Why Home Remedies Don't Work for Acne

Why Home Remedies Don't Work for Acne

How many times have you ignored acne as a problem that is common and nothing to worry about? I am sure tons of times. This is because we fail to understand that acne is not a cosmetic problem but a medical problem that requires the correct diagnosis from a good specialised skin doctor and getting the right treatment best suited for your skin. It is therefore natural to resort to tried and tested home remedies from the grandma's kitchen which might soothe your skin of inflammation on a temporary basis but will not be able to work on the root cause of it and cure it permanently.

Product Ingredients and their claims to treat acne

The over the counter products from creams to oils available in the market claim to be designed keeping in mind the different skin conditions and help to treat acne. However, just as one shoe does not fit all, acne problems can differ from person to person. Those suffering with acute acne will never find relief from the anti-inflammatory products like tea tree oil, aloe vera and witch hazel, and with limited data and insufficient scientific research it is difficult to determine whether these products are helpful or harmful. 

I am strongly against the use of apple cider vinegar to treat acne. The presence of acid in it may cause irritation and multiple breakouts to pop which can aggravate the situation.

Green tea bags and honey are often touted to be the go to solution for acne problems. These are the most recommended ingredients on social media platforms. As a good dermatologist who advises safe practise in Bangalore, I would say both the ingredients if used in DIY packs or face masks will do nothing at all to treat. However convincing and delicious it may sound with words, the sad truth is that honey’s antibacterial properties do nothing to treat your stubborn acne on the face and well as for greenbags, please try it on your under eye dark circles for some relief.

Toothpaste on your zits is a remedy I abhor. Some Instagram influencers swear by the remedy and suggest it works wonders. Here is however a scientific explanation that may help you and deter you from using it in the future. Toothpastes contain triclosan, a drug meant to kill the bacteria for bad breath. It was also an ingredient actively used earlier in some acne treatment products. But triclosan has been ruled out as an ineffective ingredient for acne treatment in 2017. Hence, avoid toothpaste from irritating your skin and opt for medically sound acne treatments suggested by a good dermatologist near you.

Over the counter acne treatments available in medical stores are effective. However, not knowing the ingredients and its effect on your skin can be detrimental further. More so these drugs do not show results instantly and it won’t clear a severe bout of acne. It is advisable to opt for prescribed medications from a good skin doctor.

Verdict 

Home remedies may work well on an occasional pimple that pops up once in a blue moon that too to soothe the inflammation but they won’t offer a permanent lasting solution. For moderate to severe acne troubles my suggestion to you would be to see a skin specialist doctor than trying methods to cure it yourself at your home.