Ayurveda Treatment For Acne & Pimples

Acne is caused due to excessive production of oil in the sebaceous glands. This excess results in the blockage of hair follicles. Ayurveda has many several natural approaches that might help control acne. In Ayurveda, acne is known as ‘Yauvan Pidika,’ and is thought to be a manifestation of an aggravated Pitta dosha. Besides your face, acne may affect shoulders and your spine area, also.

There are three primary doshas, according to Ayurveda (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha), and good health is regarded as a perfect state of equilibrium between these three doshas. Acne is reported to be an aggravation of pitta dosha, which functions under the skin and contributes to heated toxins, further breaking out as acne. To keep acne at bay, an individual needs to adopt a pitta-pacifying diet. Those who see regular outbreaks of acne should avoid hot and fermented foods. Heavily salty and fried foods ought to be also best avoided.

In Ayurveda, skin problems are regarded as an imbalance of the doshas, the three constitutions around which Ayurveda is based. Surface treatments alone will not eliminate acne causes, and that’s why Ayurvedic approaches include diet and lifestyle changes. It’s essential for your digestion to work properly. Ensuring that toxins do not build-up, and avoiding foods that may increase inflammation can help.

How Your Dosha Affects Your Skin

– A Vata imbalance can create blackheads. Dryness in the body can lead to an overproduction of oil, clogging the skin.

– A pitta imbalance can lead to inflammation and toxins to accumulate, leading to red, painful pimples.

– A Kapha imbalance can create cystic acne because of excessive dampness in the body.

Here are some Ayurvedic remedies that may help treat acne better:

– Eat more green veggies: If you experience problems with your skin, Ayurveda suggests reducing salty, hot, and sour foods, because they may increase inflammation and heat in the body, aggravating pitta. She says, eat more bitter, astringent vegetables, such as asparagus, collard greens, dandelion greens, and kale.

– Stay hydrated with a minimum of six glasses of water a day is the general rule for good health and is very good for the skin.

– Amla Juice: Drink Amla juice every day. Amla ( Indian gooseberry) is Ayurveda’s most prized possession for skin therapy. Fresh amla juice comprises 20 times as much vitamin-C as in orange juice. Vitamin-C is a natural antioxidant, meaning that it protects you against the damaging effects of free radicals and prevents acne formation.

– Herbal Mixture: Create a powdered combination of coriander seeds, fennel, basil, turmeric, and amla in equal portions. All these herbs and seeds pack antioxidants that kill inflammation beneath the epidermis. Take half teaspoon of the powder 15 minutes before lunch and dinner, and wash it down with hot water.

– Pure and organic skin cleanser: Some makeup creams may cause or aggravate acne by massaging the skin and throwing off the oil balance within the body. Then the skin overproduces oil to keep the balance. Use chickpea flour to create your all-natural cleaner to eliminate dirt and gently exfoliate. Add turmeric to decrease redness and Neem powder, which is cooling to your skin.

– After cleansing the face, apply coconut oil: Though it might appear counterintuitive to treat skin problems with oil when we place healthy oils on the skin, the body knows that overproducing oil is no longer required. Coconut oil is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and contains vitamin E, which helps with the appropriate sebum glands. While coconut oil is beneficial for many skin types, super-dry skin may take a thicker oil. Neem oil also balances the skin’s oil production and reduces inflammation, swelling, and the propensity to break out. Additionally, it helps prevent scarring.

– Ayurvedic mixture of Kutki, Guduchi, and Shatavari: A herbal combination of Kutki, Guduchi, and Shatavari can perform wonders. Mix equal proportions of the three herbs, and take 1/4th teaspoon of this twice a day. After meals, set the powder on your tongue and drink cold water to wash it down.

– Melons: Placing melon on your skin may also help. Rub some melon on the skin at bedtime and leave it overnight. Its cooling anti-pitta quality can help cure acne.

