Noticing any ‘maskne’ or acne associated with wearing a face mask?
Does stress always show up on your skin?
How about pimples before your period?

Are you not a teenager, but are starting to feel like one because you are breaking out all the time? Acne, while common, can negatively affect our self-esteem in significant ways.  There are simple, but effective things you can do at home to help.

An easy at-home topical treatment for acne or sores of the skin is to make an herbal compress with a few ingredients that you’re likely to have around the house.  The compress is appropriate for any areas of concern, your face, chest or back,  that are red and ‘hot’ looking: acne, sores, and even hemorrhoids. One can also drink a tea made of several of the ingredients to help skin clear and heal from the inside out.

• Magnesium and dandelion help detoxify the skin and clear redness.
• Magnesium and chamomile help reduce inflammation and have been shown to reach the deeper levels of the skin.
• Chamomile has been shown to encourage wound healing.
• Raw honey has been used for a millennium in skin care and is hydrating, anti fungal, and antibacterial.

Ingredients needed:

• 1 tbs – Raw Honey
• 2 tea packets – Organic chamomile tea
• 2 tea packets – Organic dandelion tea
• 1 tbs. – Epsom Salts

Mix all the ingredients into about one and half cups of boiling water. Cover and let steep for about 15 min. By this time it’s ready to use as a compress.  Soak a clean washcloth in the decoction and apply to the affected area. Allow the affected area to be saturated for about 20 minutes at a time. It is best to use this about three times per week while you are dealing with the concern.

It would do well to drink chamomile and dandelion tea alongside the compress to support healing from the inside out. If using it for acne, consider following up the soak with jojoba oil. Jojoba is balanced to sebaceous production (good for balancing oily or dry skin) and is also antifungal and antibacterial. Jojoba oil is recommended to use after the compress to encourage healing of the skin through creation of a healthy skin barrier, especially if using Epsom salts on the skin as they can be drying.

If you notice increased discomfort or redness at the site of concern, discontinue use.  As always, if you have any concerns reach out to your health professional.

Adding in these treatments in combination with a course of facial acupuncture will accelerate the results, and help your skin look it’s best.

Ashley Steffensen  L.Ac.

 

Srivastava, J. S., Shankar, E. S., & Gupta, S. G. (2010, November 1). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Https://Www.Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/Pmc/Articles/PMC2995283/. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash