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.
Baking Soda
Posted by Inkblot (New York, New York) on 01/23/2015
★★★★★
I get stress related acne, which drives me absolutely nuts, which I've had limited success treating. I'm lucky in that the acne itself isn't constant but it is frequent and if I pick at it at all (and I'm a picker) it does leave marks that last for at least a month. I recently started a combination of baking soda and mango butter that has been amazingly effective. I've been washing my face at night with hot water - using the baking soda like a scrub and before my face has the chance to dry applying this wonderful mango butter cream. My acne started clearing up in just a few days and the existing marks have also been healing faster than usual.
Coffee Enema
Posted by Jacqueline (Portland, Or) on 12/29/2014
★★★★★
I think acne might have various causes because for me, it is all related to how clean my blood is. When I do several rounds of coffee enemas (not for everyone, but I have had great success with them, do a Google search for pros/cons) my skin will clear up completely. Knowing my body reacts this way I would self-diagnose as having a clogged liver and "leaky gut" which causes my skin to excrete toxins and thus get clogged and result in acne. It is much easier to use coconut oil as an ongoing treatment for cleaning liver/digestive tract (and reducing leaky gut for cleaner blood) instead of the coffee enemas (VERY messy and VERY time consuming! ). :)
Milk Thistle
Posted by R.w. (Southwest Virginia, USA) on 12/21/2014
★★★★★
Milk Thistle Extract clears teenage acne: I tried a few other things that had worked for my oldest son (thylox soap, oil pulling) and it didn't help with my youngest. So I got Milk Thistle Extract capsules and he takes 2 caps in the morning. Acne cleared up in about 10 days. Each capsule has 250 mg of Milk Thistle Extract standardized to contain at least 80% Silmaryin. The bottle says to take 1 cap 3 times a day, but 2 seemed to do it for him (he's less than 120 lbs.)
Baking Soda
Posted by Izzy (Wellington, New Zealand) on 09/11/2014
★★★★★
I'm 24 years old and have had problems with inflammatory acne since the beginning of high school. I've got some scarring on my face and even when I don't have pimples, my skin looks terrible and uneven. I heard about Earth Clinic from a friend a while ago and finally decided to look up a solution (I'd kind of given up trying to fix it).
This morning I had big, angry red pimples on my cheeks. About three hours ago I scrubbed my face with baking soda, (another solution I found on here...) and rubbed some cold-pressed Coconut Oil into my skin, I can hardly believe it - my skin has calmed down so much and my red spots are almost gone! Even in just a few hours my complexion has improved more than it has in months. Nothing has ever helped as quickly and effectively as this! Totally incredible!
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Elsa (Wellington, Nz) on 08/27/2014
★★★★★
My two daughters used this formula For acne...you can try this If you want..Take one to two tbsp of brewers yeast, one to two tbsp lecithin granules or two caps, one tbsp cold pressed safflower oil. Take with milk, nonfat dairy milk, or apple juice.
to remove acne scar, apply a thin layer aloe Vera gel (cut the leaves close to the ground) over the skin twice a day for as long as it takes. In addition, use a natural fruit peel to continuously exfoliate and encourage new skin.
Really effective!!
Acne Tips
Posted by Raquel (Los Angeles, Ca) on 07/31/2014
Don't ever take Accutane. The side effects are too dire and not worth it!! Any decent, informed doctor will tell you this. There are natural remedies out there that are incredibly effective for keeping acne at bay. Apple Cider Vinegar 2 teaspoons in 8 ounces of purified water 3 X a day. B vitamins are also incredible for helping to clear acne, particularly in Coenzymated forms (if you get an initial breakout don't worry - that's a good sign it's clearing things out). Ground Flaxseeds and Hemp seeds are also great for skin. Tea Tree Oil works amazingly well as a spot treatment, it's more powerful than Benzamycin and without the toxic effects. Just know there are natural remedies out there that clear skin! You don't have to rely on medication that will damage your body.
Also, it is crucial to stay away from all dairy from a cow (goat is ok). It is the most acne producing food and best to stay clear of if you want clear skin!
Sea Salt
Posted by Cl503 (Oregon, United States) on 04/06/2014
★★★★★
I have read from other sources about the benefits of sea salt for acne. I have always had really oily skin and acne, always. Have tried everything short of accutane. About two weeks ago I made a mixture of sea salt, water, lavender and rosemary oils and a touch of vegetable glycerine, and put it into a spray bottle. I have been spraying this on my face and upper back consistently and have noticed a very significant improvement. I use the spray before I apply make up, after I apply make up after I wash my face, after the shower, whenever I can.
My face seems to look a bit "glowy", my oiliness has diminished and my back is about 90% more clear. I have experienced a few zits since using this, but just the ones that come to a head right away and go away by the next day.
The only side effect I have noticed is an increased thirst.
I am just guestimating.. but I think I used about--1 tblsp of sea salt dissolved in about 4 ounces of water, and added maybe 5 drops of each oil and a drop or two of the glycerine to bind things.
Hope this helps someone!
Saw Palmetto
Posted by Candy (Ontario, Canada) on 12/20/2013
★★★★★
Saw Palmetto has made my acne disappear in a short amount of time. I read online that saw palmetto can increase a womans breast size (it worked) and also clears acne and keeps it away. I've got three zits in the last two months!!!! Thank God!!!! My face was covered with bumps for as long as I can remember. I so happy this remedy is cheap and easy. Just 2 pills a days keeps the acne away.
