Helping People Achieve Clear Skin Since 2007

Helping People Achieve Clear Skin Since 2007

Avocado For Acne – How Does It Work?

By Dr. Jaggi Rao, MD, FRCPC, Double board-certified dermatologist

Acne develops due to the abnormal secretion of oil or sebum from the sebaceous glands located in our skin. When this excessive secretion occurs, the oily surface of our skin attracts dirt and other matter 🧲 that results in the clogging of the pores, giving rise to increased bacterial activity. This typically manifests in the area becoming red, swollen and somewhat painful to the touch.

Avocado boasts several nutrients, including lauric acid, whose anti-bacterial and antiviral properties make avocados an excellent anti-inflammatory when used in recipes or external applications.

Abnormal oil secretion from our skin can be attributed to improper diet, hormonal changes, stressful conditions, and other lifestyle factors. This accounts for about eighty percent of women worldwide being affected by acne at some point during their lives. The following are a few ways to use Avocado in your beauty routine to minimize acne.

Inherent Beneficial Properties Of Avocado

Some of the beneficial properties of avocado that help in the treatment of acne are:

  • Naturally occurring vitamin E not only gives avocado anti-bacterial properties 🦠🦠🤺 but also helps in healing the skin.
  • Avocado inhibits damage to skin cells through its ability to combat free radicals.
  • Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat present in avocado, facilitates healthy skin.
  • It provides 👌 symptomatic relief from pain, redness, and swelling.
  • Avocado restores skin tone due to the presence of biotin.
  • It inhibits excess oil secretion from the sebaceous glands, and forms a protective layer against dirt and debris responsible for acne.
  • Regular consumption of avocado helps to maintain optimum blood sugar levels, thereby maintaining a ⚖️ healthy hormonal balance.

Home Remedies For Treating Acne With Avocado

Here is a fantastic list of ways to incorporate Avocado beauty treatments 🏡 at home. They can be used by themselves or in combination with other ingredients.

Avocado Mask

🥑 Procedure – Take one avocado, scoop out the pulp and mash it into a smooth paste. Spread it liberally wherever there is acne. Leave the application to dry and then wash it off with water and dry the skin. Repeat the application regularly to achieve the best results.

Alternatively, you can take the peel of the avocado and rub it directly on the acne for a couple of minutes. Then wash it off and gently dry the skin.

Avocado Oil

Applying avocado oil has two benefits.

First, avocado oil cleanses the pores of dirt and impurities, and second, the essential vitamins help to eradicate acne and other skin eruptions.

🥑 Procedure – Wash your face with water along with a facial cleanser and apply a liberal amount of avocado oil on the acne affected area. Leave for about 25 minutes and then wipe and wash off with warm water and dry. Repeat this procedure three times a week for the best results.

Avocado & Honey

Honey helps fight bacteria and inflammation, and moisturizes the skin. 🍯 When combined with avocado, honey helps to rid the skin of acne and reduces excess oil secretion.

🥑 Procedure – Mix the pulp of half an avocado with one tablespoon of honey and apply to the acne prone area after washing and drying your face. Leave the combination for about 20 minutes and then wash off with warm water and dry. Repeat the procedure three times a week for optimum results. To improve outcomes even further, you can add a half cup of plain yogurt, to boost the moisturizing and skin health benefits.

Avocado & Lemon

This home remedy is ideal for acne located on the back and chest.

The acidic nature of lemon juice cleanses the skin pores and shrinks the acne.

🥑 Procedure – Take a ripe avocado and mash the pulp to a smooth consistency. Add 2 tsp of fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp of honey, and 4 tsp of warm water. Mix thoroughly. Apply the mixture to the acne affected area in gentle circular motions and leave on for about 20 minutes. Wash off with water, dry the area and apply a non-oily moisturizer. The remaining paste can be refrigerated but should be used within seven days.

Avocado & Oatmeal

The combination of avocado and oatmeal 🥣 not only moisturizes the skin due to its inherent moisturizing properties; it also helps to cleanse the pores of dirt and impurities.

🥑 Procedure – Mix 1 tbsp of oatmeal with a quarter of one mashed avocado. Apply the mixture to the acne-affected area by gently massaging in circular motions for a couple of minutes. Wash with warm water and dry. Repeat the procedure regularly.

Avocado & Egg White

Egg white nourishes the skin due to the presence of the vitamins and proteins it encompasses. These whites can also remove excess oil and constrict the pores, thus making the acne shrink.

🥑 Procedure – Mix the pulp of half an avocado and one egg white into a smooth consistency. Add 1 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice and apply on the affected area. Wash off with water after about 20 minutes and dry. Repeat the procedure until you achieve the desired results. For increased effectiveness, add one tbsp of oatmeal to the mixture. If you prefer, you can also substitute 1 tsp of yogurt in place of the lemon juice.

Avocado & Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has potent fungus and microbe fighting properties that help to inhibit infection, as well as the secretion of oil from the sebaceous glands.

🥑 Procedure – Thoroughly mix tea tree oil and avocado oil in the ratio of 4:6, respectively. Wash face and apply the mixture in gentle circular motions. Apply facial steam, wash face with a gentle cleanser, and pat dry the area. Repeat the procedure regularly until your optimum results are achieved.

Avocado & Castor Oil

Castor oil has inflammation inhibiting properties and intrinsic properties for fighting bacteria. It is also an excellent skin cleanser.

🥑 Procedure – Thoroughly mix castor oil and avocado in the ratio of 3:7, respectively. Before you apply the mixture, do a facial steam. Apply the combination to the acne affected area in gentle circular motions and leave it on overnight. The following morning clean with a mild facial cleanser. Repeat the procedure regularly until desired results are achieved.

