Acne

17 Simple Home Remedies For Pimples/Acne

Pimples and Acne are one of the worst nightmares for any woman. They have been haunting us since our teenage days and sometimes even after. They use form on the face, back, shoulders, neck and chest. When the pores of the face gets clogged up due to the accumulation of sebum, dead cells and dirt, it leads to pimples. It’s pretty common for oily skin types, but even people with dry and normal skin sometimes face it.

But do you know why do they pop up suddenly on the face?

Our skin has lots of pores on the surface which are connected to the sebaceous glands present just below the surface. These sebaceous glands produce sebum (an oily substance), which is released on the skin through the pores, along with the dead skin. Sometimes these sebaceous glands are over-active and end up producing a lot of sebum. This in turn clogs the pores of the skin, forming a red spot on the skin. When the bacteria on this red spot begin to multiply and grow, it leads to the formation of pimple.

The most common reasons which leads to the development of pimples are-

1. Heredity:

If you have a genetic problem, then the pimples on face will reoccur through your life time. The genetic rationale behind it is the hyper-active sebaceous glands which produces a lot of sebum, leading to a pimple formation. In this case, you should consult a skin- specialist, as home remedies and natural methods may not provide a permanent solution to your problem. For serious acne or pimples, oral medication is necessary for a particular time period. Procedures such as chemical peels and microdermabrasion can be very effective as it reduces the occurrence of acne and also reduces the acne spots and blemishes.  

2. Hormonal pimples/acne:

If you think you have passed away your teenage years and wont fear pimples anymore, you may be in the wrong perception. Adult pimple or acne is caused due to the hormonal imbalance in the body. It is very common symptom of PMS and also occurs during the menopause period. 

However there are many hormonal therapies to treat adult acne effectively and safely.

 

3. Oily food:

This is the most important reason of pimple formation in today’s generation. Eating a lot of fried and processed food; trigger your oil glands and thus producing sebum which leads to pimples, blackheads and breakouts.

Try to include foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, protein and iron rich diet to get a glowing skin. This is one of the most important tips on how to avoid pimples in the first place.

 

4. Skin care products:

While using your favourite beauty products, you often forget the fact that these can also cause pimples and blackheads. Using products which are not suitable for skin type, is a complete no-no.

Switching products very frequently causes a lot of harm to skin, as the new ingredients in the product can irritate your skin causing pimples and breakouts.

5. Make up removal:

How often have you felt tired and lazy to remove your make up before you hit the bed??? But do know that sleeping with your make up on, can lead to clogged pores and trap acne-causing bacteria which lead to the formation of pimples. At the end of the day, the dirt, oil and make up add on triple pressure on your face.

 

6. Travelling:

When you travel far, the change in the environment like the weather, temperature, humidity, water etc triggers the formation of pimples. You cannot change the climatic factors, but can always wash your face with bottled water.

7. Stress:

When you worry too much, it is reflected on your skin prominently. Stress cannot alone cause pimple, but it aggravates the problem by releasing inflammatory chemicals neuropeptides.

Exercise daily for at least 20 minutes and practice yoga and meditation to relive stress.

Now that you have seen the reasons, let us look at some pimples home remedies.

The most important daily treatment for pimple remedy is cleansing, exfoliation, toning and moisturising, otherwise known as CTM routine.

• Cleansing: 

The step in the answer to the question of how to cure pimple is cleansing. It removes the accumulation of dust and pollution from the skin. It also helps to get of the excessive sebum produced and unclogs the pores.

However you should choose the cleanser according to your skin type. People with dry skin should choose a cream based cleanser, oily skin people should choose a gel based cleanser and normal skin people should use foam cleansers. Here are some more tips for cleansing.

• Exfoliating: 

This is an important step with regards to the question of how to reduce pimples. Exfoliation helps in removing all the dead skin from the skin and helps in formulating new cells. Practising this at least once in a week or more helps in getting a soft and subtle skin.

• Toning: 

Toning is very important as it closes the pores of the face. To get rid of the pimples, always use a toner which is alcohol free. Here is a list of good toners for oily skin. 

• Moisturising:

Moisturising locks in the essential moisture. For pimple and acne- prone skin, always use products which contain salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide as active ingredients, as they help to reduce pimples.

Regular moisturising helps to regulating the blood circulation in the skin and controls the sebaceous glands to release the sebum. Thus proper moisturising gives you a healthy and glowing skin.

However if you currently suffer from pimples and breakouts, try these home remedies for pimples.

1. Sugar scrub:

Skin exfoliation is the most important beauty treatment that you should follow in order to maintain healthy, glowing and pimple free skin. Brown sugar is one of the mildest natural exfoliater. It removes the dead cells, dirt, sebum and impurities from the pores, which causes pimples.

