Aloe vera is a common ingredient in skin care products. It has soothing properties and acts by promoting and accelerating the natural healing process of the skin. Aloe also has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial action, in addition it does not cause significant side effects. In light of all these wonderful properties, you can use it to fight acne.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Fighting Acne with Aloe Vera
Step 1. Get aloe vera
You can buy a whole plant or a ready-made gel. In the first case you can find it in a garden store, while the gel is available in pharmacies, herbalists and even in many supermarkets.
If you have decided to buy the plant, to extract the gel, you need to cut a generous portion of a leaf (about 12-15 cm). Wash it with water, then cut it in half lengthwise. At this point you can extract the gel by scraping the inside of the leaf with a spoon or knife
Step 2. Test a small amount of gel on the skin
It is always best to do a skin test on a small area of the body before using aloe vera gel liberally. This rule applies both to the gel extracted directly from the leaf and to the one purchased ready in the bottle. The purpose of the test is to make sure you don't have a particular allergy or sensitivity to aloe. The plant belongs to the same botanical family as lilies, garlic and onions, so if you have a problem with these species, you are likely to experience a negative reaction even using aloe vera.
Spread a few drops of gel on the inside of the wrist, let it dry and then rinse the skin. If you don't notice any negative reactions, such as itching, swelling or redness, you can try applying aloe vera to your face
Step 3. Fight acne locally
Take two teaspoons of aloe vera and mix them with two or three drops of lemon juice. Lemon juice helps keep the skin's pH in balance. Mix the two ingredients well.
- Use a cotton swab to apply the mixture directly to the acne. Leave it on for at least 20-30 minutes or better overnight.
- Rinse your face with warm water and then wash it with your usual cleanser.
- Repeat the treatment every day.
Step 4. Use aloe vera to create an acne face mask
Cut one or two aloe leaves (for a total of about 15 cm) and remove the thorns along the sides before cutting them and extracting the gel by scraping them internally with a knife or spoon.
- Mix the aloe vera gel with a teaspoon of honey (another natural ingredient with antibacterial properties) or 5-7 drops of lemon juice. Mix the ingredients carefully.
- Apply the gel all over the face or if necessary only on the individual areas affected by acne using a cotton swab.
- If possible, leave it on overnight or at least 20-30 minutes.
- Rinse your face with warm water and then wash it using your usual cleanser.
- Repeat the treatment every day.
Step 5. Replicate the treatments over several weeks
You may have to wait a while to notice the therapeutic effects of aloe vera. If you don't notice any benefit after 3-4 weeks, make an appointment with a dermatologist to consider alternative treatment.
Part 2 of 2: Alleviate Acne Outbreaks
Step 1. Wash your face at least twice a day
You should wash your face as soon as you wake up and before going to sleep. If you sweat during the day, for example from exercise or due to heat, wash your face as soon as possible to rid your skin of toxins that the body excretes through sweat.
Step 2. Use a mild cleanser made from vegetable oils and ingredients
Read the label to make sure it is not comedogenic, meaning it doesn't clog pores. Otherwise it will promote the formation of other pimples and blackheads.
- You can find a wide range of oily cleaners on the market. Read the labels carefully or ask for advice at the pharmacy or herbalist's shop to choose a non-comedogenic product suitable for the characteristics of your skin.
- There are several oils that can deeply cleanse the skin without clogging the pores. The therapeutic action is based on the principle that two similar substances cancel each other out. In other words, you can use vegetable oils to dissolve and eliminate the ones that the skin naturally produces.
- Make sure the cleaner does not contain alcohol before buying it. Alcohol dries and damages the skin.
Step 3. Apply the cleaner with your fingers
The skin in general, but especially the one affected by acne, must be treated with extreme delicacy. Using a microfiber cloth or sponge may irritate it and aggravate the problem as you try to fix it.
Step 4. Be especially gentle during acne breakouts
Do not touch or harass the pimples in any way. Otherwise they will redden further, take longer to heal and in the worst cases may leave scars.
Step 5. Stay out of the sun and don't make the lamp
Ultraviolet rays (especially UVBs) can damage skin cells. If you are using acne medications or other medications, it is vital to keep in mind that in many cases they can make your skin even more sensitive to the sun and sunlamps.
The drugs in question include some antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, tetracyclines, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim), antihistamines (diphenhydramine, active ingredient for example of Allergan), anticancer (5-fluorouracil, vinblastin and dacarbazine), medicines used to treat heart diseases (amiodarone, nifedipine, quinidine and diltiazem), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (naproxen) and anti-acne (isotretinoin, active ingredient for example of "Roaccutan" and acitretin, active ingredient among others of "Neotigason")
Step 6. Do not rub the skin hard
In addition to slowing healing, you increase the risk of scarring. If you want to use exfoliating products in an attempt to alleviate acne, do it very gently or you will end up aggravating the problem rather than solving it.
- Scrubbing can cause tiny scars that are visible only with a magnifying glass, but also scars that are clearly visible to the naked eye. It can also aggravate acne conditions easily.
- When you exfoliate the skin you risk tearing away cells that are not yet ready to peel off, it's a bit like removing a scab ahead of time, the underlying tissues will not have healed yet.
Step 7. Avoid foods that are bad for your body
While acne may not be the direct result of a poor diet, despite the stories you may have heard about milk or chocolate, for some people, certain foods increase the risk of pimples and blackheads forming on the skin.. Certain foods, including dairy products and those high in refined sugars, can aggravate inflammation and create an environment in which acne bacteria can proliferate.
Specifically, foods with a high glycemic index, which are rich in carbohydrates, are linked to acne
Step 8. Eat a healthy diet
This way you can be sure that you are meeting your daily need for nutrients to keep your skin and whole body healthy. Vitamins considered essential for healthy skin are A and D. In addition, you should consume enough omega-3 fatty acids every day to heal acne more easily.
- Make sure that at least half of your plate is filled with vegetables, especially at dinner.
- Foods rich in vitamin A include: spinach, carrots, squash, broccoli, lettuce, kale, peppers, sweet potatoes, beans, melons, apricots, mangoes, beef liver, herring, and salmon.
- Foods rich in vitamin D include: cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, milk, yogurt, and cheese. Nowadays you can find many foods supplemented with this vitamin, but the best way to meet the needs of the body is to expose the skin to the sun 10-15 minutes a week, since in this way it is able to produce it by itself.
- Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include: flax seeds and oil, chia seeds, nuts, salmon, sardines, mackerel, whitefish, alosa, sunflower and hemp oil, basil, oregano, cloves, marjoram, spinach, radish sprouts, broccoli and finally meat and eggs (to be taken in small quantities).
Warnings
- The effectiveness of aloe vera for fighting acne is still debated. Although its refreshing properties are now known and recognized, there is a need to carry out other studies to evaluate its possible medical uses.
- Aloe vera gel used locally has few and rare side effects, but the risks increase if you ingest it, for example you could suffer from abdominal cramps or diarrhea.