– Cumin Coriander-Fennel tea: Drinking cumin coriander-fennel tea is an effective means to keep the body cool and heat-generating toxins. Steep 1/3rd teaspoon of the three seeds in warm water, strain, and drink. Drink this tea three times per day for the best results.

– Fermented Dairy: Fermented dairy products such as kefir and yogurt have healthy probiotic bacteria and might have distinct effects on acne than non-fermented milk like milk. One study indicated that the ingestion of fermented milk could be helpful to combat acne. Fermented milk may help reduce acne by changing skin oils toward a healthier balance. Although promising, more studies are necessary to understand how fermented dairy products affect acne.

– Omega 3 fatty acids: Omega 3 fatty acids from fish like salmon, sardines, and walnuts may be beneficial in reducing acne. A 2008 study showed a 20% acne improvement after ten months of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids. One theory is that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation replenishes the perfect balance of oils from the skin.

– Low Glycemic Index Foods: The Glycemic index refers to how much food may raise blood sugar (glucose) levels. Low glycemic index foods result in a slower increase in blood sugar levels, and high glycemic index foods result in a faster rise in the blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels rise, this causes the body to secrete insulin. Therefore, low glycemic index foods contribute to reduced insulin increases, and high glycemic foods result in a quicker and more significant spike of insulin.

Low glycemic index food-based diets can be useful in reducing acne. Diets rich in vegetables, fruit, and dietary fiber are thought of as low glycemic diets. The fiber in low glycemic index foods reduces digestion and reduces the conversion of carbohydrates to glucose. This causes less insulin to be secreted, so the pathways that result in acne aren’t triggered quickly. One recent study found that individuals who consume a Mediterranean diet are less likely to have acne. Additionally, the reduction of milk and milk intake was correlated with improved acne because these tend to be food items with high glycemic indices.

Diet has been debated as a factor in causing acne. Chocolate and greasy fatty foods have been blamed anecdotally for years. We now know it’s a fact that what you eat does affect the formation of pimples and inflammation in the skin.

– Skim milk and whey protein: Several studies have shown that skim milk intake could be associated with more severe acne. As mentioned above, this might be caused by skim milk using a higher glycemic index than low fat or full-fat dairy. Whey protein may spike insulin, and whey protein supplementation has been observed to flare acne, which may be important among the ones who regularly use these supplements, such as athletes and bodybuilders.

– High glycemic index foods: High glycemic foods are simple carbohydrates and sugars, which can be quickly converted to sugar. This sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to a spike in insulin. Insulin spikes can cause signals in the skin, an essential element in the incidence of acne. This spike in insulin isn’t just bad for your acne but for your weight as well.

Alternative medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, and Naturopathy, have thought that what you consume will reflect your skin condition. The suggestions from varied viewpoints agree: plant-based diets that have few fried foods and unfermented dairy are best for reducing acne.

– In Ayurveda, high glycemic load diets aggravate and increase Kapha and can lead to a flare in comedones (pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads) formation. Diets should focus on fruits and vegetables, with a low to moderate amount of milk and processed sugars. Fried meat and foods, which have been linked with an increased presence of acne, can also aggravate Kapha.

– Naturopathic medicine frequently recommends diet as a first-line approach to acne. The perfect diet would strongly resemble a Paleolithic diet that focuses on increased fruit, vegetable, fish, and sugar avoidance.

– Eating refined sugar, too sweet foods, and dairy products contribute to dampness in TCM. Dampness is a frequent cause of inflammatory acne. Chinese medicine also recommends eating less processed sugars and higher quantities of low glycemic foods.

Western medicine viewpoints and other medical clinics show support for a healthful diet that considers the specific food types addressed in this report, which can decrease acne incidence and severity. In Ayurveda, skin problems are regarded as an imbalance of the doshas, the three constitutions around which Ayurveda is based. Surface treatments alone will not eliminate acne causes, and that’s why Ayurvedic approaches include diet and lifestyle changes.