How to Get Rid of Acne: 15 Best Treatments for Pimples

What is acne?

A hair follicle disease occurs on the face, chest & back, making the pores clogged with oil & dead skin cells. They may appear as whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, pustules, papules, cyst or nodules. It commonly affects teenagers during puberty and some adults as well. 

They don't cause a severe risk to your skin health, but you may feel pain if the acne is severe. Sometimes acne may cause scarring and lead to emotional distress. Rather than making acne & its scarring affect your self-esteem & self-confidence, treat it through natural remedies for acne.

What causes acne?

No one factor causes acne. Acne appears when sebaceous glands that produce oil affixed to the hair follicles stimulate at the time of puberty or due to hormonal changes. Sebaceous glands produce sebum (oil), a natural substance that lubricates & shields the skin. When the sebum is produced in excess, the skin cell matures, which inclines them to plug the follicular pore. 

This plugging process may appear as whiteheads; a thin layer of the skin covers it, and if it gets exposed to the air, it gets oxidized and becomes black, called a blackhead. The stoppled hair follicle is moderately enlarged, producing a bump. As the follicle grows, the wall may fissure, allowing itchy, irritating substances & skin bacteria to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin, ultimately causing inflammation. If you feel inflammation closer to the skin's surface, it produces a pustule; deeper inflammation causes a papule (pimple); if the deeper inflammation stays deeper & for longer, it forms a cyst.

Few factors that usually play a significant role in popping out acne:

1. Food: A high-carb diet like pizza, burgers, fried & junk foods can trigger acne.
2. Dirt: Don't make a mistake by considering blackheads as dirt. Blackheads are oxidized and become black in color. Sweat doesn't aggravate acne and is formed by an entirely separate gland. Excessive cleansing can make your skin dry & irritates the skin. 
3. Heredity: If any of your parents have acne, it increases the chances that it will be difficult to control your acne. 
4. Pressure: Some people feel pressure from helmets, face masks, chin straps, collars & suspenders that may likely form acne.
5. Drugs: Few medications have side effects that may cause or worsen acne. Medications having iodides, bromides, oral or injected steroids, anticonvulsants, lithium etc, may cause acne. 
6. Occupation: If some people are employed in industrial products like extracting oils may cause acne formation. 
7. Cosmetic products: Products that are comedogenic in nature cause acne. People suffering from acne-prone skin should use water-based products. 

How to remove pimples permanently at home?

Look out for some natural home remedies for pimples as they are safe, skin-friendly & blessed in abundance with forms of acne/pimple healing properties:

• Thyme

A herb that you may be able to find in your kitchen. It is one of the promising home remedies to reduce pimples. It is enriched with the goodness of anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial properties that can be used in place of benzoyl peroxide acne treatment. It reduces breakouts, fades acne and makes skin clearer than before. This spice stimulates blood circulation in the skin and radiates skin with a glow.

How to use?

• Take a small jar, sterilize it for 10-15 minutes, and dry it well.
• Take 1 tbsp of dried thyme and cover it with jojoba/argan oil. Let the mixture steep for 2 weeks in a cool, dark place.
• Shake the jar daily.
• Strain the thyme from the oil and apply it to your skin at night as an acne-busting moisturizer.

 

• Cinnamon

 A spice that inculcates anti-inflammatory & anti-ageing properties, which makes it one of the acne treatment home remedies. It effectively eliminates acne-causing bacteria and protects skin against oxidative damage of free radicals.

How to use?

• Form a smooth paste of 1 tbsp cinnamon powder with 2-3 tbsp honey.
• Apply this paste over your face and cover the acne.
• After 10 minutes, wash it off with lukewarm water.

 

• Orange Peel Powder

A citric ingredient that serves out to be the best of all-natural remedies for pimples. It has a high amount of vitamin C that works for various skin types, especially for people having oily skin types. It actively fights against acne-forming bacteria, lightens the marks and brightens the skin. 

How to use?

• Mix orange peel powder & honey in equal proportion.
• Mix it thoroughly to avoid lumps.
• Apply the smooth paste to the areas of the face affected by pimples.
• Keep it for 10-15 minutes & wash it off with lukewarm water.

 

• Tea Tree Oil

A common yet one of the effective home remedies for pimple free skin. It has been a savior for acne-prone skin for ages. The anti-inflammatory & antimicrobial properties eliminate acne, its scars and blemishes. It works well for every skin type.  

