Acne is a very common skin condition which can affect anyone. However, teens and adolescents have a higher chance of getting acne than adults because of hormones changes that happen at this age. The older you are, the less likely you are to get acne.
This skin condition can be caused by many factors, including stress, an unhealthy diet, and even air and water pollution. There are many ways of treating acne, both natural and medicinal. Natural ingredients are often a better choice because they don’t dry out the skin or cause side effects.
Honey is thought to be very good for your skin. Does honey work as a face wash for acne? The short answer is yes, and this article will cover all the benefits honey provides for your skin.
Benefits of Using Honey against Acne
Bees make honey out of glucose and fructose, and it contains vitamins, proteins, amino acids, minerals, and enzymes. People have always used honey to treat various ailments, and they discovered that it’s very beneficial for the skin – you may have heard that Cleopatra bathed in honey and milk.
It can be used to treat burns, infections, rashes, psoriasis, and dandruff. This is why you can find honey on the list of ingredients for many skincare products.
It is used against acne because of its antibacterial properties. It serves as a natural antibiotic, killing bacteria that multiply in the skin pores.
You get acne when your pores containing hair follicles get clogged with dead cells and sebum, which is an oily substance your skin produces for lubrication. The bacteria feed on the sebum and multiply, causing pimples to appear.
The chemical properties of honey allow it to be efficient against bacteria. Some of the reasons for this are:
- Bacteria cannot grow in an acidic environment, which is why the amino acids of honey are helpful.
- Bees use propolis for building hives but it also has many health benefits. It can be used to kill bacteria, fungi, and many other harmful microorganisms.
- Bacterial cells have difficulty reproducing because of the high quantity of sugars in honey, which puts pressure on them.
- Unpasteurized honey speeds up the regeneration of skin cells and it soothes burns and rashes. It also removes dead and dry skin and uncovers the new skin which was previously stuck beneath. In other words, honey has exfoliating properties.
How to Prepare a Honey Face Mask at Home
Before you begin making a mask, consider which type of honey to use. You can use regular honey, bought at a farmers’ market, a local store, or directly from a honeybee farmer in your area. This type of honey is not bad if you want to consume it too. You can eat a spoonful a day to prevent diseases and even allergies.
On the other hand, there are medicinal types of honey which you can find in health foods stores and pharmacies. They are purified, and mostly without additives. These are often put in skincare products. The most common brands are Revamil and Manuka honey.
Does honey work as a face wash for acne? It does, and here is how to apply honey to your face step by step:
- Mix two tablespoons of honey and a teaspoon of cinnamon into a paste.
- Test if the mixture causes an allergic reaction by applying a tiny amount on the back of your hand. Leave it on for ten minutes and see if your skin becomes irritated, swollen or red. If that is not the case, you are good to go.
- Cover your entire face with this paste, using your fingers or a cotton swab. Make sure your hands are clean if you are applying it manually.
- Leave it on for half an hour. Then rinse it with room temperature water.
- Do not leave the mask overnight. It is safer to remove it because honey is sticky and it can bind dust and other particles to your skin, which can cause an even worse breakout of acne.
If you do not like covering your entire face with honey, you can use this paste for spot treatment, only applying it to the areas of your skin that are affected by acne. Just cover the pimples with honey, and rinse it off after 30 minutes.
You can also use honey as a cleanser. Just use a tiny amount of honey mixed with some drops of water to massage your face gently. Do it for several minutes before rinsing it with warm water.
Side Effects of Honey Face Wash
You should not use honey masks if you are allergic to bee venom and pollen. Most people do not get allergic reactions from honey but you should double-check with a patch test prior to applying it. Side effects from allergies can manifest in the form of rashes, itching, burning, swelling, and gasping for air.
Other Ingredients You Can Pair with Honey
In case you are wondering why you should add cinnamon to your face mask, it is because it shares some great properties with honey. Cinnamon kills bacteria and other microbes, stopping them from multiplying. It also makes the skin smoother because it reduces pores.
Other helpful ingredients include green tea extract, tea tree oil, and alpha hydroxyl acids. All of them help with suppressing the growth of bacteria in your skin and unclogging the pores.
Bee Acne Free
Now that you know about the natural remedies which are beneficial in the battle against acne, you can use them to your advantage and prevent any future breakouts. You can cleanse your face with a honey solution once or twice a day, or use it to treat specific existing spots. Also, eating a tablespoon of honey each day can serve as a good precaution against skin problems.
In case the natural way does not seem to be working, or you have a severe acne breakout, you can visit your doctor and ask for a professional opinion. There is a variety of oral and topical medications, but they may dry out your skin so use them cautiously.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3611628/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5661189/
https://www.acneauthority.org/honey-for-acne/
Comments