Today, many are switching to natural home remedies in a bid to save some money from buying those expensive skin solutions which claim to cure acne but never lived up to its promises. There is an increasing trend of awareness among the community to go for natural treatments and it’s definitely bad news for the commercial skin markets.
There are quite a number of natural home remedies available. Among one of them is apple cider vinegar. You probably would have read quite a number of articles about using apple cider vinegar as a cure for adult acne. Does this really work? How true is it? Hope this article can dispel some misconceptions about this natural home remedy if there is any.
What is Apple cider vinegar?
Apple Cider Vinegar otherwise known as (ACV) is an effective natural bacteria fighting agent that has many elements such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, sodium, iron, sulfur and etc. All these elements are vital for a healthy body especially to promote healthy skin development. These anti-bacterial properties make it a good topical home remedy for acne.
The main ingredient of ACV is acetic acid. It helps to exfoliate the dead skin cells gently, kills the bacteria propionibacterium acnes which is generally known as P-acnes and neutralizes the sebum which is the oily substance P-acnes feeds and thrives on.
How is Apple Cider Vinegar made?
Apple cider vinegar is obtained by the fermentation of apple cider or apple must which is made from crushed organic apples. Just for your information, fermentation means an act of conversion. Organic apples have some kind of bacteria and yeast on their skins. So when they are crushed, you get pure apple juice with a mixture of bacteria and yeast.
After which you leave it to mature for a while. During this process, sugar in the apple cider is broken down by yeast and bacteria which turns into alcohol. It’s more like a brewing process which eventually turns into vinegar after a second fermentation.
If you don’t have all the time or resources to make one at home, you can easily purchase ACV from any departmental stores. First of all, make sure you get the organic ACV with the labels saying ‘With the Mother’ with an ideal acidity (pH) level of five to seven. This means that it is in raw and pure form characterized by dark, cloudy, web-like bacterial foam which is brownish in color.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Your Skin
ACV contains acids one of which is alpha-hydroxy acid which have been extracted directly from the apples. These acids help dissolve the oil and sebum that clogs the pores and eventually un-clogs them. This will encourage skin renewal.
It is known to cure allergies from pets, food and environmental pollution, high cholesterol, flu, chronic fatigue, sinus infections, sore throats, arthritis and gout just to name a few.
However its most popular benefit is associated with weight loss. ACV is known to break down fat and that a daily dose of apple cider vinegar in water helps to keep high blood pressure in control within just two weeks.
It also helps to regulate the pH of your skin by simply diluting it with two parts of water and spreading the concoction over your face using a cotton ball as a toner overnight and washing it off the next morning. Please be mindful that you dilute it with larger portions of water since you are going to leave it on your skin for long hours.
It also helps to lighten age spots by dabbing ACV directly on them for about twenty minutes or so daily depending on the size of them. Besides it also helps to cleanse your liver by getting rid of accumulated toxins and recharging its efficiency.
How to use Apple Cider Vinegar for acne?
The usage of this varies with the severity of your acne. Most of the time, users dilute it with water and apply it with a cotton ball over their spots as it seems to work very well. ACV is considered a good replacement for antibiotics as it helps to treat bacterial infections.
You can probably use apple cider vinegar in two ways; one as an internal tonic and as topical antibacterial solution.
Follow these steps and you might see some considerable results. First take three table spoons of ACV to a bottle of water and mix them well thoroughly. Then apply it on your face with a cotton ball as an astringent.
Try using three different cotton balls on your face. Use one for your forehead, another for your cheeks and nose and one for your chin. If you happen to have an oily nose in particular, use a separate one for that. This is to prevent spreading bacteria from one place to all over your face which eventually would cause more breakouts on other areas of your face. Though this is quite uncommon, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Leave it for about ten to fifteen minutes and rinse it thoroughly with warm water. Then use a soft clean towel to pat your skin dry. Repeat this procedure three times a day for maximum effect. For those who have severe forms of acne infection, you can apply lower dosage of ACV diluted with three to four parts of water and leave it overnight to do its job and wash it off the next day with warm water.
Remember that you use lower strength of ACV should you want to apply and leave it on your skin for longer periods.
Another thing you can do is to drink it with water with a few table spoons as a tonic every morning. This helps to prevent acne breakouts, reduce infection and dry out inflammations. The only thing you need to be aware of is that it might not taste pleasant at all. Just try drinking it like water and you will be fine.
If you have some really bothersome prominent pimples, I would recommend mixing one part of ACV with three parts of water and dab it onto the pimple. Leave it there for about fifteen minutes and wash it off with warm water.
Some Tips and Warnings
· Never attempt to apply full-strength ACV on the face as there have been reported cases of skin damage, irritations and burns. So be cautious about using this remedy especially for those who have sensitive skin.
· Always use raw, unfiltered and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. This will give you the best results.
· After using apple cider vinegar, dab some tea tree oil on your acne. Tea tree oil works wonders for healing skin.
· If you are allergic to apples, then apple cider vinegar is not for you.
· Do not use in combination with other acne medications. This will lead to complications and over-drying of the skin.
· When you are applying ACV, it is best to start out with the weakest combinations of four parts of water to it. If you are comfortable with it, then work up to stronger mixtures. That means reducing the amount of water.
· Tingling sensations are pretty normal while using ACV, but if you start experiencing some burning sensations, rinse it off immediately with cold water.
Rounding It Up and My Conclusion
Everything about apple cider vinegar has been pretty positive except for the astringency of the vinegar which you must take caution of when applying it on your face. I would recommend starting with a lower dosage of it and then moderate it to higher strength as you keep adapting to the topical solution.
It’s normal to feel any tingling sensation as it is an indication that it’s working. However if you start experiencing any burning effects then wash it off immediately and lower the strength of ACV. For better results, use a water-based skin moisturizer to apply on your skin after each ACV treatment. This is to prevent your skin from getting too dehydrated due to the astringent characteristics of ACV.
I would like to point out that even though apple cider vinegar can remove some surface bacteria on the skin, it is not a long-term solution that can truly attack acne at its root. There are just about many causes of acne and bacteria are one of them.
It’s more or less suitable for those who have mild to moderate acne and could see results in just a couple of weeks. For severe cases, it could really take a long time to heal it. Have patience and you will rule the world! The good thing is that you are doing it naturally and definitely not burning your pockets in the process.
It all makes sense to try out this inexpensive home remedy before switching to more expensive products. Even if you need to, the severity of your acne condition would have improved and you wouldn’t have to spend a long time undergoing any medical procedures laid down for you by any dermatologist.
