Herbal Remedies and other
Non-Traditional Acne Treatments
by Tony Buel
Although over-the-counter acne treatments and traditional prescription medications have been seen to be effective in the reduction and sometimes elimination of acne, there are other less traditional ways to approach the treatment of acne that you should be aware of. Approaches such as acupuncture, herbal medicines, homeopathic medicine, mind/body medicine, Ayurveda and Kampo as well as dietary and nutritional considerations are some of the more common ones. Let's take a look at each of these areas as they relate to acne.
Herbal medicine: Some herbs are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and, for that reason, they may be helpful in the treatment of acne (as well as other skin conditions). You may have already heard of these: Calendula, German chamomile, Witch hazel, Licorice root, Flaxseed and flaxseed oil, and also Tea Tree Oil.
The herbs that help reduce acne inflammation do so by reducing the amount of the P.acnes bacteria produced by the body as a reaction to clogged pores. Tea Tree oil has been favorably compared to benzoyl peroxide in the reduction of P.acnes and is said to have fewer side effects (stinging, itchiness and dry skin).
The use of acupuncture in the treatment of acne has not been scientifically proven but nevertheless has seemed to produce results in reducing the symptoms of acne,
Homeopathic professionals evaluate the individual and then tailor the treatment to the individual. Professional homeopaths have found that certain homeopathic treatments reduce certain symptoms of acne:
Biofeedback and Cognitive Imagery: Biofeedback and cognitive imagery are relaxation therapies used because emotional stress can have an aggravating effect on acne. Biofeedback techniques train the individual to control some internal processes such as heart rate and muscle tension. Cognitive imagery (also called guided imagery) involves the use of mental pictures to relax and evoke helpful physical and emotional conditions. Together, when used properly by a person who has mastered the techniques, these methods have been shown to lessen the severity of acne breakouts.
Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine originated in India. Ayurveda focuses primarily on diet and lifestyle. Each person, as we all know, is unique and Ayurveda treatments recognize this by tailoring recommendations to the individual.
Kampo is a Japanese version of traditional, ancient Chinese medicine. A Kampo treatment for acne, the treatment called 'TJ-50), has proven effective in some cases. TJ-50 consists of seventeen herbs that have combined anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
It has been pretty well proven that, at least as a general proposition, diet has no effect on acne but there are certain foods that effect certain people in certain ways. There are many reports from individual acne sufferers that certain drinks or foods (it seems that nuts are particularly suspect) make their acne worse. All that can be said about this is pay attention to what you eat and how it affects you over the next few days.
As is usually the case, a dermatologist should be consulted if your acne condition doesn't improve when most of the mainstream treatments have not yielded results.
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