How To Cure Acne With Apple Cider Vinegar
If you suffer from spots or acne then you know how much it can affect how you look and feel. Acne can be caused by hormones as well as overly oily skin that clogs up pores and therefore allowing dirt to build up. It can occur on several areas of the body but most commonly it appears on the face, neck and back meaning it can be visible more often than not.
There are several remedies you can use to prevent and get rid of spots but most of the shop-bought products can be expensive, contain artificial chemicals and aren’t suitable for all skin types. But there’s a product you can use that’s natural, cheap and extremely effective helping you to rid your spots and scars caused by frequent acne and that product is Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)!
Here’s why you should never underestimate the versatility of apple cider vinegar:
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How Apple Cider Vinegar Helps Acne
- Anti-inflammatory – ACV is an anti-inflammatory which means it reduces swelling and pain caused by blackheads, whiteheads and pimples.
- Natural detoxifier – ACV detoxifies the body by getting rid of toxins and free radicals that can contribute to acne, reducing the amount of acne you can get.
- Reduces red marks – the acids contained in ACV helps in the reduction of red marks caused by spots and also softens the skin too.
- Restores the skin’s pH balance – washing the skin distrubs its natural pH balance which is slightly acidic. Using ACV helps restore the pH balance back to normal promoting healthier skin and therefore less acne.
- Dries out spots – ACV is an astringent which means it tightens the body tissue and as a result dries out spots faster helping to rid them quicker.
- Reduces scarring – like reducing red marks, the acid in ACV reduces the amount of scarring caused by acne giving you a clearer complexion.
- Kills bacteria – ACV is anti-bacterial and targets the bacteria in existing spots allowing them to clear much more quickly.
Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Acne Treatments
Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey
The combination of honey and ACV gives a great facial treatment for acne-prone skin. Repeat this regularly for clearer skin.
- Make sure you clean your face with warm water and pat dry gently.
- Get a basin of hot water and position yourself over it with a towel over your head. Allow the steam to open up your pores.
- Gently massage raw honey in circles over your face and leave for 15 minutes.
- Wash off the honey with lukewarm water.
- Apply an 1:1 mixture of ACV and water to your face with cotton wool and leave on your face to dry.
Apple Cider Vinegar Toner
If you don’t want to spend time with different ingredients then simply using a mixture of ACV and water is still effective when dealing with acne on the face.
- Using a 1:2 mixture of ACV and water, pour this into a spray or container and spray liberally over the affected area. Alternatively dab over the area gently with cotton wool.
- Leave to dry with no need to wash it off.
- Once dry apply an oil-free moisturiser and repeat this process twice a day.
Apple Cider and Baking Soda
Using ACV with baking soda makes a great cleansing mask that can get deep into your pores and clear them out preventing further spots.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of ACV with 3 tablespoons of baking soda.
- Apply to the face using your fingertips and create a mask.
- Leave on for around 15-20 minutes. Your skin should start to feel tight.
- Rinse off with water and give yourself a splash of cold water at the end – this will close up your pores.
- Pat dry gently making sure not to rub the skin.
- Apply an oil-free moisturiser and repeat this once a week for optimal results.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is another great spot buster and used together with ACV will create the perfect treatment for acne-prone skin.
- Mix ACV with a few drops of tea tree oil.
- Apply mixture to your whole face or just the affected areas if desired.
- Leave this on for a few minutes and then gently wash it off being careful not to rub the skin when drying.
Precautions and Tips When Using Apple Cider Vinegar For Acne
There are a few precautions and tips when using apple cider vinegar for treating acne.
- Always purchase unpasteurised ACV which means it hasn’t been processed and had all it’s wonderful healthy nutrients taken out. Try organic ACV too as this will mean less possible pesticides and chemicals.
- It’s not recommended to use undiluted ACV on the face so make sure you always dilute it with water otherwise it can cause irritation with both short-term or prolonged use.
- If you don’t like the smell then try using ACV mainly at night time.
- It is possible that using ACV will cause your pores to open and push impurities out resulting in further spots and pimples. This isn’t too common but it is just the body’s process to rid your skin of impurities that causes spots in the first place. In a way it will get worse before it gets better.
- Using ACV can increase your skin’s sensitivity to ultra-violet rays so make sure you use sun protection when you go outside.
- ACV will sting if put on open wounds so be aware when applying it to infected or sore spots.
Featured photo credit: Zenspa1 via flickr.com
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