Table of Contents
Acne Remedies
 |
DISCLAIMER
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
4 YEA
2 NAY
[YEA] 04/20/2008: Simone from Portland, OR writes: "I've had fairly bad acne for about 20 years. Nothing worked - not even accutane. Finally, a friend trained in Eastern medicine made some recommendations that have worked wonders. The cure for my acne has been the following regimen:
Wash face with water. Don't use soap b/c it changes the pH balance, making it easier for bacteria to thrive & cause acne.
Sanitize face with grain alcohol. I think you can use other sanitizers, as long as they are acidic & not basic.
Apply coconut oil to face morning & night.
Ingest either a tablespoon of coconut oil (tastes great in hot chocolate!) or flax seed oil each day.
Ingest a tablespoon of liquid multivitamins each day.
Eat one apple every day.
Acupuncture
The root cause of my acne was digestive & immune system problems, not the skin per se. Where you break out on your face is a clue as to where your health problem lies. For me, I was breaking out around my mouth, which indicates a stomach problem, & on my neck, which indicates an immune system problem.
Once you get your health back on track, your skin should clear up."
 |  |  |  |
[YEA] 04/01/2008: Nina from Los Angeles, CA writes: "After finding out about all these harsh chemicals in our toiletries & makeup I realized that must be the reason so many of us have developed skin problems. Therefore I started looking into all "natural" toiletries and face care products but they just dont seem to be as effective,and thats when I came up with my own gentle yet effective face wash. I didn't really measure anything I just wanted a good consistency, not too thick not too thin, so I went on to mix baking soda, a little bentonite clay, raw honey and just a little apple cider vinegar in a glass jar, mix it well, you may add a little more a little less of any ingredient until you reach the consistency that is right for you. I use this product every night and it makes me feel at ease knowing I am not putting any chemicals on my face! I also make 1 serving of oatmeal but instead of using 1 cup of water I use about 1/3 or a 1/4 apple cider vinegar and the rest water pop it in the microwave then I let it cool down a little and apply it on my clean face for about an hour. This really draws out the dirt and grime in your face and makes it easy to take out those stubborn blackheads, not to mention it leaves your face feeling soft and doesn't overdry, yey! After I rinse off the mask I just spray my face with a mixture of Lily of the desert aloe vera gel and purified water, again I don't have the exact measurement but don't make it too thick it should still look like a liquid and it should be easily sprayed on a spray or even better with a mist bottle. And lastly I apply lime juice to any blemishes and dark spots I may have and I always try to get at least 8 hours of sleep. In the morning I simply wash with water and apply the aloe vera and water mixture, then I apply my organic mineral makeup from Afterglow cosmetics. Hope this helps you guys, and remember nature is your best friend!"
| | | |
[YEA] 02/25/2008: SimpleMD from Clarksburg, WV writes: "Okay ...it might sound lil crazy as I am a physician myself who totally believes in Alternative Medicine for herself and her family. Anyway...I suffered from acne all my life always putting something on my face to treat it nothing worked.I accidently found this website 3 weeks ago ...tried the Hydrogen peroxide on acne leisons and my face is clear new leisons go away in less than 24 hrs ...in addition to that I apply coconut oil to my face and neck its the best moisturizer I ever used doesnt aggrevate my acne at all.After yrs of hiding under make up my face is clearing up and complexion has a glow to it.I went overboard with different things I guess but all are working.I take 1 tsf of molasses in my tea in the morning (hoping to get rid of gray hair)1 apple cider tablet couldnt stand drinking it ...also apply it topically after cleaning my face with H2O2 and then coconut oil externally ...wipe off excess and you are good to go ...I am thankful to all of you who have written the feed backs and remedies.I am 36, people think of me in my late twenties now lost 8 lbs in less than one month with these ACV tabs and everything else am doing I guess..everyone should give it a try better than many expensive creams and meds. Good Luck all...and thank you Earth Clinic:)"
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 01/14/2008: Jewles from Milwaukie, Oregon writes: "I kinda have some acne and i tried alot of cleansers it all started when my dad put noxzema on my face for my sunburn and it cooled my face down. then i tried it for a cleanser . it made my face feel really clean no break outs at all it was awesome."
