The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Detox Teas
Posted by Erica (Birmingham, AL) on 10/02/2008
★★★★★
I have been taking a red tea remedy that is designed to boost liver function, and my acne is nearly gone! I have adult acne, and have had constant breakouts, and I am seeing my clear skin for the first time in about 15 years! It is Get Clean (Republic of Tea), a blend of Rooibos, milk thistle, sarsaparilla, dandeliaon, chicory, burdock, and red clover. A side note, it also helps my irritable bowel issues, which are much less severe.
Diatomaceous Earth
Posted by Natcat86 (Gaithersburg, Maryland, Usa) on 08/16/2011
★★★★★
I had really bad acne all over my face and neck with the random appearance on my chest, back, or shoulders constantly for 14 years (starting at puberty), and as time went on it only got worse (so it wasn't caused by changes in hormones as I was led to believe). I stumbled upon some information on Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and became intrigued because of its many proported benefits (I recommend looking it up). It is relatively unknown, and only sold for pest control and consumption by animals, (but you can buy food grade DE online) but since it is used to mechanically kill bugs in grain silos and just about every person who has ever eaten grain which was stored in a silo has eaten DE, I figured it would be safe and I would try it. DE is the fossilized shells of a type of algae called Diatoms. Their shells are extremely hard and very sharp (but yet not dangerous to your cells) and they mechanically scrub the walls of your intestines, scraping away any build-up. Some DE passes through the intestinal walls and into the bloodstream and while it is there it scrapes plaque buildup away from the walls of veins and arteries. It basicly acts like a plumber in your body.
I found that most cases of acne are caused by toxins entering the blood stream through the digestive system (some degree of leaky gut), not by a problem with the skin itself. It is your body attempting to expel the toxins from your blood. When you expel the toxins which originate in your digestive tract through the digestive system, they don't have the opportunity to make it into your blood stream and thus cause acne by pushing through your skin. So... I began adding 1tsp DE to water every day for a week, then increased it to 1tbsp gradually after that and drank it daily for 2 months. I noticed a difference my skin within a day. By the time 2 months was up I no longer had acne. I had to stop consuming it for a little while after that because I slightly threw my body off balance (my skin became a little dry). After a month off, I started consuming it again in moderation and have been ever since. I have been able to consistently keep the acne away as long as I continue to consume it at least a couple of times a week. I highly reccomend it because it is very effective and it gets to the root of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms. I now have had only a few pimples (instead of many hundreds) within the last 9 months, and I know that in time I will get them to go away completely.
Replied by Marina R
(Downey, Ca)
06/12/2017
Dietary Changes, Detox Cleanses
Posted by Kyle (Mason City, Il) on 05/09/2017
★☆☆☆☆
Dear Earth Clinic:
I found about you guys by doing a Google search for holistic medicine. I'd like your advice on something I'm still struggling with. I'm currently a 24 year old male & I have struggled with acne ever since my teens. Me & my family try to do practically everything as healthily as we can. We don't eat fast food, we don't eat anything out cans anymore (except for canned sardines once in a great while), we drink filtered reverse osmosis water, we even stay away from soda, we eat organic health food & stay completely away from major-label brands that have extra junk added to it.
In the past we've even taken some of the more extreme measures like doing liver/gallbladder cleanses, kidney cleanses & even colon cleanses. (Although I haven't had a colon cleanse since several years ago.) Going back to my original issue- despite doing all of this, to this day I STILL struggle with acne! I even have some on my back & shoulders which hasn't cleared up completely! Sometimes, I tend to have some acne spots get swollen. Why I haven't yet been able to figure out. But if you can offer any explanations or solutions that would be helpful, I would be very grateful! And if you have any questions for me or might need further details, feel free to drop me a line.
Thank you for your time & hope you can help me! Kyle
Replied by Mama To Many
(Tn)
05/10/2017
Dmps Chelation
Posted by Kelly (Denton, Texas) on 01/03/2008
★★★★★
Having had moderate to slightly severe acne since puberty , I have tried it all short of Accutane. I became COMPLETELY acne free at age 40 when I started DMPS chelation for mercury poisoning. The treatments were a week apart and each time would worsen the acne right after the treatment but would then look great until my next treatment. Each treatment would make it worse then better until about the 5th or 6th treatment completely cleared it. That was 9 years ago. The doctor had no idea the Dmps would do this and I have not seen where it is mentioned to cure acne anywhere. Not sure if it is the sulphur in the medicine that did the job or the clearing of mercury from the gut. Either way this was a complete cure and the answer to many prayers.
