Like herbs and vitamin B5, topical alternative treatments usually
consist of vitamins and minerals or natural ingredients derived
from plants. One such popular alternative treatment is tea tree oil,
which is applied directly onto pustules. Tea tree oil is an essential
oil derived from the Australian ti tree. It is a natural antiseptic that
destroys bacteria and draws out impurities, like pus, from acne lesions.
Seaweed, too, has powerful antibacterial properties. First discovered
in 2001 in France as a treatment for acne, topical treatments
made from seaweed are quite potent. According to a November
2001 report in YM.com, the online edition of YM magazine, seaweed
has such a powerful effect on acne-causing bacteria that it
takes only two pounds of seaweed to make a ton of acne spot
cream.
Other external herbal remedies use herbs such as agrimony, burdock,
cloves, lavender, licorice root, and white willow, to name just
a few, because of their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and porecleansing
properties. In fact, white willow contains a natural form
of salicylic acid. Often these herbs are combined with minerals such as zinc, which aid in the healing of skin tissue, and are applied
on the skin systematically in the form of daily cleansers and
healing balms and weekly facial masks.
A woman whose grandson
used such a system describes how it helped him: “My grandson
was teased by the horrible acne covering his face. Now there
is no sign he ever had acne. Within days of starting your system
[one manufacturer’s herbal skin care regime] his acne turned to
small scabs and then healed without scars. It also worked wonders
on his chest and back.
