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Acne - Herbal
Treatment, Ayurvedic Remedies and Home Remedies
by Tom Alter |
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What is Acne?
Acne
is a very common skin ailment found mostly in the period of puberty.
It is more common in women than in men. Acne is characterized
by the presence of eruptions on the skin, which are commonly
known as zits or pimples.
Acne
is more commonly found in the western countries especially of
the American and European continents. This could be because of
a higher genetic disposition in these areas. However, the general
trend is that women tend to suffer more from acne than men. Though
most cases of acne come and go with the puberty, rare acne cases
could continue well into adulthood.
Why
is Acne caused?
Acne is
a sign of the impurity within the body. The impurity could be
in the blood, which manifests itself externally as acne. If the
blood is impure, then the sebaceous (sweat) glands will have
to work harder in eliminating these wastes. This hyperactivity
of the sweat glands causes acne.
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Hormonal imbalances are very important
causes of acne. During puberty there are major hormonal changes
in the body, as also during each menstrual cycle of women. Therefore,
these are important periods when acne can occur. People who consume
steroids for any reason also stand a higher chance of getting
acne.
Personal hygiene is
another factor that can cause acne. People who do not care much
about facial hygiene will have dead cell accumulation on their
faces. These cells could develop an allergic reaction, manifesting
itself as acne. Otherwise, bacteria could reside in the facial
pores and cause pimples. Such factors could cause the person
to itch the face, which would aggravate the acne.
Other metabolic conditions can also aggravate the
acne. Indigestion is one of the known factors. People who have
too much libido, but are not able to give vent to their sexual
desires with actual sexual intercourse might develop acne as
a result of their sexual frustration. People living under stressful
conditions are also prone to acne.
What
are the Symptoms of Acne?
The
most prominent symptoms of acne are the pimples that appear generally
on the face. The most common regions of the face for the acne
to appear are the cheeks, the nose and the forehead. However
in extreme cases, the pimples could spread to the chest, back
and the arms.
Pimples are
tiny eruptions on the skin which go away within a couple of days.
In some cases the pimples could develop pus in them, which would
make them bigger in size and more prominent.
In general cases, the pimples disappear without
any trace. But if the pimples are too severe, then they could
leave behind a healing scar. Over time, this would make the face
very scarred and ungainly in appearance.
How can Acne be avoided?
If acne is caused due to hormonal reasons, there
is no way to eliminate it completely. It will pass away when
the person crosses his/her pubertal age. But even then, there
are many ways to prevent the acne from aggravating and to keep
it at a minimum.
The following
are some of the ways in which acne can be reduced:-
Maintain proper facial hygiene.
This can be done by washing the face at least thrice a day. Use
lemon soap for washing. It is very important to wash the face
after returning home from outside.
Maintain
a healthy dietary regime. Oily and spicy foods can aggravate
the acne. Foods that are beneficial for acne are green leafy
vegetables, salad vegetables and fruits that have good water
content in them. Foods that are difficult to digest can aggravate
the acne.
Keep your mind
stress-free. Stress can release more hormones, which would exacerbate
the acne.
How can
Acne be controlled with Simple Home Remedies?
There are many household remedies that can be used
to control the condition. Most of these remedies are external
applications, but some of them are also meant to be taken orally.
Mix the husk
of mustard seeds in paste form with cow’s milk. Apply this
mixture on the affected areas every night and wash it off thoroughly
in the morning. The eruptions should disappear within a week.
Application
of buttermilk on the affected regions is also helpful.
Prepare
a mixture of nutmeg and red sandalwood in water. Apply this mixture
on the face.
Mix the
pulp of the neem fruit in water and apply it on the face. This
application provides quicker but temporary relief from the pimples.
Application
of a paste of thorns of the semolina in milk for three consecutive
nights will help reduce the eruptions.
A
very simple and cheap remedy is to apply the paste of orange
peels on the face.
Indian
plum or jambola must be squeezed in water and this paste must
be applied on the affected part. This is more effective in the
pimples which appear in early youth.
One
traditional method to keep acne away is to wash the face twice
or thrice a day with buttermilk. This is also believed to increase
the glow on the face. |
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