Most Home Acne Cures Don’t Work
People will try just about anything to get rid of acne. Unfortunately, sometimes it seems like they want to try all of the wrong things before they finally get around to a product that works. You can read about lots of acne cures on the Internet that claim to stop seasonal breakouts. It’s not always easy to separate facts from myths. Hopefully, this will clear up some of the myths so that you don’t have to waste your time on so-called treatments that don’t help.
Absolutely Crazy Acne Cures
- Apply toothpaste to your zit.
Lots of people fall for this acne cure myth. Some people claim that applying a small amount of toothpaste to a pimple at night will eliminate it by morning. Like many acne cures, this one purports to dry out the pimple quickly, leaving behind fresh, unblemished skin.
There are a few problems with using toothpaste as an acne cure. First, some toothpaste contains ingredients that can actually make your acne worse. This is especially true of tartar control toothpastes. Using tartar control toothpaste will actually feed the bacteria that cause acne. Instead of killing them, you have prepared a rewarding dinner!
Another reason not to use toothpaste on a pimple is because it can dry out your skin. This often leaves behind an itchy area surrounding the pimple (which, not surprisingly, will still be there in the morning). The itchiness will encourage you to scratch at the area, further aggravating the pimple and adding even more bacteria. So it’s a good idea to just use your toothpaste on your teeth.
Somewhat Sensible Acne Cures
Other home acne cures make a little more sense. Few of them, however, work as well as they claim. Most of these acne cures involve rubbing some substance on your face. The substance varies from alcohol to lemon juice to garlic. Yes, some people run mashed garlic cloves on their skin to get rid of pimples. Who would exchange a zit for smelling less than wonderful?
There are, of course, problems other than the garlic stink factor.
- Rub alcohol on the pimple.
Some acne cures focus on drying out the pimple with substances like alcohol. Drying up excess oil is a good idea because oil clogs pores and provides sustenance to bacteria. Alcohol, however, will probably dry out your skin too much. You don’t want to trade pimples for a dry, ashen face.
Some brave people even try administering alcohol into the pimple by poking the skin with a needle. That’s not only worse for your skin than rubbing it with alcohol, doing this will also hurt a lot. Definitely not advisable.
- Rub lemon juice on your face.
This actually makes some sense. Lemons contain strong acids that can remove dead skin cells that frequently clog pores and cause pimples. Lemons also, however, contain a large amount of sugar. If that sugar dries on your skin, then you could be adding to your pimple problem. Additional, lemon juice’s acid is pretty strong. Frequent use could actually cause a chemical burn.
The Real Acne Cures
Honestly, there are no real proven acne cures, but the most effective treatments are available to anyone. Unfortunately, you might have to look beyond the produce section of your local grocery store. Find a cleansing treatment that contains exfoliants, benzoyl peroxide, and a decent moisturizer.