A tiny boil or acne can throw your confidence out of the window, especially when you are a teenager. It can affect one’s self-esteem too! And what about the fear of acne scarring your skin permanently? The less spoken about it, the better. But do you know something interesting? According to research, in western countries, ‘acne vulgaris is a nearly universal skin disease afflicting 79% to 95% of the adolescent population. In men and women older than 25 years, 40% to 54% have some degree of facial acne.’ Now that we know it is as common and widespread as that, we can get down to look at what can help treat them without being anxious or socially nervous about it.
An Ayurvedic understanding of acne breakouts
Doshas are the three fundamental bio energies-vata, pitta, and kapha that determine our physical and mental make-up. Read here to know more about what doshas exactly are.
Ayurveda experts believe cystic acne can manifest due to imbalances in any or all three doshas. If you find red breakouts, it may be caused by vitiated vata dosha. If there’s fluid and gunk inside, it may be due to heat in the body and pitta aggravation. These types of acne tend to occur during summer. Swelling, whiteness, or discoloration in and around the acne can be due to excess Kapha in the body.
You can always find over-the-counter ointments and treatment options but they may come with their own set of side effects. Herbs have been mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts for treating acne from its root, without leaving traces or side effects. Here’s how herbs can help if you want to go the natural way in treating them. Most of the herbs we discuss below are antibacterial, antiseptic, detoxifying, and anti-inflammatory which help in fighting bacteria that cause acne and reduce scars and blemishes.
Manjistha
This exotic herb is widely popular for its anti-acne properties. It is very useful in draining toxins from the lymphatic system. Often acne can be caused by impurities in the blood and body. Manjishta has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help heal acne.
Manjishta is consumed orally as well as topically applied in the form of powder form and helps brighten the skin. You can apply manjishtha with honey or rose water to arrest the growth of acne-causing bacteria. You can apply it on your skin along with carrier oil like coconut oil to reduce inflammation while providing the skin with the right hydration
You can find over a dozen exotic herbs, along with manjistha, in Shankara’s Blemish Support Serum, a powerful anti-acne and blemish-reducing silky-smooth serum blend, that leaves the skin looking brighter, clearer, and healthier. The herbs including aspen bark, lemongrass, hazel bark, meadowsweet, olive leaves extract, Arjun, and rose extract, soothe the skin and eliminate breakouts, while providing deep cleansing benefits.
You can apply it to cleansed skin. Follow it up with the Blemish Support Face oil that can be used for spot treatment.
Sesame and Turmeric
According to Charaka, one of the most revered authors of Ayurvedic texts as old as 5000 years, sesame oil is one of the most valuable among all the oils for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties. It also has linoleic acid or omega-6 fatty acid. Sesame oil particularly helps in managing Vata imbalances.
Turmeric on the other hand is a detoxifying wonder with umpteen benefits in Ayurveda. Its reported benefits include antibacterial properties, rejuvenating agent, blood purifier, skin repair, rich in antioxidants, and tone lightening. It adds a glow to your skin and should be an inseparable part of your beauty regimen.
How to use turmeric and sesame oil?
Add some water or unrefined sesame oil to 1 to 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder to make a paste. Apply this to the affected area and leave it on for about an hour. Wash your face and dab it softly. You can apply a gentle moisturizer to preserve the suppleness of the skin after the wash. It may help to keep a hydrating moisturizer handy, to replenish the skin’s moisture content. Shankara’s range of moisturizers goes the extra mile. They have only 0.7% wax, built-in sunscreen, and essential oils to keep the skin clear, blood purified and mind and body balanced.
Neem
This is yet another power vata-balancing herb that you will find in use in every Asian household for healing acne and scars. Neem has powerful antibacterial properties that help fight bacteria that cause acne. It also helps you regulate oil production in the skin. Its anti-inflammatory and cooling properties enable it to soothe irritated skin. It supports the treatment of sensitive and acne-prone skin. It is rich in key antioxidants, vitamin E, and important triglycerides that slow down aging, reduce wrinkles, and fine lines, and fight pigmentation. It is used in treating eczema, acne, and ringworm.
And if you find making various masks and decoctions from the above herbs to be a tedious and time-consuming task, you can simply apply Shankara's natural and soothing Deep pore Cleansing Mask that draws out impurities and absorbs excess oil with this purifying clay mask. Grapefruit seed extract and white clay help add brightness to skin that is clear, healthy, and fresh.
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