Ayurveda is a system of natural and holistic medicinal practices that focus on eating habits, lifestyle choices, and internal body cleansing. This form of medicine can treat just about any known ailment, and has long been used in the treatment of skin conditions such as acne. Ayurvedic acne treatments are varied and numerous, and can range from diet and hygiene practice recommendations to consuming certain supplements and creating homemade skin treatments.
Although modern medicine states that diet does not directly affect the development of acne, ancient ayurveda states that how a person eats and lives can be reflected on the skin. Many ayurvedic acne cures focus on how a proper diet can treat and prevent breakouts. Foods that stimulate digestion, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains, are thought to help prevent the development of acne, while spicy, oily, or sweet foods may promote the growth of pimples. According to ayurvedic practices, most foods should be eaten at a warm temperature, be taken at regular intervals throughout the day, and be followed with plenty of liquids.
Regular steaming and skin cleansing with warm water and mild soap are thought to be some of the more effective — and common sense — ayurvedic acne treatment approaches. In addition to general hygiene, homemade cleansers and masks may help fight or prevent acne breakouts. For example, buttermilk may be used twice a day, then rinsed clean to help clarify the skin, while a paste of red sandalwood and nutmeg may help reduce the size of existing pimples.
Other homemade ayurvedic acne treatments consist of rubbing the skin with orange peel. Orange peels may also be dried, ground, and mixed with rosewater to help rapidly reduce pimples and improve the texture of the skin. Lemon juice is also frequently used and can be mixed with skim milk and fennel flower seeds to help cleanse the face of impurities, which may eventually reduce acne.
Ayurvedic acne supplements are popular as they are considered by some to be convenient as well as effective. Neem oil, derived from a type of tree in India, is a common choice because it contains antibacterial properties that may help prevent the formation of acne. Turmeric supplements also bear antibacterial properties, as well as powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Triphala contains many of the same attributes as neem and turmeric, but is also thought to help cleanse the bowels, which may help reduce acne-causing bacteria.