5 Natural Acne Spot Treatments

1. Manuka Honey

Due to its strong antibacterial properties, honey has been used for thousands of years to heal wounds and skin infections.

While all kinds of unfiltered, change integrity honey have medicament properties, analysis has shown Manuka honey to possess the foremost powerful antimicrobial result. In fact, studies show that Manuka honey can even protect against skin pathogens such as staphylococcus aureus. (1) Manuka honey is generally from New Zealand or Australia, but can be found at most local health food stores.

Honey is additionally absorbent, which means it will prolong wet from the skin, that is wherever acne-causing microorganism grows. Honey incorporates a low pH, that any prevents microorganism from living on your skin. (2)

How to Use It

Since it’s sticky, honey works best as an overnight zit zapper—just be sure to put a towel over your pillowcase to avoid sticky bedding.
You can conjointly use honey as a one-ingredient mask and apply it to your entire face weekly to scale back and stop breakouts. Some health blogs suggest creating a honey and cinnamon mask, as it’s believed the antiseptic properties of cinnamon will additional facilitate take away bacterium from the skin).(3)
To make a honey and cinnamon face mask, all you need is 3 tablespoons of raw honey and 1 tablespoon of Ceylon cinnamon. Apply to your skin after cleansing and exfoliating, leave on for 15 minutes, and rinse.

2. Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is an extremely effective inflammatory disease spot treatment, as long as it’s solely applied to wounds or zits that haven’t been picked or popped. The acidity of lemon juice will only irritate or burn open skin, which can result in scarring, so you’ll want to avoid that at all costs.

The antioxidant in the juice has medicinal drug properties that facilitate exterminate acne-causing microorganism on the skin, whereas acid might facilitate exfoliate dead skin cells. (4) The acidity of juice may dry out pimples. However, if you’ve got dry skin to start with, juice might cause it to become overly dry.

Lemon juice additionally has astringent properties (as will lime juice), which may facilitate shrink pores and tighten the skin. If you have got skin problem scars, you’ll use juice as an agent to assist fade dark marks. Just be sure to avoid going out in the sun after applying it, as lemon juice makes your skin more sensitive to the sun. Note: if you have dark skin, you may want to avoid using lemon juice with your acne spot treatments, as it can create dark spots where it is applied.

How to Use It

Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice on a cotton ball or Q-tip and apply directly to your zit. Leave on for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Repeat up to two times daily.
Don’t forget to drink lemon and lime juice to help clear up your skin from the inside out. The antioxidant in juice will facilitate stimulate scleroprotein production and keep your skin wanting plump and supple. (5)

3. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple vinegar could be a must-have for healthy skin, whether or not you apply it locally or drink it (we suggest doing both). Like citrus, apple vinegar has medicament properties that facilitate kill bacterium on the skin.

Many health blogs additionally swear by mistreatment apple vinegar as a toner to assist rebalance the skin’s pH scale and stop future breakouts. This is as a result of ACV contains alpha radical acids that facilitate gently exfoliate dead skin cells. (6,7)

How to Use It

Soak a Q-tip or cotton ball with ACV and apply directly to problem areas. Since apple cider vinegar is acidic when applied to the skin, take the same precautions as you would with lemon and avoid applying it to open wounds.
To make an ACV toner, dilute 1 part apple cider vinegar with 2 parts filtered water. Apply to face after cleansing and exfoliating.

4. Tea Tree Oil

Studies have compared tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide (a chemically derived OTC medication used to treat acne), and have shown that tea tree oil is just as effective as BP for reducing each inflamed pimples and blackheads or whiteheads. (8) whereas tea tree oil may go a lot of slowly than bleaching agent, it doesn’t have the tough facet effects of with chemicals derived ingredients, like flaking skin, irritation, allergic reactions and redness.

How to Use It

Tea tree oil can be applied to a cotton ball or Q-tip and applied directly onto spots. Since it’s not oily, it can be applied in the morning, before bed, or both.
Tea tree oil comes in different concentrations, and should be diluted with water or oil if its concentration is more than 15%. If you have sensitive skin, it’s recommended that you dilute any strength of tea tree oil with a non-comedogenic carrier oil, such as rosehip oil, to prevent skin irritation or burning.

5. Lavender Essential Oil

You might relate lavender to soap, reducing anxiety or smelling pretty. But lavender also has antibacterial properties that can help fight the underlying causes of acne. (9) Lavender is additionally naturally soothing, which can facilitate scale back redness and irritation. (10)

How to Use It

Dab lavender oil onto a Q-tip or plant disease and apply on to the affected space. A lavender essential oil may also help reduce body acne, so it can be useful to add a few drops to your bathwater.
Since lavender oil is shown to assist calm stress and anxiety, it should additionally facilitate scale back stress-related breakouts.