Part 1
Health and wellbeing do not depend on the pharmaceutical corporations, and the bothersome issue of acne and its treatment are no different. Not surprisingly, acne home remedies are actually much more effective for all types of people than chemical-laden pharmaceutical 'remedies'. As with many commercially prepared medicines, most acne treatments at the store treat only the outermost symptoms, leaving the underlying imbalance to effect more acne breakouts in the future.
Just like light bulbs and house building materials, commercial acne medicines are geared for a disposable culture. "Why treat acne", the bigwig pharmaceutical companies ponder, "when we can secure lifelong customers with an acne product that will proffer enough promising results that they'll keep buying the stuff their entire lives?"
If that sounds far fetched to you, consider the fact that ever since the modern light bulb has been around we've been able to make them to last several years, but decided that more money can be made off of disposable bulbs that only last a couple of months. And humans have been building living structures that last hundreds and hundreds of years, but only more recently has consumer culture decided that disposable housing materials are preferable.
Not only are all of these products parts of an unsustainable system that cannot replenish the world and the resources used, but they have the same unsustainable effects upon our own individual systems. When we treat symptoms instead of taking the time to determine the underlying imbalance or deficiency, not only can we not expect the problem to go away for very long, but we run the risk of exacerbating the issue.
With acne, the underlying cause is typically associated with bacteria that become trapped in the skin's pores. Naturally, one of the primary parts of an acne home remedy, or any type, is to effectively cleanse the area in order to remove the bacteria before an acne breakout can occur.
The problem with most commercial acne remedies is that they dry the skin to a degree that sebaceous glands produce even more oil in which the bacteria can grow. It's not that the oil is bad, per se, simply that bacteria can breed in areas where oil is allowed to build up and remain trapped below the surface of the skin.
One can combine cleansing and light exfoliation to get underneath the layer of dead surface skin cells simply using an exfoliating cleanser. Now, these types of cleansers are available commercially as well. Though some are almost natural, nearly all of them have alcohol and other unnecessary components. Borax, on the other hand, is an extremely gentle soap in granular form that can be used to exfoliate and cleanse the skin simultaneously.
Part 2
Not sure why, but many people familiar only with commercially prepared treatments, have the notion engrained that borax is some kind of harsh chemical, when nothing could be further from the truth. Perhaps they associate it with boric acid or some such. However, the truth is that borax is so gentle that those with soap allergies and extremely sensitive skin use borax will no ill effect.
Once the area is thoroughly cleansed, there are many essential oils that can help keep the bacteria from repopulating the pores. For example, straight lavender essential oil is a powerful anti-microbial substance that greatly increases healing of damaged skin tissue. Lavender essential oil is one of the only essential oils that can be applied undiluted to the skin.
So there you have it, acne home remedies can be as simple as that. Exfoliate and cleanse with a mild exfoliating cleanser such as borax, and treat the affected areas with lavender essential oil. In addition to lavender essential oil's powerful antibacterial properties, it is also capable of relieving pain and discomfort sometimes associated with acne.
Be warned though, straight lavender can sting a bit on broken skin, but this will only last for a few seconds. Then the natural analgesic properties of lavender essential oil kick in and provide effective pain relief. If the initial stinging sensation is too much for you, simply dilute the essential oil with jojoba or some other light carrier oil. Jojoba oil is a great one for the face, as it most closely resembles natural human oil produced by the sebaceous glands.
Actually, jojoba is a wax that is liquid at room temperature. Don't be afraid of oil just because it's associated with exacerbating acne. The truth is that oils are even better at deep cleansing because they can penetrate the skin more deeply for their similarity to the body's own natural cleansing substances.
Another way to keep on top of acne breakouts is to add essential oils to your lotion or cold cream. Add lavender at the rate of ten to thirty drops essential oil per each ounce of lotion or cold cream. This is an excellent way to benefit from this skin supporting essential oil while moisturizing your skin as well.
There are other essential oils that can also help treat acne and other skin problems. An acne home remedy may include lavender essential oil, as well as essential oils of geranium, patchouli or cedarwood. Cedarwood is a good choice for skin that is very oily, as it will help dry up the excess oil. Geranium is an excellent addition to effect a rosy glow and increase circulation to the skin, which itself aids in healing an acne breakout.
Overall, an acne home remedy should be a simple, straight forward regimen. When we add unnecessary chemicals and other things to acne treatments, all we're doing is making it harder for our bodies to heal on their own. Remember, the body is a very advanced and quite self-sufficient system capable of healing itself if giving the basic necessities of water, sleep and basic cleansing.
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