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 08/23/2007: Angie from Sparta, MO writes: "I have been oil pulling a little over a week now with sesame oil and my acne has improved. I would recommend anyone having acne to give it a try."
| | | |
OIL PULLING, TOMATO, MOLASSES, BROWN SUGAR SCRUB
[YEA] 02/20/2007: Deonnise from Arima, Trinidad writes: "A COMBINATION OF REMEDIES, learnt from this site, is ridding acne from my face. A problem I have struggled with for years is finally saying Bye-Bye! I have introduced my body to OIL PULLING; I alternate days by eating either 1 TOMATO or 1 tbsp MOLASSES first thing in the morning. I do the BROWN-SUGAR SCRUB twice per week. I use HYDROGEN PEROXIDE after washing face; wash pillowcase regularly; apply VIT E before bed; apply a different FACE MASK once per week; apply CLEAR TAPE over troubled areas and peel away dead skin cells once per week. I also drink water regularly (spring/purified/tap). Thank you Earth Clinic for alternatives, and thank you fellow readers for sharing your tips."
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 10/12/2009: Wellsprings from Tarboro, Nc writes: "I started using olive oil for Hidradenitis suppurativa and it worked so well, I tried it on my face for blackheads and whiteheads. Now I rarely get a bump. Put the olive oil on every morning and every night; it soaks in quickly. It is also great for keeping suntanned legs from looking dry and chalky."
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 06/10/2008: April from Denver, Colorado writes: "On the subject of acne, my 12 year old is beginning to get the face pimples and we discovered simply by accident that oranges help to clear her skin. First, we found that drinking orange juice helped, then we found that peeling the orange and eating it clears her skin of the pimples that have not progressed to full blown white heads. She eats an orange (with the white part attached) every other day and she has a much improved complexion!"
| | | |
3 YEA
[YEA] 09/25/2009: Lita209 from Sanford, Fl, USA writes: "I finally figure out how to tell acne sufferers what to try without looking like I am advertising any company! I feel responsible for letting everyone else know what worked for me. After over 30 years suffering with acne I know how devastating this can be. Look for all the information on Pantothenic Acid that you can get. Look for Dr. Lit-Hung Leung who conducted the study! There is a lot of information, message boards on B5 for the treatment of acne. There are a lot of vitamins shops on and off line that you can get it from, but you need to learn how to take the dosages and for how long. I hope every acne victim at least take a look at this and consider. My only regret is not knowing about it 30 years ago!!!"
EC: The study is mentioned on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantothenic_acid
"According to a study published in 1995 by Dr. Lit-Hung Leung,[61] high doses of Vitamin B5 resolved acne and decreased pore size. Dr. Leung also proposes a mechanism, stating that CoA regulates both hormones and fatty-acids, and without sufficient quantities of pantothenic acid, CoA will preferentially produce androgens. This causes fatty acids to build up and be excreted through sebaceous glands, causing acne. Leung's study gave 45 Asian males and 55 Asian females varying doses of 10-20g of pantothenic acid (100000% of the US Daily Value), 80% orally and 20% through topical cream. Leung noted improvement of acne within one week to one month of the start of the treatment."atment.
