Aromatherapy for Acne

Acne is a condition in which the skin of the face and sometimes the neck is covered to a greater or lesser extent with pimples, black heads, whiteheads and boils. Acne is caused mainly due to hormonal imbalance or improper diet or both. These factors affect the production of sebum, it can lead to excess secretion or too little secretion of sebum which can either give you greasy or dry skin.

Apart from pimple, black heads are also a nuisance, we often assume that black heads are black due to dirt but thats not true. Blackheads are black because the fatty material in the clogged pore is oxidised and discoloured by the air that reaches it, when this substance is infected by bacteria, it turns to a pimple. Never ever pick or queeze a pimple, this will not only leave marks but will also damage the surrounding membrane and spread the infection.

Apart from lifetslye changes like a balanced diet and exercise you can use Aromatherapy oils for treating acne. Essential oils of aromatherapy regulate the production of sebum and purify the blood since they have the ability to penetrate the underlying layers of the skin.

Apply an aromatic flower water as a toner/cleanser to the skin, morning and evening. To prepare mix 25 ml.cider vinegar, 75 ml. rose water with 5 drops each of bergamot or lemon, geranium and lavender. Let it mature for upto 1 month, then filter it with Coffe filter paper.

Use a light facial oil containing 2 teaspoons of Sunflower Oil, 1 teaspoon wheatgerm oil with 3 drops each of tea tree, lavender and juniper oil (remove excess oil with cotton wool). Individual pimples can be dabbed with neat Lavender and Tea tree oil.

To unclog the pores of the skin , put 3 drops each of cypress and geranium in a bowl of steaming water as facial steam.