Cool Water Rinse
Posted by Brittbritt101 (Little Rock, Ar) on 08/24/2013
★★★★★
I have had acne since I hit puberty at the age of 15. My mother always told me to wash my face with hot water to clean my face and open pores. Well, I still had acne as a teen and all the way to adulthood. My acne disappeared while on birthcontrol with hormones (don't recommend) as an adult, but with other side affects. Well I got off of the birth control and my acne reappeared. Especially during that time of the month. Well, anyways my mother called and told me that I need to wash my face with cold water instead of hot water to keep my face from breaking out. I thought about it and it made perfect sense. When we wash our face with hot water our skin pores are opened up allowing the release of oils and bacteria. If our pores remain open we will allow bacteria to re-enter our pores causing build-up, black heads, pimples and all of that ugly stuff. After washing my face with plain hot water, I would rinse with plain cool to cold water to close my pores. Now you can put vitamin E oil or coconut oil on your skin after the hot wash followed by the cool rinse. This will allow for the good stuff to get in there.. Gives you smooth soft skin. Well anyways, I have not broken out an any pimples, cystic acne, or knots on my face in 2 months now. I do this for the rest of my body also.. Hot shower.. Hotter than I can stand it followed by a cool rinse. No body acne.. No face acne.. all free.
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.
Coconut
Posted by Haler (West Coast, Ca, Usa) on 05/11/2013
To substitute healthier snacks for our 13 year old, I lightly toasted regular grocery store shredded coconut in my cast iron skillet. Yum! I noticed, after our teen ate a teen-sized handful at breakfast - his acne was always totally clear by dinner, for a couple days. When he'd eat a handful at dinner, by morning time, his skin would also be all clear. We love that it seems now (3 years) to have cured our lethargic appetites and healed our lower digestion functions too. Our teen loves the cleared skin and renewed energy! Thanks for this site!
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.
Lysine
Posted by Heather (San Diego, Ca) on 04/03/2013
★☆☆☆☆
Nay. I have used lysine regulalry for viral issues and don't notice any difference in my hormonal breakouts. May work for some people though.
Baking Soda
Posted by G (San Diego) on 03/25/2013
Okay so I raved about baking soda clearing up my acne but I think my skin dried out too much and now I have to use borax (20 mule) on my face to help it. My acne is alot better but not perfect.
I hope for the best! I'm not a doctor. I always say this.
Baking Soda
Posted by G (San Diego) on 03/11/2013
★★★★★
I've come to realize the only thing preventive for my acne (and healed my acne) now is the use of baking soda (A&H) everyday. The way I use baking soda is mixed inside my normal face wash(soap)(I use all natural face wash too). I mix baking soda in my shampoo and body wash as well. I only use natural soaps and I realize they don't make me feel very clean so I mix baking soda with them. I use quite of bit of baking soda. Make sure that you don;t scrub your face with just baking soda. Mix it first. You can use this remedy once a day or twice a day until your face clears up. I use it every day almost. The acne will clear up and then you can alternate between washing just with regular face soap and then the next time mixture of baking soda and soap.
My face is clear.
I haven't found a over the counter face moisturizer so I use regular cow butter. Sounds gross, but once I got clear skin, I only needed to moisturize it. Coconut oil made me break out. Do not leave butter on face for too long. I wash off thoroughly with regular face soap (not baking soda soap) and I feel great and I think I look great. I put the butter on my neck and massage my face.
I'm not a doctor and this may not work for anyone else. Butter has diminished my wrinkles.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Julie (Washington, Dc) on 03/08/2013
★★★★★
I just had to share my experiences and results with this wonderful community who finally helped me get a handle on my acne.
I am in my early 30's and have struggled with face and body acne since my teens. I was put on a wide variety of drugs for a good part of my 20's but I knew they were just a band-aid and not dealing with the root cause (and they were waay expensive). I finally went off of them a few years ago and have been trying one thing after another to get this under control.
After reading a bunch on your site at the beginning of this year this is what I have done:
* Take ACV every morning.
* Cook with coconut oil and drink in my tea throughout the day.
* Stop using my 'acne pads' that are very drying - I just learned from a former skin care consultant that these products are so drying that they can actually trigger the oil production response in your skin. What! That makes sense to me so I stopped about a month ago.
* Each night I wipe my makeup off with a gentle face wipe and then I wipe my T Zone with Hydrogen Peroxide. It makes my skin feel SOOO clear and dry and smooth
* Each morning after my shower I use a gently high quality moisturizer on my face.
* The only other thing I have done in relation to my skin is that I cut out the greek yogurt I was eating everyday.
Obviously I tried a lot of things at once so it is hard to tell what made the most difference. My heart tells me the biggest shifts came from the ACV the Hydrogen Peroxide and ditching the super-drying acne pads.
Now that I am 2 months into this process I can't tell you how different my face looks and feels. No more deep cystic acne. Significantly reduced pimples, smaller pores, and the redness from years of other pimples is starting to fade. When I get a pimple here or there it is gone quickly and isn't nearly as painful.
I do still believe I need to make more shifts in my diet for the acne to go away completely but I am SO pumped that these remedies are helping as much as they are. Thank you Earth Clinic!