Avocado & Banana Mask

This combination is instrumental in getting rid of dirt and impurities from deep skin layers.

The presence of yogurt and olive oil in the avocado-banana mix also exhibits a synergistic effect.

🥑 Procedure – Separately mash the pulp of half an avocado and half a ripe banana. Add 2 tbsp of yogurt and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a bowl and thoroughly mix with the pulp of avocado and banana. Apply the mixture and leave it until it completely dries on the affected area. Wash off the mask with warm water followed by cold water to seal the skin pores. Repeat the procedure regularly until acne is no longer present.

Avocado & Coffee Scrub

Coffee ☕ has natural exfoliating and invigorating properties when applied to the skin. Additionally, coffee is effective in treating advanced acne on the face that is cystic in character.

🥑 Procedure – Mix the pulp of half an avocado with 3 tsp of fresh coffee. Apply on the affected area by gently scrubbing in circular motions. Leave for about 3 minutes, then rinse with water. Repeat the procedure regularly to get the desired results.

Avocado & Tomato

Tomato works wonders on the skin and does much more than cleansing the skin pores and preventing the secretion of excess oil. It helps to maintain an optimum pH level and protects against free radicals with its anti-oxidizing properties.

🥑 Procedure – Thoroughly mix avocado and tomato pulp. Steam your face for about 10 minutes before applying the mixture. Apply the avocado and tomato mask to the acne affected area, leave for about 40 minutes, and then wash it off with warm water. For best results, repeat the procedure at two-day intervals.

Combination of Avocado, Honey, Cinnamon & Cocoa Powder

The combination present in this facial mask exhibits properties that ⚔️ fight against bacteria, fungus, and free radicals, in addition to gently nourishing the skin.

🥑 Procedure – Thoroughly mix 2 tbsp of avocado pulp, 1 tbsp of honey, a 1/4 tsp of powdered cinnamon, and optionally, 1 tsp of cocoa powder. Apply the mixture on the acne-affected area on the face and neck, taking care to avoid the eyes. Leave for about half an hour and wash off. Repeat the procedure weekly for better results.

Avocado & Coconut Oil

Combining avocado with coconut oil 🥥 is a natural moisturizer that won’t block the pores. Additionally, this potent combination has strong anti-bacterial and anti-oxidizing properties.

🥑 Procedure – Mash the pulp of a quarter of an avocado into a smooth consistency. Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and half a tsp of powdered nutmeg and mix thoroughly. Apply this mixture to the acne affected area and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Wash off and dry the area. Repeat the procedure three times a week. Alternately, you can utilize honey in place of the powdered nutmeg.

Avocado & Yogurt

Yogurt has a soothing effect on the skin. The enzymes present cleanse the skin and inhibit the excess secretion of oil from the sebaceous glands.

🥑 Procedure – Thoroughly mix 4 tbsp of avocado pulp and 2 tsp of plain yogurt. Apply the mixture on the acne-affected area and leave for as long as practically possible. Wash off with warm water. Repeat the procedure three times a week.

Avocado & Cucumber

The 90% water content of cucumber keeps the skin hydrated and also helps in maintaining the oil balance of the skin.

Cucumber facilitates the treatment of acne through its caustic properties and helps to restore skin tone.

🥑 Procedure – Mix 2 tbsp of cucumber juice with the pulp of half an avocado. Apply the mixture to the acne affected area in gentle circular motions for a couple of minutes. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash off with warm water and dry the area. Repeat the procedure three times a week.

Avocado & Apple Cider Vinegar

The intrinsic properties of 🍎 apple cider vinegar regulates the secretion of oil from the sebaceous glands by maintaining proper pH levels. It also cleanses the skin of dirt, impurities, and free radicals, along with helping to inhibit acne formation.

🥑 Procedure – Thoroughly mix the pulp of half an avocado, a quarter cup of raw oatmeal, 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp of honey, and a couple of drops of lemon juice until it is a consistent paste. Apply to the acne affected area and leave it on for 25 minutes and then wash off with water. Repeat the procedure three times a week.

Is It Beneficial To Eat Avocado For Acne Treatment?

Avocado is loaded with nutrients, and when consumed regularly, it helps in maintaining an optimal hormonal balance and internal lubrication of the skin. This is due to the presence of vitamins K, C, E and B5, folate, monounsaturated fats, and potassium. These same properties can help when applying avocado externally in several beauty masks. Many will start by using banana in their masks, then slowing replacing with avocado to help reduce inflammation and support an acne reduction regime.

Things To Keep In Mind

  • Make sure you are not allergic to avocado. 🎗️ Do a skin test beforehand to ascertain this before using any of these masks.
  • It is always beneficial to steam your face before applying a mask, as this will help to open the pores and enable better absorption.
  • Avocado stains clothes; therefore, wearing old outfits 🎽 while applying any of these masks is recommended.
  • A mask of avocado, banana 🍌 and wheat germ will help get rid of acne by reducing the dirt in skin pores.
  • You can store the excess avocado masks in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
  • Drinking plenty of water 💧💧💧 during the day will help your skin remain hydrated and also help in getting rid of toxins.

In addition to the above, eating a balanced diet, including a great balance of ingredients and nutrients, will not only help in maintaining proper health but also ensure that your immune system is functioning optimally.

Also, remember that stress can be a trigger for acne outbreaks, so leading a stress-free lifestyle can be extremely beneficial in avoiding the formation of acne.

Keep in mind that even after using avocado alone, or in any of the combinations listed above, you may still not be able to get rid of your acne. If so, you should consult a dermatologist. However, many people 👩🏻‍🦱 👱‍♂️ 👩‍🦰 👨🏽‍🦱 👧🏿 will see dramatic results in reducing their acne by employing these all-natural avocado remedies.

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