• Mix together 3 teaspoons of brown sugar in 1 teaspoon of honey.

• Apply all over the face and scrub gently in circular motion.

• Once dry after 15 minutes wash off with cold water and pat dry.

2. Neem face pack:

When we speak of home remedies for acne, neem is the first name that comes to our mind!

Neem is one of the most widely known anti acne home remedies which have been used since ages.They are rich in anti fungal, anti bacterial and blood purifying properties working as a best natural astringent. It cools down the skin and prevents you from getting pimples.

Grind a few neem leaves to form a paste. You can either use fresh leaves or dried leaves. In the tutorial I have used dried leaves.

• in this, add 1 teaspoon of multani mitti (fuller’s earth).

• Add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder and raw milk to form a smooth paste. Turmeric has anti- bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. 

• Apply on the face and leave it for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Here are a few readily available face packs for acne skin .

3. Potato pack:

Potato is a good absorbent of excess oil and sebum and it also removes dirt and grease from the skin. It reduces dark circles, puffiness under the eyes, blemishes and acne marks. Regular application of potato pack shows effective results. 

• Thin slices of potato can be applied over the pimples. You can also grate the potato and the juice can be applied over the pimples and acnes. Sliced potato can be kept over the eyes to reduce the dark circles and puffiness. 

Here is a handy list of Potato face packs.

4. Cinnamon pack:

Cinnamon is another home remedy for pimples that has anti-microbial properties which help to fight pimples and also add a healthy glow on the face. 

• Grind a few pieces of cinnamon to form a powder.

• In it add a teaspoon of honey and gram’s flour (besan).

• Apply the pack all over the face and leave it for 15 minutes.

Once dry, scrub the face in light circular motions and wash off the skin.

5. Orange peel pack:

Orange contains large amounts of citric acid and vitamin C, which refreshes skin and relieve the acne.  The orange peel as well as its juice can be used to treat acne and pimples. 

• Grind a few pieces of the orange peel to from a paste.

• Apply all over the face and leave it for 15 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.

 

6. Natural scrub:

This homemade scrub will help to clean up dirt, dead cells and oil that tend to build up and block pores, which then lead to pimples.

• Take one teaspoon of rice flour in a bowl.

• In it, add a teaspoon of gram’s flour (besan) and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder.

• Add a teaspoon of raw milk to form a smooth paste and apply over the face. 

• Leave it for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water.

Apart from these home remedies for pimples, this is the to-do list that you should follow religiously:

7. Wash your face 2-3 times a day with cool water as it helps to close the pores of your skin.

8. If you’re suffering from this problem for a long time, use a medicated cream which contains benzoly peroxide and salicylic acid to the targeted areas. You can also crush a few tablets of any aspirin (as it contains salicylic acid) and mix it with few drops of water to form a paste. Apply this paste over the pimples or acnes and keep it overnight. Rinse off with cool water the next day.

 

9. Use the mud mask (multani mitti) at least once a week to clean the pores. 

10. Regularly steam your face as it helps to opens the pores and makes the removal of pimples and blackheads very easily and effectively.

11. Wash your make up tools like the brushes and sponges to remove all the dirt, oil and bacteria from them.

 

12. Drink 10-12 glasses of water daily to flush out all the impurities from the body.

13. Avoid touching your face with your hands regularly. Also while talking over phone, keep it away from your face. While doing so, you will transfer all the dirt and bacteria from your hands or phone to your face, thus increasing the risk of pimple formation.

14. Have a diet rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, niacin and zinc. All of these help to ward off and fight away the pimple forming bacteria. For vitamin A, you can include carrots and pumpkin in your diet. You can also use carrot or pumpkin face packs over the pimples. Foods like wheat germ, peanuts, watermelon, pumpkin seeds, meat and crab contain a lot of zinc which controls pimples internally. Zinc is also an antibacterial agent and regulates the sebaceous glands.

15. Drink a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of honey and lime juice daily in the morning, empty stomach. This will purify the system by flushing out the toxins from the body, and maintains the PH balance of the skin thus curing pimples and acne. You can also drink green tea as it a powerful anti-oxidant, helping to keep the pimples at bay.

16. Do not squeeze or prick the pimples or blackheads. This would increase the sebum production and also let the bacteria spread on the surface of the skin, leading to more pimples. It also leads to a permanent pigmentation and the spots remain for a long time even after the pimple is healed.

17. Consumption of too much iodine (iodised salt) can lead to pimple and blackhead outbreaks. Excess of sodium also leads to weight gain. So reduce the amount of salt in your daily diet.

Do try these homemade face packs and follow these essential tips for healthy, glowing and pimple free skin!!!

If you have any more suggestions, feel free to post in the comment section below. Your suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Till then take care and keep it stylish!!!!!!