[YEA] 10/12/2009: Sophie from Portland, Oregon replies: "I was suffering from acne and tried many different treatment such as high does of Vitamin A, E, Zinc, turmeric, apple cider vinger, coconut...I really was really desperate. My face continued to breakout and it had been going on for about two years. When I went for a facial the girl did extractions and it just really aggravated the problem and she told me to try this new onion ointment wow my skin really went from bad to worse. So I did some research on Panthothenic Acid also known as B5 and I began to take it not the super high doses that Dr Leoug suggests (I only weigh 100 pounds and I'm hypersensitive ) I would take between 4000- 5000 mg a day of Panthothenic Acid along wtih 200 mcg Selenium. My understanding with supplements is that you have one day a week where you do not take any so I rest on Sunday! My face is now completely clear it is glowing and no blemishes of any sort. I know we are all different gentically but this worked for me and hopefully it will help you"
10/13/2009: Lita from Sanford, Fl replies: "To Sophie from Portland: I am glad to hear that somebody else had success with Panthotenic Acid. I too, after living with acne for most of my life, found it and now I feel the duty to let every acne sufferer about it. Thank you for letting everyone know."
| | | |
[YEA] 02/26/2007: Jess from Johnson City, TN writes: "I have suffered from severe cystic acne, the most severe, painful, and deepest of acne for at least 13 years (since puberty). I've tried everything. Nothing topical worked because the acne was so deep. I finally found the cure! A form of vitamin B5, pantothenic acid, in extremely high doses cured my acne completely! I have been taking 10g of pantothenic acid a day for almost a month. Within a week I could see huge results and within two weeks I was completely clear. I'm so glad I decided to try this instead of trying Accutane like the rest of my family. If you decide to try this build up to 10g/day over the course of a week (if not, it can cause stomach upset) and continue the 10g/day regimen for 2 months. After that you can gradually decrease the dosage down to a maintenance dose of 1-2g/day. This information is supported by a study done by Dr.Leung in China. The initial 10g/day dosage is extreme-the pills mostly come in 500mg doses which ends up being 20 pills/day but if you're desperate like me then it's worth it. I split mine up into 2 doses/day and dissolve the pills in a drink. It doesn't taste good but its better than having to take so many pills. I've read that smaller doses work but it may take longer to see results."
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 12/02/2005: Frances from Ontario writes: "I have used a compress made of chopped fresh parsley steeped in hot water. It heals existing pimples quickly and drastically reduces redness."
| | | |
11/09/2009: Dannae from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma writes: "I am 75 years old, have had acne since I was 13, and while in the years of raising my children, not many problems with acne, till in my early 60's. Now there are these bumps under the skin, they sometimes get inflammed, but require a needle to get them, and their little roots out. so it leaves scars. I tried the ACV, teaspoon in cup of water, but the best way I like it, is from Dill Pickle juice, and it also works for coughs, and colds. I am not consistant with it, but going to try it now diluted to 1/2 teaspoon to cup of water, for sinus by spraying it into them.
Try smelling some of the stuff that comes from pimples, think you will be surprised!"
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 01/08/2008: Shelby from Hamilton, Missouri writes: "Well if you see you have or are coming up with acne, and you want to get rif of it fast take out a potato, peal it, and cut a slice out. then, get a band-aid and band-aid the potato slice to the area, sleep with it on over night, you should see results the next day. NOTE: DO NOT COOK!!!!"
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 12/19/2007: Patricia from Laguna Niguel, CA writes: "I love this website! Lots of wonderful home remedies. I read about Iodine and went on ebay- I bought Povidone- Iodine first to try, and painted myself with it over every problem area of my skin- the colors were disappearing in 15 minutes or so. The bottle says for external use only and do not apply it over large areas of the skin. Well, I have not tried take it internally yet, but as I understand it, Povidone is used for prep surgeries, which means it is in contact with blood and internal organs. After my first application on small areas, I noticed that the morning after I could see significant improvement on my skin where there used to be acne-like pumps that I had for several years- some shrank and some went away. I then started using it on all scars and it seems to make them more smooth and heal better. Upon seeing that, I asked my husband to paint me all over my back- dry, flaky skin with red irritable spots- and over night, they became more smooth. So I started to use it more and more, sometimes it stains my clothes, but my skin seemed to be healing. Don't know if that is also indication of my iodine deficiency. I wonder if it works any differently from Lugol's. I do have signs of low thyroid function, like cold intolerance, poor circulation. Can you tell me if I can take the Povidone internally? How is it different from Lugol's?"
