use Lemon Juice:
- Wash your face with soap and water. Apply some freshly squeezed lemon juice to your affected areas using a cotton ball. Leave it overnight. First thing in the morning,rinse your face with cold water. For best results follow this procedure daily before going to bed. If you have sensitive skin, just dilute lemon juice with water. Lemon juice dries out your skin so apply moisturizer after each application.
- Lemon juice with yogurt. Mix two parts of fresh lemon juice with one part of yogurt. Wash your face and dab the mixture onto the affected area using a cotton ball. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water and pat dry with a towel. Repeat regularly to get the desired results. Yogurt absorbs excess oil present in the skin pores. It moistens the skin and has a soothing effect on inflammation.
Aloe Vera Gel. Aloe vera gel contains Auxin and Gibberellins. These hormones help in wound healing and have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin inflammation. The Gibberellin acts as growth hormone and boosts the production of new cells. It helps the skin to heal quickly and naturally with minimal scarring.
Aloe contains glucomannan (a mannose-rich polysaccharide) which improves collagen synthesis. Aloe vera absorbs excess oil from your skin and thus prevents clogging of pores. It contains zinc, vitamin C and vitamin E and these antioxidants enhance the beauty of your skin.
As an astringent aloe contracts, the skin pores thus rendering them clean from any deposited sebum, dead skin cells or dirt.
The magnesium lactate present in aloe will alleviate the itching associated with acne conditions. The Anthraquinone present in aloe helps provide essential nutrients to the skin cells to boost its development. Your skin will look flawless and radiant if you apply aloe gel on a daily basis.
How to Use Aloe Vera:
- Mix one egg whipped, one teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and two tablespoons of aloe vera pulp. Apply this as a face mask. Leave it for 15-20 minutes. Wash your face with water after it dries completely. Continue using this mixture regularly. Lemon and egg white can dry your skin so apply a gentle moisturizer after washing your face.
- Aloe vera with walnuts. Blend 4-5 walnuts into a fine powder. Mix it with aloe gel and ½ teaspoon of honey. Apply it on the affected area. Leave it for 10-20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. Repeat the process 2-3 times a week.
Turmeric. The curcumin present in turmeric is non-toxic and can be used to treat skin disorders such as acne, rashes, and warts. It has chemoprotective properties and can be used to prevent cancers of the skin.
Research studies have shown that curcumin possesses antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer properties. Studies say that curcumin reduces wound healing time when taken internally or applied topically.
In conditions such as acne, inflammation and oxidative stress prevent tissue remodeling.Curcumin improves collagen deposition, increase the number of collagen-producing cells and enhance the density of the vascular structure of the skin and thus promotes wound healing. The antiseptic properties of turmeric remove the deposition of bacterial infection in the skin pores.
How to Use Turmeric:
- Turmeric with olive oil and black pepper. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, a pinch of black pepper and a teaspoon of olive oil. Consume on a daily basis and drink water to ease ingestion into your body.
- Turmeric with mint, nutmeg, and basil. Mix ½ teaspoon each of turmeric powder, nutmeg, mint juice and basil juice to make a paste. Apply the paste on the affected areas. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse with water. Repeat daily.
Neem. Neem is an excellent antioxidant; it has twice the antioxidant properties of broccoli and blueberries. It has anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, so it strengthens your immune system and protects against acne-causing bacteria.
Neem contains quercetin a bioflavonoid that helps to fade the scars and keeps your skin soft and smooth. Salicylic acid, an anti-bacterial agent which is usually present in many commercial acne products is also present in neem. It reduces inflammation, redness, swelling, and tenderness caused by breakouts.
Neem has excellent moisturizing properties. It contains carotenoids, fatty acids, vitamin E and ascorbic acid which provides your skin a healthy glow. Neem balances oil production and prevents excess oil from clogging your pores. Best of all it is a non-abrasive exfoliate which draws toxins from the skin. It tightens the pores to prevent bacterial infections that cause acne.
How to Use Neem:
- Neem water. You can use neem water as a skin toner. Regular use will help in clearing your acne scars, blackheads and pigmentation. Boil about 20 neem leaves or add two neem leaf capsules in two cups of water till the water turns green and the leaves are discolored. Strain and store in a bottle and keep in the fridge. Dip a cotton ball and wipe your face.Pour some neem water in a spray bottle. Spritz with neem after washing skin. Repeat twice daily. You can buy neem leaf capsules from Amazon.
- Neem with cucumber. Blend cucumber until smooth and mix with one tsp Neem oil. Gently massage the paste and let it dry. Rinse with water and pat dry. Repeat three times weekly.
Peppermint. Peppermint oil acts a cleaner and decongestant for your skin. The peppermint oil cools the skin, reduces testosterone 5-ALPHA reductase production and inhibits bacterial growth. Peppermint oil contains methanol, and its cooling property reduces acne inflammation.
Peppermint reduces testosterone 5-ALPHA reductase production and so excess oil or sebum production decreases. Since less oil is trapped, this less inviting environment reduces the excess growth of Propionibacterium acnes.
How to Use Peppermint:
- You can apply a few drops of peppermint oil directly to the affected skin two to four times daily. Always spot test the oil on the inside of your arm. You can use the recommended amount if your skin reacts positively. Never apply peppermint oil products near the eyes.
- Add equal parts of vitamin E and jojoba oil to a few drops of peppermint oil. Apply your treatment directly onto a pimple until you see the desired results.
Baking Soda. Baking soda has excellent exfoliating properties. It dries out the skin by removing trapped dead skin cells and oil in the pores. Baking soda balances your skin’s pH levels and prevents clumping of bacteria.
It encourages the growth of collagen to fill in the indented acne scars. This process helps in shedding the skin and stimulates new skin growth. Baking soda aids to gently scrape the scar tissue layer by layer. It cleans the pores and prevents further acne breakouts. It peels off the outer layer of your skin and promotes the regeneration of younger layer of new skin cells.
How to Use Baking Soda:
- Mix½ teaspoon of baking soda and olive oil into a paste. Gently apply it on the scars and massage it for 5-7 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water. Follow this process regularly to see stunning results.
- Baking soda with orange juice. Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with one teaspoon of orange juice. Apply onto your pimples.Gently rub in circular motions for 1-2 minutes. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Wash it off with clean water and use a moisturizer. Repeat the process regularly to get rid of your stubborn pimple.
Conclusion
A balanced diet enhances your skin health. Include flaxseed, fish, green tea, oysters, fruits, veggies and probiotics in your diet. Exercise regularly, have a good night’s sleep and practice meditation.
You can try all the acne-fighting hacks discussed above. Stick to the one that you’re comfortable with and get rid of that stubborn pimple for good.
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