Acne Cleansers

Ah, yes, I have a new favorite, all-natural medicine.  It's tea tree oil and aloe vera mixed together.  I'm very excited about this because you see, as a teenager I didn't have any acne.  Well, a little bit.  But not much.  Which was a good thing...then.

But now...NOW that I'm an adult and supposed to be past all that...I've got it.  I have acne.  What's up with that??  I would get them here and there, when I was younger, but nothing terrible and I was usually able to hide them.  But then, some time around my 29th birthday I started to have break outs.  Big, fat, super scary break outs.   So, today, all of my friends have gotten over their acne problems (like 10 years ago!) and are looking good, while I'm sitting at home in the dark, sulking because I have pot holes all over my face and I'm afraid to be seen.

So, I did some research and this is what I've found:

Tea Tree Oil is good for LOTS of things.  One of them is acne break outs!!!  YayEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Tea tree oil is an essential oil made from the leaves of the Australian melaluca plant.. The oil is active against a whole host of things including bacteria, viruses, and fungal infections. It’s also used to aid in healing abscesses, acne, blisters, burns, cold sores, dandruff, herpes, insect bites, oily skin, rashes, warts, and dandruff.   Apparently, there are active components of tea tree oil that slow the growth of P. acne, sometimes even in server cases.  Tea tree oil is an ingredient in many cleansers, toners and moisturizers on the market today.  It works as well as benzol peroxide, but it doesn't leave that red, irritated look that benzol peroxide leaves.  It does take a little longer to work, but you can apply it several times throughout the day and not worry about it irritating your skin. (Benzol peroxide hurts my skin.  I actually get tiny, little blisters from it.)

Then you have Aloe Vera.   Just about everyone knows that aloe vera is good for the skin.  It's an ingredient in many lotions, soaps, sun screens, and even shampoos.  It's juice is used to aid with digestive and other intestinal problems.  (But I don't have problems with that...yet.  = O)  Aloe Vera has been used to treat skin irritations and burns for centuries and is even mentioned in the Bible.  Cleopatra used it and claimed that it kept her skin soft and young.  It also kills bacteria and some fungus and it aids in the reproduction of new skin cells.  (it's also supposed to be very good for psoriasis)  Click here for more information on Aloe Vera.

So, what I do:  I mix the 2 together at night and in the morning for a cleanser/moisturizer.  Seems to work for me.  You can apply the tea tree oil off and on throughout the day if you have problem spots too.  Just apply a tiny bit to the "wanna-be-pot-hole" several times a day and it should go away. 

You can grow your own aloe right in your house if you want, or you can buy it at the store.  I bought mine.  I found it with the sun screen and it was very inexpensive.  (If you want aloe vera juice, I suggest you get it from a health food store, and don't try to make it your self.)  Tea tree oil can be found at health food stores, or just about anywhere other herbal supplements are found.  I paid $8.00 for 2 ounces, which made me very sad, but that's the price of vanity, I suppose.  It does last a long time since you don't need to use much more than a couple of drops (or less) at a time.    

Be careful when administering herbs or any medicines to your family.  Do your homework or ask your doctor before you use them.