Today, many are turning to natural home remedies in an attempt to save some money from buying those expensive skin solutions that claim to cure acne but never deliver on their promises. There is a growing awareness trend among the community to opt for natural treatments and this is definitely bad news for the commercial skin markets.
There are quite a few natural home remedies available. Among one of them is apple cider vinegar. You’ve probably read a lot of articles on the use of apple cider vinegar as a cure for adult acne. Does this really work? How true is it? I hope this article can dispel some misconceptions about this natural home remedy, if there is one.
What is apple cider vinegar?
Apple Cider Vinegar, also known as (ACV), is an effective natural bacteria-fighting agent that has many elements such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, sodium, iron, sulfur, etc. All of these elements are vital to a healthy body, especially to promote healthy skin development. These antibacterial properties make it a good topical home remedy for acne.
The main ingredient in ACV is acetic acid. It helps to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, kills the propionibacterium acnes bacteria, which is generally known as P-acnes, and neutralizes sebum, which is the oily substance that P-acnes feeds on and thrives on.
How is apple cider vinegar made?
Apple cider vinegar is obtained by fermentation of apple cider or apple juice that is made from crushed organic apples. Just for your information, fermentation means an act of conversion. Organic apples have some type of bacteria and yeast on the skin. So when they are crushed, you get pure apple juice with a mixture of bacteria and yeast.
After which you let it mature for a while. During this process, yeast and bacteria break down the sugar in the apple cider, which turns into alcohol. It’s more like a brewing process that finally 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 buy ACV at any department store. First, be sure to get the organic ACV with labels that say “With the mother” with an ideal acidity (pH) level of five to seven. This means that it is in a pure, raw form characterized by a dark, cloudy, cobweb-like, brown bacterial foam.
Benefits of apple cider vinegar for your skin
Apple cider vinegar contains acids, one of which is alpha-hydroxy acid which is extracted directly from apples. These acids help dissolve oil and sebum that clog your pores and eventually unclog them. This will encourage skin renewal.
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 a daily dose of apple cider vinegar in water helps keep high blood pressure under control in just two weeks.
It also helps regulate the skin’s pH by simply diluting it with two parts water and spreading the mixture over the face with a cotton ball as a toner overnight and washing off the next morning. Keep in mind that you dilute it with larger portions of water as you will be leaving it on your skin for many hours.
It also helps to lighten age spots by applying ACV directly to them for about twenty minutes or so a day, depending on their size. Furthermore, it also helps cleanse the liver by getting rid of accumulated toxins and recharging its efficiency.
How to use apple cider vinegar for acne?
The use of this varies depending on the severity of your acne. Most of the time, users dilute it with water and apply it with a cotton ball to the spots as it seems to work very well. ACV is considered a good replacement for antibiotics as it helps treat bacterial infections.
You can probably use apple cider vinegar in two ways; one as an internal tonic and as a topical antibacterial solution.
Follow these steps and you might see some considerable results. First take three tablespoons of ACV in a bottle of water and mix it well. Then apply it on your face with a cotton pad as an astringent.
Try using three different cotton balls on your face. Use one for the forehead, one for the cheeks and nose, and one for the chin. If you have a particularly oily nose, use a separate one for that. This is to prevent the spread of bacteria from one place to the entire face, which would eventually cause more breakouts on other areas of the face. Although this is quite uncommon, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Leave it for about ten to fifteen minutes and rinse well with lukewarm water. Then use a soft, clean towel to dry your skin. Repeat this procedure three times a day for maximum effect. For those who have severe forms of acne infection, you can apply a lower dose of apple cider vinegar diluted with three to four parts of water and leave it on overnight and wash it off the next day with lukewarm water.
Remember that you use a lower concentration of ACV if you want to apply it and leave it on your skin for longer periods.
Another thing you can do is drink it with water with a few table spoons as a tonic every morning. This helps prevent acne breakouts, reduces infections, and dries up inflammation. The only thing to keep in mind is that it may not taste pleasant. Just try to drink it like water and you’ll be fine.
If you have some really annoying prominent pimples, I would recommend mixing one part ACV to three parts water and applying it to the pimple. Leave it there for around fifteen minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water.
Some tips and warnings
Never attempt to apply pure ACV to the face, as skin damage, irritation, and burns have been reported. So be careful when 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, apply some tea tree oil to your acne. Tea tree oil works wonders to heal the 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 excessive drying of the skin.
· When applying apple cider vinegar, it is best to start with the weaker combinations of four parts water. If you’re comfortable with that, work with stronger mixes. That means reducing the amount of water.
· Tingling sensations are quite normal while using ACV, but if you start to experience some burning sensations, rinse immediately with cool water.
Rounding up and my conclusion
Everything about apple cider vinegar has been pretty positive, except for the astringency of the vinegar, which you have to be careful about when applying it to your face. I would recommend starting with a lower dose and then taper to a higher concentration as you adjust to the topical solution.
It is normal to feel any tingling sensation as it is an indication that it is working. However, if you start to experience burning effects, wash off immediately and reduce the strength of the apple cider vinegar. For best results, use a water-based skin moisturizer to apply to the skin after each ACV treatment. This is to prevent your skin from becoming too dehydrated due to the astringent characteristics of apple cider vinegar.
I would like to point out that although apple cider vinegar can kill some bacteria on the skin’s surface, it is not a long-term solution that can really attack acne at its root. There are many causes of acne, and bacteria is one of them.
It is more or less suitable for those who have mild to moderate acne and can see results in just a couple of weeks. For severe cases, it could really take a long time to cure. Be patient and you will rule the world! The good thing is that you are doing it naturally and definitely without burning your pockets in the process.
It makes sense to try this inexpensive home remedy before switching to more expensive products. Even if you need it, the severity of your acne condition would have improved and you would not have to spend a lot of time undergoing any set medical procedure by any dermatologist.