How to use?

• Mix tea tree oil with carrier oil (coconut or almond oil).
• Mix them to make a paste & apply generously to the pimple marks and lesions.
• Keep it overnight and wash it with lukewarm water in the morning.

 

• Baking Soda

A homemade acne treatment that is famous for its exfoliating & bleaching properties. Using it regularly will clean the congested pores & skin marks. Its alkaline nature works in favor of your skin by combatting pimples and scars.  

How to use?

• In a bowl, mix water and baking soda in a bowl to form a smooth paste.
• Apply it to the affected area.
• Let it dry and wash it after 10-15 minutes.

 

• Turmeric

 An age-old medicinal herb and readily available among the rest of the natural remedies for pimples. The anti-inflammatory & antioxidant properties in this exceptional kitchen ingredient have the power to lighten acne scars and tone.

How to use?

• Mix turmeric & lemon juice.
• Apply the smooth paste as a face mask.
• Leave it on your skin for half an hour.
• Wash it off with lukewarm water.

 

• Lemon Juice

A citric ingredient that has a natural bleaching agent to treat your acne-prone skin. It is a natural treatment for pimples with lightening properties. It lightens the pimple marks gradually.  

How to use?

• Take a cotton pad, dip lemon juice & gently apply it over pimple marks & other affected areas.
• Keep it at rest for 10-15 minutes and wash with lukewarm water

Easy to follow tips to keep acne at bay:

1. Never squeeze your popped-up pimples; it makes bumps stay for longer and make them even worse.
2. Don't remove blackheads on your own. Book an appointment in the salon as they are experts.
3. Look out for a mild cleanser and wash your face twice daily, as it makes the skin squeaky clean without causing any sensitivity and irritation.
4. It is necessary to wash your face twice a day to remove sweat, dirt, oil, dead skin cells, sebum, sunscreen, makeup & environmental pollutants as they pile up on the skin and clog the skin pores leading to a breakout. 
5. Look for the right type of face cleanser for your skin. Oily skin types should look for ingredients like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or glycolic acid. Sensitive skin types should go for gentle ingredients like lactic acid, glycerin etc.
6. When you have acne, scrubbing your face regularly with grainy cleansers & exfoliating skin products will harm your skin. It may cause redness, inflammation, rashes & irritation.
7. Grab a mild scrub, exfoliant and mask that is augmented with salicylic acid in a decent amount that makes it a mild peeling agent. It removes the outer layer of the skin and thus open pores. You can also look for retinol, glycolic or alpha hydroxy acids.
8. Change your towels weekly as it can moors the bacteria from dirty towels or introduce new bacteria to the skin that may lead to more pimples. 
9. Don't avoid using moisturizer. Moisturizer won't aggravate your acne; it's a myth. If your skin's surface is dry & dehydrated, the sebaceous glands produce oil in excess, making acne conditions even worse.
10. Go for non-comedogenic sunscreen, as it won't clog the skin pores.
11. Going to the gym with makeup? Your skin will break out. Thoroughly wash your face before hitting the gym. As that makeup and sweat together clog the pores. The congested debris & bacteria is a perfect ground for acne to appear.
12. Wash your face after sweating with an exfoliating cleanser to remove excess oil. It stops the bacteria lying on the skin from getting trapped in the hair follicle & causes inflammation. 
13. Eating food that can boost insulin levels in the body leads to inflammation & acne flare up. Eat green leafy veggies & colorful pallets of fruits, vegetables, cereals and lentils with rich nutrient profiles. It reduces inflammation & improves skin quality. Limiting the consumption of dairy products is one of the natural treatments for pimples.
14. Drinking at least 2-3 liters of water daily is one of the home remedies for pimples. It makes your skin clear, glowy and overall health of the skin. Avoid sugar, caffeine, sodas and coffee.
15. Change your pillowcases and bed sheets frequently to avoid breeding unwanted bacteria and causing pimples.
16. You touch your phone a zillion times a day. Don't you? And you don't wash your hands whenever you touch your phone. So, the phone screen has germs which cause the skin to break out. Clean your phone screen with wipes daily.
17. Keep your hand off the face, an essential tip to eliminate acne. Your hands aren't always cleaned, which can cause acne to spread. 
18. Icing your acne is one of the best home remedies to reduce pimples. It helps in bringing down inflammation.