12 Proven Natural Remedies for Acne

Argan Oil

Posted by Adriael (Atlanta, Ga) on 01/02/2012
★★★★★

Hi all, This may seem like a trendy post but I have had amazing results with Argan Oil. About 6 months ago my mild acne turned rather severe. I had about 80 little white bumps on my cheeks and about 5-6 on each side would flare up into small red pimples. My face was really starting to scar so I went to the dermatologist. She put me on Ziana cream and suggested oral antibiotics as well. As I did not want yeast infections I opted to try the topical Ziana cream (which is tretinoin and an antibiotic). I used this for several months with about a 10% improvement overall.

Finally I went on Amzon to buy some Argan Oil for my hair and noticed that a lot of reviews had said that it had helped with their Acne. I've been using it for about three weeks and I've had no new blemished and all my scars are healing. It's really been a miracle for me. This is my current routine morning and evening:

1: Use Clairsonic exfoliating brush to wash off makeup with a gentle cleanser (I just use a regular cleanser not an acne specific one).

2: Rub about 20 drops of Argan oil over my face and under my chin.

I wish I had before and after photos, but all my family and friends have remarked on the dramatic improvement.

Toothpaste

Posted by Barb (Suwanee, Ga Usa) on 09/26/2011
★★★★★

I suffered for many months at a time from perioral acne (red, bumpy, itchy, oily, flakey rash with pustules) around my nose and chin, and tried all the classic home remedies from AC vinegar to calamine lotion, to eating foods that fight infections, etc. Rubbing alcohol made it redder and it didn't cure it.

The cure? Change to Tom's Toothpaste with no fluoride. Regular toothpastes (common brands like Crest, Colgate, and all others) have fluoride and some other ingredients possibly. In one day the red bumps were calmer and not "active" and in about 2 days they were gone. My face was clear!! Such a simple solution, and I had struggled for about 5 months! As soon as I started fluoride toothpaste again after a week or so of Tom's, it usually broke out again. It isn't the toothpaste dripping on the skin, it is that the toothpaste has irritants which are absorbed through the membranes of the mouth lining, so it becomes an allergy to some people. Even mouthwashes & some sugarfree gums or mints which may be strong can cause flare-ups of perioral acne. My dermatologist had given me an antibiotic for this which did work, but then you're on antibiotics which make skin sensitive to sun. After weeks on Tom's you can usually go back to your regular toothpaste, but you'll know what to do if you feel the first itchy, red little bump...

Diatomaceous Earth

Posted by Natcat86 (Gaithersburg, Maryland, Usa) on 08/16/2011
★★★★★

I had really bad acne all over my face and neck with the random appearance on my chest, back, or shoulders constantly for 14 years (starting at puberty), and as time went on it only got worse (so it wasn't caused by changes in hormones as I was led to believe). I stumbled upon some information on Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and became intrigued because of its many proported benefits (I recommend looking it up). It is relatively unknown, and only sold for pest control and consumption by animals, (but you can buy food grade DE online) but since it is used to mechanically kill bugs in grain silos and just about every person who has ever eaten grain which was stored in a silo has eaten DE, I figured it would be safe and I would try it. DE is the fossilized shells of a type of algae called Diatoms. Their shells are extremely hard and very sharp (but yet not dangerous to your cells) and they mechanically scrub the walls of your intestines, scraping away any build-up. Some DE passes through the intestinal walls and into the bloodstream and while it is there it scrapes plaque buildup away from the walls of veins and arteries. It basicly acts like a plumber in your body.

I found that most cases of acne are caused by toxins entering the blood stream through the digestive system (some degree of leaky gut), not by a problem with the skin itself. It is your body attempting to expel the toxins from your blood. When you expel the toxins which originate in your digestive tract through the digestive system, they don't have the opportunity to make it into your blood stream and thus cause acne by pushing through your skin. So... I began adding 1tsp DE to water every day for a week, then increased it to 1tbsp gradually after that and drank it daily for 2 months. I noticed a difference my skin within a day. By the time 2 months was up I no longer had acne. I had to stop consuming it for a little while after that because I slightly threw my body off balance (my skin became a little dry). After a month off, I started consuming it again in moderation and have been ever since. I have been able to consistently keep the acne away as long as I continue to consume it at least a couple of times a week. I highly reccomend it because it is very effective and it gets to the root of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms. I now have had only a few pimples (instead of many hundreds) within the last 9 months, and I know that in time I will get them to go away completely.

Baking Soda

Posted by Phoenix (Tampa, Florida) on 04/30/2011
★★★★★

I used to have really bad acne on my face, back, chest. My acupuncturist told me to put 2 TBSP of Baking Soda in a bath and soak, submerging my face. It's worked so well for me I've been doing it for years! At first I soaked 3x a week but now I take a bath every week or two. I started putting fresh aloe on my skin right after. It always clears my skin, shrinks pores, and diminishes fine lines.

Pantothenic Acid

Posted by Caitlyn (Bloomfield, Mi Usa) on 03/02/2011
★★★★★

After literally trying everything under the sun, I came upon this article from a naturopathic doctor (link to copy and paste is below post). I've seen much discussion about B5 (pantothenic acid) for acne, but the amounts you need to take are excessive. This article explains how you can take L-Carnitine to boost the benefits of B5, necessitating a lesser amount. (L-Carnitine fumarate is the more absorbable form of it-- just google L-carnitine fumarate; many places to purchase will show up. This worked much better for me than regular L-Carnitine)

While they recommend 750 mg. of B5 with 250mg. of L-Carnitine 3x per day; I took 1000 mg. of B5 with 500 mg. of L-carnitine. (Mainly because the capsules I purchased came as 500 mg. Each, so I took two B5 and one L-carnitine per dose. I've found if I'm having a problem, adding an extra dose or 2 (making 4 or 5 times a day) works better and much faster, then you can lower the doses per day for maintenance.

Additionally, Vitex (chaste berry herb), and saw palmetto are very, very helpful and safe for hormonal acne.

Blackstrap Molasses

Posted by Chelsea (Minneapolis, Minnesota) on 02/13/2011
★★★★★

This did wonders for my face and skin as a whole. I decided to start living a more healthy life last summer of 2010. I came to this wonderful site and started trying a lot of remedies for various ailments. Concerning acne/the look of my overall face, the ACV remedy did help a little bit for the acne and made my skin a nice healthy color as well as bringing out my eyes more. Oil pulling also helped clear it up a little bit (less than ACV though) and made me have a fresh look in the morning (the bags under my eyes, although not as prominant as some people, seemed to disappear). Applying Hydrogen peroxide to the face helped a lot, but it seemed as if I am allergic to it since I started to get a lot of small flesh-colored bump on my face (which also happens when I tried Benzyl Peroxide).

However, Blackstrap was by far the best acne treatment for me. I do have low iron (too low to donate blood even though I ate many foods with iron in them every day), so maybe that was a factor that was remedied and therefore gave me clear skin. I rarely have even a pimple anymore. It also made my face unbelievably soft, softer than ACV, Oilpulling, or Hydrogen Peroxide, although those things are better for other ailments.

To make mine, I use the recommended TBSP with a little bit of honey, stir with a bit of hot water, add 1-2 TBSP of Half and Half

Supplements

Posted by Jamie (Chattanooga, Tn) on 12/28/2010
★★★★★

I have researched many cures for acne on line and have put together what works best for me.

Daily Plan:

Vitamin A 3 8000iu (24, 000IU) capsules 2x's daily

Vitamin E: 1 200IU 1 or 2x's daily. (i find 2 sometimes makes my face greasy)

Zinc: 1 caplet 1 time a day (can't remember the mg off top of head)

Niacin flush daily. You will have to experiment to find the appropriate amount of Niacin to cause the "flush" which I have found to be the MOST helpful part b/c if I miss it a day or two I have a breakout. My flush amount is 300mg on empty stomach. Wash 2x daily with ben Peroxide wash and use salicylic acid moisturizer.

Pantothenic Acid

Posted by Lita209 (Sanford, Fl, Usa) on 06/25/2010
★★★★★

Pantothenic Acid - B-5 is also great for acne. This is the only thing that worked for me; megadosage of Panthotenic Acid.

Pantothenic Acid

Posted by Cl503 (Oregon) on 02/17/2016
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Please please understand that hairloss is a possible side effect. I read about it and didn't think it would happen to me. About 12-15 days into taking large doses of B5, even with a B complex, I began losing hair at an alarming rate. It took me many months and hundreds of dollars trying all sorts of things to gain control over the situation. What ended up helping me was balancing my hormones-- DIM, Iodine and folate. I took a host of other supplements as well but believe these 3 helped the most and truly balanced my hormones---blood tests before and after proved it.

Honey

Posted by Capirussa (Orlando, Florida, Us) on 03/17/2010
★★★★★

Honey has also been a successful treatment of acne for me. I bought a jar of organic RAW honey and it made all the difference from the regular, processed market brands. I suggest it to anyone because not only is the organic honey full of enzymes and good things that have not been filtered out and help kill the acne bacteria, it is also non-drying for your skin or harsh in any way and I've had some degree of success with it in removing the old acne scars. Since the honey comes in a rather solid form, you can just take a spoon to it and carve some out and it'll more or less melt between your fingers once you start to rub it onto your face. I would leave it on as a mask for an hour or so, then just rinse off with warm water. Don't use soap. In fact, that's another thing that helped my skin improve, I stopped using soap and any harsh chemicals on it. The PH balance of the skin returned to normal and along with the honey, helped destroy any bacteria that was lingering where it wasn't meant to be. Good luck everyone, I LOVE THIS SITE! Thank you earth clinic and all who contribute. It has been an amazing help.