EC: Read more about iodine cures.
| | | |
3 YEA
[YEA] 07/19/2008: Yvonne Vefik from Rocklin, CA writes: "After 10 years of suffering from food allergies.. and many prayers to God, I discovered Acidolphilus quite by accident. I broke out in large boil like bumps all over my face when ever I ate any dairy products. Milk, ice cream,cheese and yogart was elimnated from my diet. I constantly had antibiotic prescriptions from doctors for whenever I broke out.I was looking for an allergy cure and started taking acidolphilus. It cured my food allergies and now I enjoy ice cream and milk again! It took about 30 days to completely clear my face and then I kept taking it for a year. And it's cheap! You can buy it at Walmart. What I discovered after doing research is that when you take too many antibiotics, it kills all of your bad and GOOD BACTERIA. SO the acidolphilus restored my good bacteria to fight infections!!! HOPE THIS HELPS EVERYONE! Oh! I sugggested this to my young teenager daughter-in-law who had pimples and she said her face cleared up right away and now she is also using it regularly!! MAY GOD BLESS ALL WHO READ THIS!"
| | | |
[YEA] 07/08/2007: Emily from Pearland, TX writes: "I have been through so many acne treatments (including 2 rounds of accutane) yet I was still getting cysts and spots everyday. I was also having recurrent yeast infections every month. I got off birth control which helped for a while. THEN i started using apple cider vinegar 3x a day, and an antifungal with oregano oil, pau d'arco, caprylic oil etc. Those helped a lot , but I was still getting very hard and painful bumps. What I believed helped me to get rid of my acne was adding probiotics of very meal. I make my own kombucha, kefir and kimchi and they have done wonders for my whole body including the yeast problem. They are also very cheap!"
| | | |
[YEA] Bill from Fremont, CA writes: "Something that works great for my skin is to open one capsule of Bifido Factor by Natren in a small amount of lukewarm filtered (non-chlorine) water and drink it down. Do this 3x/day preferably before meals. This friendly bacteria helps to heal the digestive system which in turn has an amazing effect on the skin. This remedy is a little more expensive but it better addresses the underlying problem."
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 11/19/2008: Stacy from Oklahoma City, OK, USA writes: "Keratosis Pilaris, acne, rosacea, etc
I used to have many health ailments, many of which I have read about here. The only thing that works to cure them and keep them away is a raw diet. When eating a raw diet, you avoid most of the foods that cause the problems in the first place. Consuming too much cooked proteins, especially wheat and dairy, causes disease. Cooking the proteins makes them difficult for the body to break down the protein. The excess proteins clog up the lymph and other organs of elimination causing an over growth of bacteria (colds, cysts, etc.)which in turn causes disease. The disease usually shows up in the weakest organs that have usually been abused the most from a wrong diet. There is a wealth of info at waisays.com and barefoots forum at curezone.com. Herbs are a great way to aid in healing. When you just start cleansing and eating a raw diet, they can help you heal faster. Just wanted to mention this. Thanks and have a great day!"
