Acne and Pimples

Acne and Pimples

Acne is a very common problem affecting teenagers. It is a skin complaint in which spots, blackheads and pimples appear on the face, neck and body.

Healing Hints

Wash frequently with soap and water.
Do not prick or squeeze the pimples with bare fingers.
Use a special blackhead-extractor.
Avoid excessive fatty & oily food stuff.
Sandalwood,. turmeric, aloe, and neem are the best home remedies.
Causes

At the root of the problem are the sebaceous glands, which secrete an oily fluid known as sebum. During teenage, the hormonal changes taking place stimulate these glands to produce larger quantities of sebum than before, thus making the skin greasier.

The problem erupts if the exit to the gland (in the hair follicle) becomes blocked. The sebum begins to "back-up" in the gland, causing it to swell slightly, and this plug at exit may turn black on contact with air, so causing a blackhead. This is not due to dirt but is due to a chemical process known as Oxidation. If bacteria and sebum are trapped inside the gland by the plug, the tissues become inflamed and form a pimple.

Herbal Medicines

The paste made of Jeera (cumin seeds) applied over the pimples gives relief. For a single application, 5gm of Jeera is sufficient to prepare the paste. After one hour, the application can be removed.
The paste of 5gm each of red sandalwood (Rakta Chandan) and turmeric made with milk is a very efficacious local application.
Cumin seeds popularly known as ajwain are also useful in this condition. Prepare the paste of 5gm ajwain, duly adding required quantity of water and apply on the face.
Kumari pulp (known as Aloe vera) should be taken internally. Extracted juice of Aloe vera (half a cup) should be taken internally twice a day.
Fresh juice of tender tulsi leaves (Ocimum basilicum) is to be applied externally daily.
The paste of jatiphal (nutmeg) made with water is also very useful.
Ayurvedic Remedies

Kumkumadi Lepam, an ointment for application over the face, after duly washing the face can be used daily until pimples disappear.
Some herbal blood purifying drugs may also be taken for better results. Saribadyasava 15 to 30ml taken after meals with equal quantity of water, twice a day helps in the cure of acne vulgaris.
RS Forte syrup (DAP) is a good oral liquid for this condition. 20ml of syrup well mixed with 20ml of cold water should be taken orally twice a day for 40 days for good results.
Skinelle tablets (Charak Pharma) taken orally along with Skinelle ointment applied externally produce very good results in just two weeks.
Acnenil capsules (Uttam Pharma) in the dose of one capsule thrice daily after meals for a fortnight is a useful home remedy for acne.
Jeevan Amrit (Neem oil) capsules taken once daily on an empty stomach help in curing acne and blackheads.
Rasana Forte capsules (Shilpa Chem), an extract of garlic should be taken orally twice daily for 20 to 30 days.
Trifala churna taken 5 to 10 gm daily helps in purifying the blood thus helping in the cure of acne.
Clean-N-Clear syrup (Dabur) should be taken 1 teaspoonful thrice daily after meals for a month.
Do's & Don'ts

Constipation, if presem should be tackled effectively. For this 5gm/ 1 tsp of Swadista Virechana Churna should be taken at bed time along with a glass of water. This ensures safe bowel movement.
Associated dandruff should be treated.