Lemon And Honey Are The Perfect At Home Pimple Treatments For Oily Skin
Few things are more infuriating than waking up in the morning and finding out that you have an angry red pimple smack dab on the most noticeable parts of your face. Today's technology has not advanced enough to come up with an instant zit zapper just yet, so you have to make do with either waiting it out or resorting to treatments that may or may not work.
Pimple patches that absorb the gunk out of your blemish are tested and proven go-to treatments, and so are spot creams like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. But if those are out of reach, some people like to dab a bit of trusty old toothpaste on their pimple in hopes that it would dry out fast. Some even swear by using apple cider vinegar for acne, as it's known to do wonders for the skin.
But if you have an oily complexion and often get more acne than the average person, you may find success relying on treatments that you can make at home. And the ingredients? They're likely lying around your pantry. As it turns out, lemon and honey are two effective solutions to combating pimples, especially for folks with oily skin.
Lemon and honey can help combat bacteria
There's a reason why lemon and honey are often key ingredients in acne treatments you see in the market. For starters, lemon juice contains a high amount of citric acid, which experts note helps in fighting against bacteria. "This is in part due to the high level of acidity, which creates a less hospitable environment for bacterial growth. The acidity also has an astringent effect on the skin, helping to reduce oil production and minimize pore size," Dr. Marnie Nussbaum, a New York City-based dermatologist, told Byrdie.
On the other hand, honey, especially manuka honey, has properties that help reduce inflammation and irritation. Mbglifestyle notes that aside from helping calm down your angry pimples, honey can also help with other skin issues like eczema and rosacea. Plus, just like lemon, honey also has antimicrobial powers that can assist in destroying acne-causing bacteria.
Using both lemon and honey on your skin is not as hard as you think. You can create your own spot treatment paste just by mixing a tablespoon of lemon juice and honey (1:1 ratio) into a bowl. It's recommended that you apply it on your face right after cleansing and leave it on for around 15 to 20 minutes before removing it with water.
Other home remedy acne treatments to try
Aside from lemon juice and honey, there are plenty of other at-home treatments that you can try whenever a pimple decides to rear its ugly head. For starters, you can crush up some aspirin, mix it with water, and apply the resulting paste on the inflamed area. The popular pain reliever apparently contains acetylsalicylic acid, which, in layman's terms, is salicylic acid's less potent cousin. "However, aspirin does not have the same oil-removing and exfoliating effects as salicylic acid," Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Insider.
You may also want to try using avocado oil on acne. Dr. David Lortscher, the founder of Curology, shared with Today that the beloved fruit has ingredients that can combat free radicals. "Avocado oil is rich in linolenic acid and oleic acid, minerals, and vitamins A, C, D, and E," he said.
But if you really don't have any useful ingredient lying around the house, you can always turn to ice to reduce your acne's inflammation. It may not zap away your pimple, but it does make it less sore and swollen. Simply grab some ice cubes from your fridge, wrap them in a cloth or towel, and apply it to the inflamed area.