Acne Home Remedies – Friend or Foe?

If you’re an adult with an acne problem, it’s very tempting to turn to home remedies. If you haven’t heard about acne home remedies yet, you probably will. Whether it’s a well-meaning friend at a party or the result of an online search for acne cures, sooner or later, you are going to be faced with the issue of whether or not to try an acne home remedy.

Acne Home Remedies You May Consider

The most common acne home remedies being promoted today are concoctions that include tea tree oil or lemon juice. You are supposed to rub these concoctions on the affected areas, and after repeated applications, you will allegedly see a reduction in your acne.

Do Acne Home Remedies Work?

While there is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that some people may see a slight change in color or shape of their acne, there is nothing to suggest that these remedies are anywhere near as effective as, for example, formulations containing benzoyl peroxide. While home remedies may be less expensive than traditional acne medications, you will probably not get your money’s worth with respect to time invested or results seen.

Why People Use Acne Home Remedies

There are a number of reasons why people may choose to try acne home remedies. They may hear testimonials from people who swear that a certain treatment works. They may be trying to avoid the chemicals found in traditional acne medicine. They might be trying to save money. They may want to avoid the embarrassment of going to a drugstore and buying acne medication.

Should People Use Acne Home Remedies?

Putting lemon juice or tea tree oil on your face probably won’t do much harm. But it’s not likely to help you all that much either. Other acne home remedies are not recommended as there is no research to tell you what the negative side effects might be. The main problem with acne home remedies is that the time you waste using them is time that you could be spending using acne treatments that work, of which you have a number of choices, many of which may be highly successful. The reasons for preferring acne home remedies are easily refuted.

As far as testimonials go, there are plenty of testimonials from people who have used benzoyl peroxide solutions with great success. The only difference is that these testimonials are backed by research that establishes benzoyl peroxide as a proven acne fighter. As far as dangerous chemicals go, you are right to always be cautious about the ingredients of anything you put on your body. You should know that a good acne care system will include moisturizing products and other skin health boosters to counteract any possible negative side effects such as drying or irritation. Finally, embarrassment should not be a barrier to your getting real treatment. First of all, acne is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a genetic condition that you have because of your specific skin type, not because you are “dirty.” Second, you can now easily order an acne care system online, and no one has to know about it but you.