Egg
Posted by Franci (the UK)
★★★★★
Try whisking an egg in a glass bowl and smear onto your face using sliced raw potatoes. This is guaranteed to work for healthy, cleaner, spotless, softer skin. I tried it and gave it to all my friends who suffered acne and pimple problems and their skin looks great ! Go on, give it a go... suitable for all skin types.
Epsom Salt
Posted by Cindy (Torc, Nm) on 01/25/2012
★★★★★
I have been battling acne break outs for the last couple of years. I purchased ProActive and found that it only worked for a while and had to keep using it to keep clear skin. I broke out yesterday (1/25/12) and in desperation I grabbed the bag of Epsom Salt. I mixed 2 tsp of Epsom Salt to 3oz warm water and mixed it. I also took a few crystals on my index finger and applied them to the boils on my forehead. It is now (1/26/12) and the swelling and inflamation is almost gone. The area is no longer red, it is more pink and is almost gone!!!! I found this link in researching Epsom Salt and I thought I'd share my wonderful inexpensive remedy. Everyone is different, this worked for me!
Epsom Salt
Posted by Maxine (Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa) on 06/23/2011
★★★★★
Thank you so much for giving me the oppurtunity to learn more about Epsom salts and its uses. My grandmother told me to put a pinch of Epsom salts in my tea every morning- that was about two monthes ago. As a young adult I struggle with acne terribly, and I hoped the Epsom salts would help. I now religiously drink every two cups of tea in the morning with epsom salts. My body has been detoxing since- Its interesting to know that when I do struggle with pimples, I find that they go away in a few days, not like previously, when they would last for months!
Epsom Salt
Posted by Anne (Thunder Bay, Ontario) on 10/17/2009
Epsom Salt baths for acne treatment
Hello : ) I am 31 years old and have been dealing with moderate acne since puberty. I have tried everything from popular name brand acne cleansers, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, prescription acne cream, not wearing make-up, cutting sweets out of my diet, cutting junk food out of my diet, steam bathing the face, exfoliating facial cleansers, overnight acne treatment creams and birth control. Among all of those treatments, only staying on birth control seemed to make any real difference, however, it did not make the acne disappear entirely during menstruation.
I am now 20 weeks pregnant and the hormones have been wrecking even more havoc with the skin on my face since pregnancy. I also developed a rash on my tummy. As a result of reading many different solutions on the internet, I decided to give an Epsom Salt bath a try. I have been taking these baths each night for the last 4 nights and have seen remarkable improvements, such as:
- The little white bumps (that have been on the back of my upper arms since puberty) have almost disappeared altogether
- The rash on my tummy has disappeared entirely
- The few hard "under-skin" bumps/cysts on my face (which have stubbornly been there for a couple of months) have virtually disappeared
From my readings on the internet, bacteria (that causes acne) cannot be live in a salty environment; therefore, washing with the salt water kills the bacteria.
I have simply poured 1 to 2 cups of Epsom Salts into a full bath tub of warm/hot water and stirred the salt around in order to dissolve them into the water. I bathed for 10 to 15 minutes and rinsed my face a few times. I highly recommend this treatment to anyone with acne problems.
Replied by Barbicristi
(Desert Hot Springs, Ca)
01/25/2012
Essential Fatty Acids Oil
Posted by Tammy (Fort Knox, Ky) on 08/21/2011
★★★★★
I've had terrible acne for 40 years. Everyone said it would go away after I got out of my teen years, but it never did. My face is just a mess of scars at this point, but I've learned to live with that. I've tried everything imaginable, from so many doctors, in so many states. I can't even begin to list all the things I did to treat my face.
Anyway, I want to say two things. I have developed halitosis from 25 years of being on antibiotics. It has destroyed my personal life. Antibiotics kill off your good bacteria, and I am suffering from an overabundance of resistent bad bacteria, that I can't see seem to recolonize. What makes matters worse is all those pills didn't even make my acne go away, but I took it anyway since I had to do something. Please don't make the same mistake...
After almost 40 years, I discovered something that finally works. It is Essential Fatty Acids Oil. Taken daily, at one tablespoon for every 50 pounds of body weight, mixed in juice is what is needed. It's expensive, at $38 a bottle, and has to be refrigerated. (Buy it early in the summer so it doesn't get exposed to high temps while shipping). It took about a month for the results to show up, and I went off once for a few months, and began looking older and breaking out again. This time, I'm on it to stay. Won't need another round of accutane again, like my doctor was suggesting.
