When it comes to acne skin treatment, there are a lot of old wives tales out there. Some of them are actually real, effective strategies that really work. The rest are, well, merely old wives tales. Still, some of these home remedies for acne treatment really do the trick. While your best bet is usually to use a benzyl peroxide based cleansing system or something along those lines, these methods actually can help you to get rid of acne without having to buy any medication from the pharmacy.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is a little abrasive and may irritate the skin, but because of the zinc found in most toothpastes, it actually makes a great emergency-zit-kit. If you have a hot date and need to get rid of a pimple fast, then you can simply apply a dab of toothpaste and, within 24 hours, there’s a good chance that your zit will have cleared up.
Zinc not only helps to cleanse pores, it also helps to strengthen the liver and your immune system, meaning that your body’s natural zit-fighting system will be in better shape if you add a little to your diet (do not drink toothpaste! Look for zinc in tablet form!).
Steaming
You need to use caution while doing this one because it is very easy to burn yourself if you are not careful. Boil some water in a cooking pot, place the pot on a towel or potholder on the table, then lean over it and hang a towel over your head, careful not to burn yourself. The steam will open and clean your pores like a hot bath or a steam room. Make sure to clean with cold water afterwards to close your pores up quickly.
Cane Sugar
“Don’t sweets CAUSE zits?” Actually, glycolic acid is one of the most effective natural combatants for zits. Many even use a pinch of sugar as a daily exfoliate to keep pores clean. In any event, wetting your hands and rubbing some sugar into affected skin can be a quick and effective way to be rid of troublesome zits.
Now, in general, your best bet is to use some OTC acne medication, but in a pinch, any of these methods should be able to help out when you can’t get to the pharmacy.