Does Green Tea Help Acne?
Does green tea help acne?
Help with acne treatment is the focus of a University of Miami study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (April, 2009).
Acne affects 85% of young people aged between 12 and 24, and 25% will be left with some permanent scarring. Many treatments are available, but often the active ingredient in these tends to dry out and irritate the skin, causing further problems.
Successful results were found in participants who had mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Both the number and severity of lesions had improved considerably, after applying 2% green tea lotion for 6 weeks twice daily.
In another study published in The Saudi Medical Journal in 2006, researchers compared the use of 2% green tea lotion with 5% zinc sulphate lotion on participants.
Have you tried green tea as a remedy for acne? Please tell us about what you did, or still do.
Those using the green tea lotion had a more significant reduction in lesions than those using the zinc.
In another anecdotal study, it was found that those using green tea lotion compared with benzoyl peroxide lotion, did not have the dryness or irritability of skin associated with the benzoyl peroxide group.
Credit for the improved effectiveness of green tea is attributed to the polyphenols in it, especially EGCG, epigallocatechin-gallate, which have anti-bacterial properties.
So DOES green tea help acne?
If you want to use this natural remedy, apply green tea lotion twice a day. You can also use green tea bags.
Just steep them in very hot water, cool and place on your affected areas. They will reduce the inflamation and redness, helping to kill bacteria on the skin.
You could then drink the tea made prior to using the bags...experts recommend that we all drink 6-8 cups of green tea a day for all of its health benefits.
Using green tea both externally and internally will improve your treatment results. Be sure to consult your doctor first, just in case!
Do Green Tea Skin Care Products Really Benefit Your Skin?
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