According to the American Academy of
Dermatology, acne is the most common skin
disorder in the United States, affecting an
estimated 40 to 50 million people across the
nation. While acne usually begins in puberty, this
unpleasant inflammatory condition — which
manifests as pimples, lumps and plugged pores
across the body, especially the face and back — is
not restricted to a specific age group, and can
occur at any time. In fact, almost 85 percent of
people will suffer from acne at some point in their
lives.(1)
Given how widespread acne is in today’s society,
it isn’t surprising that acne treatment is a billion
dollar industry for Big Pharma. However, most
commercial acne creams are packed with
unnatural and aggressive chemicals, making
them an unacceptable choice for health-minded
individuals. Fortunately, two foods found in
nature — aloe vera and coconut oil — are proven
to treat acne effectively and without side effects.
Aloe vera
There’s a good reason why aloe vera is found in
so many cosmetic products: this succulent and
mucilaginous plant, which is characterized by its
green, spear-shaped leaves, is well-known for its
ability to heal, soothe and rejuvenate the skin.
Indeed, virtually all cultures that had contact with
aloe vera came to recognize its significant skin-
boosting properties over time, and it remains a
popular natural remedy for treating skin issues
such as eczema, psoriasis, burns and rashes.(2)
However, a recent study published in The Journal
of Dermatological Treatment has discovered
that aloe vera is also effective at treating acne. For
the study, the researchers assembled a group of
60 subjects suffering from mild to moderate acne
and, over an eight-week trial period, treated them
with a formulation of either tretinoin cream
and aloe vera topical gel or tretinoin cream and a
placebo. At the end of the trial, the results were
undeniable: “The combination TR/AVG was well
tolerated and significantly more effective than TR
and [the placebo] for the treatment of mild to
moderate acne vulgaris.”(3)
To use aloe vera for acne, simply apply some
aloe vera gel onto the affected area daily. The gel
will improve the swelling, redness and
inflammation associated with acne, and also
prevent future outbreaks.
Coconut oil
Like aloe vera, coconut oil is beloved for its skin-
boosting properties, and is used throughout the
world as an anti-aging cream, natural sunblock,
lip gel, moisturizer and massage oil. It is also
effective at treating skin disorders, and is shown
to combat blisters, pimples, sores, rashes and
more.(4)
In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any skin
condition that coconut oil can’t at least improve,
at that’s also true of acne. In 2009, Chinese
researchers found that the main saturated fatty
acid in coconut oil, lauric acid, possessed even
stronger antibacterial activity against acne than
palmitic acid or oleic acid. Furthermore, lauric acid
loaded with liposomes (vesicles that can
administer nutrients) was shown to “fuse with
the membranes of P. acnes and release the
carried [lauric acid] directly into the bacterial
membranes, thereby killing the bacteria
effectively.”(5)
These results, which were published in the
journal Biomaterials, suggest that the topical
application of coconut oil can treat acne
effectively. For maximum benefits, choose raw
coconut oil made that is organic, cold-pressed
and extra virgin. This kind of oil will actually smell
of coconut, signifying minimal processing.
Sources for this article include:
(1) http://www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-
and-facts/conditions/acne
(2) http://www.newhealthguide.org/Aloe-Vera-
For-Face.html
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
pubmed/23336746
(4) http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-
coconut-oil/
(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
pubmed/19665786
http://science.naturalnews.com/aloe_vera.html
http://science.naturalnews.com/coconut_oil.html