Acne and Green Tea

But does it provide an effective herbal alternative to modern medication? Green tea is used by the Chinese as a traditional medicine to treat many ailments including acne and to improve general well-being.
There are only two herbal treatments that are known to be effective in treating acne and green tea is one of them. The answer seems to be ‘Yes'.
The results from this research study showed that green tea was just as good in treating acne as the benzoyl peroxide. a green tea cream was trailed against a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution on people suffering with moderate to severe acne. In a recent study by Jennifer Gan-Wong, M.D.
But benzoyl peroxide dries out skin causing itching or allergic reactions. Unlike green tea that has the added advantages of natural anti-bacterial properties and antioxidants, particularly epigallocatechin gallate which is 200 times more powerful than vitamin E at fighting free radicals.
Green tea also helps to reduce inflammation, hormonal activity and aids in detoxification - which is all good news for acne sufferers.
Green tea extract is an extremely versatile herbal supplement - it can be administered topically, often being used in creams, taken as a in the form of a pill or incorporated into your diet and drunk as a tea.
Tip: don't drink it with sugar, this will neutralize the worthwhile effects of the tea. This last method is very popular (Green Tea with Honeysuckle is often known as ‘Pimple Tea' in many Chinatowns) when drunk after a meal it aids digestion and helps to detoxify your system, getting rid of the toxins that can cause acne.
It seems that taking green tea for acne is a win-win situation… It has many beneficial properties which promote good all-round health with little or no known side effects and for the price, green tea it's definitely a herbal treatment that's worth trying.

The Wonders of Green Tea- It can Help With Acne Care

Green tea is the most consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. The craze for green tea exceeds taste, as this beverage—derived from the white-flowered plant, Camellia Sinensis—is continually proving its health and wellness benefits.
Antioxidant research has shown that antioxidants help prevent cancer, reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease, and can even lower blood cholesterol levels. Antioxidants are known for their ability to help fight diseases and maintaining healthy cell structure. A native to Asia, green tea is rich in antioxidants.
Researchers are now linking the antioxidants in green tea to acne prevention.
It has been long known that placing a warm tea bag on an acne blemish or similar growth will help to draw the toxins out of the lesion, promoting quicker heal times.
Current research has shown that green tea extracts fight bacteria, reduce redness and inflammation, and can deter hormone activity. All three of these symptoms are present in acne blemishes.
According to the findings reported to the American Academy of Dermatology by dermatologist Dr. Gan-Wong, when compounded into a cream with a content of 3% green tea extract, acne treatment results were comparable to using a topical solution containing 4% benzoyl peroxide, a common treatment for acne.
Neither group was aware of the treatment they received, nor were the dermatologist who documented their progress. The test subjects were randomly split into two groups, with one group receiving the green tea treatment and the other receiving a benzoyl peroxide treatment. Gan-Wong's findings were based on an independent study of just over 100 acne suffers. Dr.
The results were comparable to the results of the benzoyl peroxide users. After a twelve week period, significant improvements in the reduction of acne and redness were noted in the patients using the green tea extract.
Additionally, dermatologist noted improvements in skin tone on the test subjects who were using green tea extract cream, and green tea users reported fewer cases of dry skin and allergic responses.
Thus, green tea extract cream had proven to offer the same benefits in the treatment of acne as benzoyl peroxide, with fewer side effects.
Benzoyl peroxide is a crystalline powder that is used in tire and plastic production as well as cosmetics. Benzoyl peroxide can irritate eyes, skin, and respiratory tracts, and is on OSHA's hazardous substance list as a precaution against prolonged exposure.
What makes using green tea extract appealing as an acne treatment is that green tea is all natural.
This seems very likely, considering the vast amount of anecdotal evidence regarding the healing properties of green tea. It is quite probable that green tea has MANY medicinal properties yet to be verified by western science. Furthermore, it gives the holistic community a welcomed study on something that has been recommended by holistic healing practioneers for years.
So, on a holistic level, there is now one more scientifically backed treatment for acne available to those who want to avoid the harmful side effects of the various chemical acne treatments.
Green Tea! With this in mind, those who want to treat their acne, but hate the redness and irritation caused by using benzoyl peroxide and other chemicals on the skin, there is now a scientifically proven, all natural treatment.

Tea Tree Oil Acne Treatment

Mainly used as a spot treatment, tea tree oil has gained a reputation as the natural alternative to benzoyl peroxide, giving many of the same clear skin benefits with generally milder side effects. Although most natural acne treatments that work come in the form of internal vitamin supplements, tea tree oil is an all-natural treatment that can produce great results with just a topical application.
More recently, its antibacterial properties have been found to be a potent weapon against acne. It's also been known to help sooth pain and speed the healing of small wounds. For years it has been used as a natural disinfectant, killing harmful bacteria in cuts and scrapes without the stinging that accompanies alcohol. Tea tree oil originates from the leaves of the Australian Melaleuca Alternafolia Tree.
In my experience, using 100% tea tree oil will not bleach your clothing either (plus it's less expensive, and a small amount will last much longer). In my experience, using 100% tea tree oil is usually used either as a concentrated spot treatment, or a diluted face wash. Most users find that the drying is not as severe as with other acne products that use benzoyl peroxide, and tea tree oil is usually used either as a concentrated spot treatment, or a diluted face wash. In my experience, using 100% tea tree oil directly to acne spots can kill the underlying bacteria and dry up the inflamed region, sometimes as quickly as overnight.

As an acne treatment, tea tree oil is usually used either as a concentrated spot treatment, or a diluted face wash.
As with any topical treatment, you don't want to over-dry and irritate your face, or clear skin will be even harder to maintain. Tea tree oil is most effective in high concentrations, so you're better off using a small amount directly on trouble spots, rather than diluting the concentration and using it all over, although users with highly sensitive skin may find dilution necessary.
As effective as tea tree oil is at eliminating current acne blemishes, like all topical treatments it cannot really help with preventing new acne from forming under your skin. Tea tree oil also has a rather strong alcohol-like smell, so it may be best to use it only at night before bed. These factors aside, tea tree oil is an excellent alternative if you're looking for a natural spot treatment that is more gentle on your skin than benzoyl peroxide. Combined with internal natural acne products (for acne prevention), you will have a natural regimen that eliminates spots quickly and maintains clear skin in the future.