| | | |
RAW GREEN VEGETABLES FOR 3 DAYS
[YEA] 03/28/2007: Linda Phillips from Phoenix, AZ writes: "I am in my late 50s and have endured mild to moderate acne my entire adult life, until several months ago when I vowed to find the cause and end my frustration. It was clear to me that this was not hormone-caused acne of teenagers, but a reaction of my body to something. I know that I am sensitive to soap, shampoos, conditioners, etc so have avoided these products as much as possible. But the key for me was diet. I went back to the basics and ate only raw green vegetables and drank only filtered water for 3 days. I noticed an immediate improvement in my skin. I then very gradually added back foods, starting with only natural food such as fruits, nuts, grains, beans, vegetables. I avoided anything processed or foods which may contain hormones (meat or dairy). I discovered that I am sensitive to anything enriched with vitamins (white flour, white rice, breakfast cereals, some pasta, etc.) This is an unusual sensitivity but I firmly believe that acne that persists beyond the teenage years is caused by a senility to something and that no topical treatment is as effective as finding the cause and eliminating it. This method may be helpful to others who want to find the cause of sensitivity acne. I wash my face with only tepid water, use no products on my face, and use Shikai brand shampoo which contains no sodium lauryl sulfate. I am elated to have clear healthy skin for the first time in my life."
| | | |
2 QUESTIONS
[QUESTION] 09/08/2009: T from Chicago, Il writes: "I have a question for anybody that might know. You know when you squeeze your nose up and all that stuff comes up? Well I seem to have that all over my face. What is that called, is it considered acne? They never go away so I squeeze them (seems like the only way to get rid of them) and something always come out but then I get holes and spots. I also have pimples and just overall dull, bad, holey, spotted skin. Please email me if your willing to help me.
Creams, herbs, vitamins, techniques, good local doctor anything would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance guys."
09/09/2009: Carmen from Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia replies: "in response to your posting, sounds like clogged pores (although there must be a reason for the extent of your condition) but all I know for certain STOP squeezing. I have had great success from the use of some products mentioned here. I wash regularly with borax (huge difference) often I use a cotton ball to apply H202 (huge difference) and ACV. When in need of a moisturizer I use organic coconut oil or (sometimes) caster oil. I avoid all scented products (soap, moisturizer, etc) these changes have helped my skin :) hope it helps for you."
09/09/2009: T from Chicago, IL replies: "Thanks alot Carmen. Will definitely try the borax. But do I mix the peroxide and acv? I'm not on any meds if that comment was to me. I just take a multivitamin because it just looks like my skin is missing something.Thanks again and more suggestions is always welcome."
09/10/2009: Carmen from Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia replies: "Hey there, I do not mix the ACV & H2O2 together. The way I see it application takes no time at all and each product is doing a different job all on its own. Just another hint, I wear make-up and borax is NOT a good eye make up remover but the organic coconut oil is fantastic!!! After applying the CO I take a tissue to remove the oil and the make-up goes with it.:)"
| | | |
[QUESTION] 05/19/2009: KT from Irvine, CA writes: "Please consider making a 3rd Acne category called Acne Scars, it's a whole different problem in itself and Acne fighting suggestions may or may not heal the old scars. I am sure many people will benefit from this category who are dealing with the scars of Old Acne. Thanks Earth Clinic."
05/21/2009: Anonymous from Anonymous, USA replies: "From the acne message board:
"28 year old female here who has been using MSM pills/cream on and off for almost 4 years now. And let me tell you how fantastic it is! The cream can help things like eczema and psoriasis like nothing I've ever seen, it's great for using all over your body and your face and if you live in Canada, can be picked up at any local W_____. I recommend N____ Health Products MSM cream. It's about $12 for a 125 mL bottle, will last you forever because it can be taken sparingly and even if your local W_____ doesn't carry it, they will order it for you! Or you can call their toll-free # to get i. I don't work for N____, but I think I'm their biggest cheerleader LOL.
As for the pills, I can tell you this: I had moderate cystic acne in my early 20's and a lot of blackheads, so I decided to start taking the pills. I went to G__ and bought the 1000mg pills and started off at 3 grams per day. Keep in mind I researched up and down before doing so and understood that up to 4 grams is perfectly healthy and apparently the only side-effect past 10 grams/day was diarrhea. Because your body naturally produces it, you're just giving it a super boost, it has never harmed me in any way. In addition to helping my skin clear up (not perfectly, but what a vast improvement), my hair and nails are also healthier and grow a lot faster.
