The Natural Acne Cure Hiding Out in Your Grocery Store
By Jacob Levine
For many people, the fight against acne can be a constant struggle. Blemishes can feel like a constant companion. From our first pre-teen breakout well into adulthood, no matter how scrupulous our hygiene regimens, those little bumps seem to keep popping up. If this seems to match your experience with acne, know that you aren’t alone. Millions of people suffer from acne, and it seems like there are just as many advertisements for acne cures.
You’ve seen them, of course. The commercials for Proactiv are everywhere, featuring all the most attractive celebrities—who you can tell from their flawless skin have never had the same struggles as you. Accutane is another highly touted acne cure, promising incredible results. There is an almost infinite number of choices to deal with your acne, but each one comes with its drawbacks. Those advertisements gloss over the side effects, some of which can be even worse than the acne itself.
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How then, can you clear up your skin without the use of harsh chemicals or medication? Natural acne treatment has become a major focus in recent years, and one of the more interesting natural acne fighters people are running for today may surprise you.
It’s a well-known product you probably walk past on each trip to the grocery store: aloe!
Yes, this popular plant is frequently used to treat sunburns, and you’ll often see lotions advertised as containing it, but it also has many properties that make it excellent for fighting acne breakouts. Read on to learn how the unique traits of aloe could be exactly what you’ve been looking for to treat against acne naturally!
Aloe Contains Salicylic Acid
When you analyze the contents of traditional acne-fighting cleaners and scrubs, you’ll find one ingredient in common across the lot: salicylic acid. This acid, which is found naturally occurring in the aloe plant, among other sources, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties which can clean out pores and protect against further clogging.
Antibacterial Benefits
Salicylic acid isn’t the only active ingredient in aloe that is antibacterial. Anthraquinone is an antibacterial and antiviral found aloe that directly fights against breakouts. Acne breakouts are caused by bacteria becoming trapped in the pores and becoming infected; anthraquinone clears out harmful bacteria, preventing infections from occurring.
Vitamins & Antioxidants Work to Repair Skin Damage
Vitamins are extremely important for healthy skin, and the aloe plant contains many beneficial vitamins and antioxidants. Aloe has an abundance of vitamins A, C, and E, well-known antioxidants, in addition to vitamins B2, B6, zinc, magnesium, and selenium. Aloe can actually repair and reverse damage caused by sun exposure and harsh chemicals making it one of the best home remedies for acne. The antioxidants also work to reduce and prevent inflammation.
Beneficial Enzymes Reduce Redness & Pain
The enzyme bradykinase fights redness and inflammation; this is one of the main reasons that aloe is used to treat sunburns. Additionally, the enzyme catalase works to suppress the pain response, useful for both sensitive sunburns and inflamed acne breakouts. Applying aloe is a great way to reduce the red appearance of acne caused by inflammation.
Wound Healing Hormones
Aloe is a natural source of the hormones auxin and gibberellin, anti-inflammatory hormones that we associate with wound healing. Not only can aloe help to fight acne through its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it can actually help speed up the healing process!
Make Your Own Aloe Anti-Acne Facial Gel
Many products contain aloe, making it very easy to add to your beauty routine. Of course, if you’re looking to avoid strong products and go for an all-natural acne cure, you can create your own aloe gel.
To make your own aloe gel,
- Purchase some cut aloe leaves from a local store or market
- Cut the leaves into smaller sections (for manageability)
- Remove the serrated edges of the leaves
- Then cut the sections into strips
- Slide your filet knife under the skin and cut down the length of the strip, then flip it over and repeat Once the flesh is separated from the skin, cut the flesh into smaller sections and place it in a blender
- Blend until smooth, then refrigerate the gel in a storage container
A large aloe leaf should give you more than enough gel, as the gel only stays fresh for about a week when refrigerated. You can also freeze the gel if needed. Using your homemade gel is as easy as applying it like a lotion! The next time you feel a breakout coming on, try using all-natural aloe before resorting to more expensive artificial treatments.
Source: Byrdie.com Images: pixabay
DISCLAIMER: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Jacob Levine is a writer and content specialist for the Skin & Vein Center, a leading Michigan dermatology center. For more information, visit our site today.
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