Acne or pimples can be quite damaging to one’s personality and skin. It leaves behind scars and also makes one’s skin appear patchy, dull and unsightly. Though almost everyone has acne breakouts at some point when they are growing up, by the time they reach their 20s, they usually stop. However, in some cases, acne reappears even after teenage years. This can be due to various factors. Blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, zits, etc are all different grades of acne depending on the severity of the problem. Here is a basic guide to help you understand and get rid of pimples with various home remedies.

Tips to avoid acne

· Eat healthy.
· Maintain a regular sleep schedule.
· Never pick or squeeze pimples.
· Playing with or popping pimples, no matter how careful and clean you are, makes them worse.
· Wash your hands before and after caring for skin lesions to reduce the chance of infection.
· Identify and avoid anything that aggravates acne including oily foods, lotions and make-up.
· Stress can add to your acne problem.
· Relax and reduce the stress in your life through yoga and meditation.

Ingredients to help you get rid of acne and its scars

Cinnamon and honey

Cinnamon is a common spice and flavouring agent but the essential oil it contains also has strong anti-microbial properties. The water activity of honey is very low which means it does not contain a lot of moisture that can promote the growth of microorganisms. Considering that pimples often arise from an infection within the pores of the skin, combining cinnamon with honey is an effective remedy.

Mix a little cinnamon powder with honey to make a paste; avoid adding water because it will destroy the action of honey. Dab a bit of this paste on each pimple and keep overnight; wash off with lukewarm water the next morning. Repeat for a few days, if necessary.

Turmeric

Medical researchers are now finding that turmeric contains ingredients that make it a powerful antimicrobial. Although you can apply turmeric paste directly to skin, consuming it with a little warm milk is also an effective remedy for flawless skin. Mix a little turmeric powder with some coconut oil and apply directly onto the pimples at night; next morning, wash your face with water to remove the paste. You can also dry a few neem leaves in the sun and grind to a fine powder. Mix equal quantities of this powder, turmeric powder and a little rose water to form a paste. Apply this on the pimples, leave it on for around 20 minutes then wash your face. You can also substitute sandalwood powder for neem powder.

Lemon juice

Lemon contains vitamin C and phytonutrients called flavonoids that have a strong antioxidant as well as antibiotic action. Free radicals generated during the metabolic reactions within the body can damage the healthy cells of the body, causing inflammation and swelling. The antioxidants in lemon restrict the action of these free radicals, which makes lemon juice an excellent remedy for pimples. Squeeze out the juice from a freshly-cut lemon and dab a little directly on to the pimple. Leave it on overnight and wash the next morning. But be careful, lemon juice can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, so make sure not to venture out in the sun when you have applied it to your face.

Aloe vera

The gel-like substance obtained from the aloe vera leaves has an almost magical ability to heal skin problems. Take a leaf from the aloe plant, wash it and peel out the outermost layer of green to reach the innermost jelly-like substance. Scoop this out with a spoon and apply a little quantity to the scarred tissue. Do this twice a day, leave on for about half an hour then wash off with plain water. Repeat for a few days and you will notice that not only does the acne scar become undetectable, your skin also feels tighter and gets a distinct glow.

Neem leaves

Neem contains alkaloids that give it distinct antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. This makes it effective against a wide range of skin problems, right from acne and eczema to ringworm, because it also has the property of cleansing the body of toxins. For action against acne scars, place a neem leaf directly on the affected area for some time; do this regularly to see good results.