Essential Oils
Posted by Elisabeth (Sommerset, Colorado) on 05/17/2008
★★★★★
Lavender, tea tree and rosemary essential oils: I had mild cases of acne as a teenager but as an adult nearing 35, I broke out into terrible cystic acne all of the sudden. I tried everything but accutane, nothing would get rid of it and some things made it worse (like retin-a). A friend finally suggested this remedy and I was completely clear within two weeks-no kidding. The recipe is two to three drops each of Lavender, tea tree and rosemary essential oils in a small spray bottle of distilled water(such as a trial size hairspray bottle. Be sure to wash it out well first). Shake it up each time you use it. Spray it on a clean, dry face every morning and night. Let it air dry on your face. Keep the oils and the spray bottle in a cool dark place like a drawer or medicine cabinet, away from light and heat or the oils won't stay "true" for very long. I have been doing this for over ten years- I have added other oils as I have gotten older that are good for aging skin, like frankinsense and geranium-but I look fresh and young still and my skin is like a babie's soft pink bottom. This was my little miracle and there are absolutely no side effects from this. My family all use this remedy, I have given it to our teenage daughters and thier girlfriends who have breakouts and everyone is amazed at how such simplicity works such wonders! This is also great for anyone at any age who just wants to have softer and much more radiant skin.
Essential Oils
Posted by Mila (Sacramento, California) on 04/03/2007
★★★★★
I tried essential oils, more specifically, rosemary and coriander oils, for my blackheads and active acne, and a miracle happened with my face. Here is how I do it: at night I wash my face first if i have makeup on with my regular camphor based cleanser, then about an hour later i heat up a huge pot of water, and hold my face above the steam for about 10-15 minutes, i also cover my head with a big towel, so the heat does not escape. The steam helps open up the pores and let the toxins out. Then I take a shower and rinse my face off oil and toxins. After i get out i pat my face dry and apply coriander and rosemary oil mixed together. It's been a couple of weeks, and my face has cleared up so much, I am amazed. There are other things I do too, like drinking less caffeine and eating less sugar ,taking flax and omega 3,6,9 oils, also praying to God( I'm a christian), and my skin has been great. It doesn't get congested anymore, it's color is more healthy and even, I am absolutely amazed. I am 22, so I know acne at my age is an internal problem, so I recommend to anybody the essential oils(coriander and rosemary), but also checking your diet, some foods cause your skin to congest and breakout. Hope this helps)) I think I'll be using essential oils now,for me they've been more effective and a lot less expensive than facials and pretty much all brand name products i've tried in my life, and trust me i've wasted thousands of dollars on lotians, facials, cremes, etc. God bless you, and hope you find this comment helpful.
Evening Primrose Oil
Posted by Randahl (San Jose, California) on 08/17/2008
★★★★★
This remedy, unfortunately, only applies to women with acne problems--however, it worked REALLY well for me. About one year ago I suddenly got a moderate case of acne, and nothing I did would get rid of it. Putting ACV on my face and drinking it kind of worked in keeping breakouts small, but didn't prevent them from appearing.
One of my friends had been in a similar situation a while before and recommended that I try Evening Primrose Oil. I did some research on it and lo and behold, it has anti-inflammatory and hormone-regulating qualities. I started taking one 500 mg pill 3 times a day, and it helped ENORMOUSLY.
I also would like to mention that being on a birth control pill like Yasmin or Yaz, combined with Evening Primrose oil, got rid of ALL acne. I mean absolutely every little bit. While on BC, I only took EPO twice a day, but once I went off of it, I went back up to 3x a day and my acne is still very under control.
Hope this helps!
Eye Drops
Posted by A. (San Francisco, California) on 03/18/2007
★★★★★
If I feel a blemish coming on and I have some where to go, I usually get a q-tip wet with eye drops and put it in the freezer. when the q-tip is frozen I put it on the pimple and it take the red out and reduces the swelling. thanks for this great site, after reading all this great information, I thought I'd share one of my own.
Fermented Foods
Posted by Ryan (Los Angeles, Ca) on 06/28/2013
★★★★★
To clear acne, both Sauerkraut & Kimche are heavy in probiotics and fight candidia (an underlying cause in acne). Buy only unheated, unpasteurized, organic, RAW brands that are vinegar free. Start slow and work your way up to up to 4-6 tablespoons a day. If you have too much too fast, you could get stomach discomfort. You should see clearer skin in no time. The texture of my skin is smoother as well.
Fermented Foods
Posted by Penelope (Los Angeles, Ca) on 04/10/2013
★★★★★
Try introducing fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimche, and extra virgin coconut oil into your diet to clear up acne fast! Like everything, introduct these foods in small amounts first, one at a time to see what works for you and to see how much to take. For me, Kimche cleared up my acne in DAYS! Coconut oil caused me to break out initally then clear. Make sure you buy saurkraut and kimche at a korean market or health food store - not the heated, processed kinds sold elsewhere at more commercial, larger chain stores.
