The characteristic pimples and blackheads of acne are all too familiar to teenagers. Inflamed sebaceous glands — at their most active during puberty — are at the heart of the problem. The concentration of sebaceous glands varies over the body, so acne patches tend to be localized on the face, back and chest, although larger sebaceous cysts are more likely to occur on the scalp and genitals.

The conventional herbal approach is to cut down on the foods which might encourage sebaceous gland activity.This means reducing intake of refined carbohydrates (typically sugar and white flour), fried foods and animal fats. Sweets and chocolates also tend to aggravate the condition — as does excessive intake of alcohol and sweet, sugary drinks. Herbalists generally also recommend the internal use of alternatives as well as immune-strengthening herbs — like echinacea — if there is extensive infection.

Herbal BeautyExternally, topical use of antiseptic herbs can combat any infection associated with the excess sebum blocking hair follicles and causing pus to accumulate: a traditional stand-by is to rub a garlic clove on to the acne pustule each night — an effective cure, but one that rarely proves popular with spotty teenagers.Washing in cabbage water is another rather unpleasant folk cure — it does work well, but slightly more acceptable is cabbage lotion made by pulping cabbage leaves and distilled witch hazel in a food processor. Use this to cleanse and astringe the face twice a day.

Rather less aromatic are remedies like diluted tea tree oil and marigold.

Steaming the skin with a mixture of hot water and a few drops of essential oils — such as marigold, chamomile or lavender — makes a good deep-cleansing treatment, or use facial washes containing a little finely powdered oatmeal instead of soap.

In Chinese medicine the exact location of the acne pustules is significant: suggesting where in the body there may be excess heat, believed in traditional Chinese medicine to contribute to the problem. Spots around the mouth, for example, can imply an over-heated stomach, while those around the nose are associated with the lung. Relevant cooling herbs for these organs are then included in the prescribed mix.

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