Herbal Remedies for Acne

Acne is caused by an excessive production of sebum and dead skin cells which clog the pores and create a favorable envorinment for the thriving of bacteria. When the clogged pored become infected, inflammation occurs and acne develops, with one or more of the following signs and symptoms: whiteheads (closed plugged pores); blackheads (open plugged pores); small red, tender bumps (papules); pimples (pustules), which are papules with pus at their tips; large, solid, painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin (nodules); painful, pus-filled lumps beneath the surface of the skin (cystic lesions). If you are stuck with an acne problem, whatever the symptoms may be, you should try one or more of the following herbs.

Burdock

Internal use

• Wild pansy – contains salycilic acid, violanthin, rutin, antimicrobial and immunosuppressive compounds.
  • Infusion 1: Add 1 teaspoon of dried plant in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day.
  • Infusion 2: add 4 tablespoons of dried plant in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Take 1 tablespoon every 3 hours.
• Burdock – contains insulin, sitosterol, stigmasterol, caffeic acid, potasssium salts.
  • Infusion: Add 4 tablespoons of dried plant in 1 l of hot boiled water and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink throughout the day.
• Bean pods – contains aminoacids, minerals, flavonoids.
  • Decoction: Add 1 tablespoon of dried plant in 250 ml of water and boil for 10-15 minutes. drink 2-3 cups a day.
  • Macerate: Add 4 tablespoons of dried plant in 1 l of water and let them macerate for 12 hours, then boil until half the water is evaporated. Drink throughout the day.

External use

• Marigold – contains lycopene, alpha and beta carotene, neolycopene A, rubixanthin, lutein.
  • Infusion: Add 15-30 g of dried plant in 1 l of water and let steep for 15-20 minutes. Add the infusion into your bath or use it to make poultices.
  • Tincture: Add 20 g of dried plant in 100 ml of alcohol 40% and let it macerate for 8 days. Use a diluted tincture (10 ml of tincture for 100 ml of boiled and cooled water) to make poultices.
• Chicory – contains chicorin, insuline, choline, chicoric acid, levulose, lactucin, lactupicrin, intybin, alpha and beta lactucerol.
  • Infusion: Add 20-40 g of dried plant in 1 l of hot boiled water and let steep for 15-20 minutes. Add the infusion into your bath.
• Burdock – contains insulin, sitosterol, stigmasterol, caffeic acid, potasssium salts.
  • Infusion: Add 20-30 g of dried plant in 1 l of hot boiled water and let steep for 15-20 minutes. Use the infusion to make poultices.
• Hops – contains humulone, lupulone, myricetin, humulene, farnesene, bornyl isovalerate, cannabin, choline.
  • Infusion: Add 1 tablespoon of dried plant in 100 ml of hot boiled water and let steep for 15-20 minutes. Use the infusion to make poultices.