Zinc

Posted by Bill (Prescott Valley, Arizona) on 03/13/2010
★★★★★

Am an Alternative researcher. My 12 year old son was developing acne back in the 70's. Gave him some Zinc
tablets, 10 mg I. think, and it cleared up. It worked so well, he started selling them on the school bus and got in trouble. To stress the importance of Zinc in the body; he was told young boys deficient in zinc would have small sex organs and zinc was important for their growth. Needless to say, all of his friends took zinc religously.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Kat (Pdx, Or) on 02/28/2010
★★★★★

I've had acne on my cheeks and jaw line for over a year tried multiple things. I'm a vegetarian and I read that zinc deficiency can cause acne. So I started taking Zinc 50 mg 2x daily and I also stopped drinking milk because I read that milk is indigestable by the body and causes toxicity. I take two showers a day so I started washing my face with about 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, while in the shower and would allow it to sit on my face for a couple minutes then I would rinse it off. Once out of the shower I would a splash organic apple cider vinegar on my face and let it air dry. My acne is now completely gone my skin is glowing and clear. I hope this remedy helps someone like it did me.

Vitamin A

Posted by Frances A (Jacksonville, Florida) on 11/29/2009
★★★★★

Recurring boils and similar large, painful pimples

After age 21 I had terrible huge pimples. When my pharmacist told me that some derms prescribed Vitamin A, I started on it immediately.. It was like a miracle, a moderate miracle. The huge deep pimples stopped and my skin improved in other ways.

I used to take 50,000 units a day but now I would limit myself to 25,000 units per day. Just be patient and don't stop the treatment.

Zinc

Posted by Kai (Randolph, Nj) on 11/13/2009
★★★★★

About a week ago, I noticed that my 14 year old son's prescription tazarotene acne face cream was no longer working. He was breaking out in large pimples everywhere on his face, neck, chest and back. He was running out of the prescription cream, which had worked pretty wel for a while, (but not great) and I had to decide if it was worth a trip to the doctor to get a new prescription. After I looked at the cost of the prescription meds without insurance, I began to research natural cures for acne. He was also using a sulpha wash and an 8% benzyol peroxide wash to try to keep the acne at bay with no success.

After doing some research here on Earth Clinic, I decided to try some of the methods others were having some luck with. First we tried diluted ACV and it seemed to smooth his skin, but since his skin is ultra sensitive, it burned quite a bit even though it was diluted far more than recommended by other posters. So while it could work well occasionally, I knew we would not be able to use this on an daily basis.

Topically applied zinc also sounded promising, but before we went out and bought zinc cream, I decided to make our own concoction out of what we had in the house. I used a Miconazole nitrate cream, (which I had read worked for some acne suffers), and zinc tablets which I ground with a mortar and pestle. We have applied the cream for two nights now and it is working so well it is hard for me to believe. He has no new pimples (some were getting large and cystic--one by the side of his nose kept coming back no matter what we treated it with) and the old ones are disappearing. I wish I had taken a picture of his face before the treatment to compare.

He says the cream tingles a little when it is applied, but that sensation goes away quickly. While it is too soon to tell if this is a viable long term solution, the immediate results are promising.

In the meantime, we have ordered some commercial zinc cream (around $8) and are looking forward to trying it to see if it will work as well as our homemade cream.

Baking Soda

Posted by Pauline (Sebring, Florida) on 09/28/2009
★★★★★

to Azg from Toronto:

Hi Azg,

Combine 2 tablespoons of baking soda with a drizzle of water until you make a soft paste. Massage the baking soda paste around the face using small circular motions. Focus on the areas of the most scarring and red spots.

After around 30 seconds rinse your face well with warm water. Repete this process once per day to help diminish red spots from acne. Baking soda can help diminish red spots and skin discolorations quickly, especially when used as a facial scrub.

Avoid wearing makeup, do not pick or squeeze pimples. Change pillow cases and sheets every other day. The pillow case absorbs oils from your skin and reapplies the dirt and oil.

Eat foods rich in Zinc. Zinc is an antibacterial agent and a necessary element in the oil- producing glands of the skin. A diet low in Zinc can actually cause acne breakouts.

I have give this to many of my friends for acne. They all said, it helped them. I hope it helps you too. Let me know!

Pauline

Shalini's Acne Remedies

Posted by Shalini (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) on 09/12/2009
★★★★★

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!