What I would recommend as a whole regimen to start is 2 grams of MSM pills per day, 2 grams of D'Pantothenic Acid per day (vitamin B5), and using the cream as often as possible. I started seeing results on 3 grams of each (though if you're gun-shy, do 2 grams) within 2 weeks. And when I added the cream to the mix, I was like a new person!
The only thing I can't say it did was reduce my pore size or get rid of the annoying deeply embedded blackheads, so I do a Vitalize peel every 18 months now for those, but that's a WHOLE other thread LOL. Hope this helps, I'd stick with it, it's worth it!"
| | | |
2 YEA
[YEA] 01/25/2007: Jennifer from Foley, AL writes: "Fill your sink up, about 1/4, with warm water. Then pour some salt in it. Soak cotton ball in it for 30 minutes and swish it around, making sure its all salty. Squeeze out the cooton ball and apply on the pimple. If your face doesnt start to tingle, add more salt to the cotton ball. When your face does start tingling, push down for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, DON'T WASH THE SALT OFF YOUR FACE. Apply honey on your face and leave on for 15 minutes. When 15 minutes is up, rinse off and apply a dab of toothpaste and leave on overnight."
| | | |
[YEA] Mallory from Chester Springs, PA writes: "Wet some of a paper towel with warm water and shake some salt on it and put the salt over a pimple if it stings, it's working."
| | | |
2 YEA
[YEA] 03/07/2009: Jackie from Miami, Florida, US writes: "Sandalwood, Rose Water and Warm Water: I have very oily skin and big pores which leads to blackheads. My mom told me about this remedy. Take a spoon of sandalwood powder, add a little rose water to it, making it pasty and apply it to your face. Once the mask dries up, wash it with warm water. Do this once a week. Each day, get a small clean white towel, soak it with warm water and place the towel on your face. This will soften both the skin and the material blocking the pores. Wipe gently. This has help brighten my face and my pores look smaller. I also make sure to change my pillow case often (using cotton pillow cases) and I keep my hair away from my face to prevent them from coming back. I hope this can help everyone else as it did for me. Good luck!"
[YEA] 03/07/2009: Dianna from Austin, Tx replies: "i love sandalwood powder! what i do is i wet my face and dip my damp fingers into the powder rub it between my hands and scrub my skin gently. then i also use a warm wet cloth and let it sit for a minute and then wipe off the powder and rinse my face with warm and then cold water several times. afterwards i will put a few drops of either VCO or jojoba oil on my face - and sometimes after this at night i will also use a layer of castor oil. my pores have never been happier!"
| | | |
1 YEA
[YEA] 09/12/2009: Shalini from Petaling Jaya, Malaysia writes: "First of all, thanks very much to Earthclinic for all your help!
I've been struggling with acne for a long time, and after trying out some remedies from EC have found a combination that made a dramatic improvement in my skin. I was quite astonished at how fast it healed, compared to the turtle speed of most acne meds.
I've eliminated all soaps and medications, and am using only natural products. In the morning, I apply a baking soda mask for 5 minutes. It stings a lot, and be careful not to scrub, just leave it on. This disinfects your skin and gradually shrinks acne. At night, I apply a turmeric mask for an hour. Be careful with turmeric because it will stain - on my tanned skin it just blends in. To moisturise, I use coconut oil, less in the day and more at night.
I also take coconut oil internally, one tablespoon morning and night. I also take two tablespoons of granulated lecithin, and 3000mg of high quality fish oil. The fish oil showed me an overnight improvement, and even helped me sleep better.
Here's what didn't work: ACV is not my friend, unfortunately. Evening primrose oil did not work at all. Blackstrap molasses is incredibly helpful for my menstrual cycle, but again no difference in skin.
Hopefully this will help any acne sufferers out there, good luck!"
| | | |
 Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next  |
Did
one of these remedies work for you?
Have another suggestion for us?
PLEASE
SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK!
