Home acne remedies - from one who knows

True story - I've had acne all my life (that's 53 yars...) so I'm the queen of acne home remedies. I've tried them all and some work, some don't. I'm going to attempt to tell you what acne home remedies work for me but, then again, that's just me. Every person's skin is different so the home remedies for acne need to be tried and tested on your own personal case of acne.

But, never fear; there are a lot of acne treatments you can do from home. Something is bound to work. Isn't it?

My mom, at the ripe old age of 95, has exquisite skin and always has. Why, oh why, didn't I get those genes?!

There are ways to prevent acne breakouts which is your first line of defense in treating acne. The below are some of the things you can do to help guard against acne.

1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. I know, I know; everyone tells you that but water plumps up the skin and helps prevent oils from forming. It's the oil that generally congregates around the watercooler in your pores and gives you whitehead, blackheads, or those nasty under-the-skin acne bumps.
2. Prevent acne by changing your sleeping pattern if you're a stomach sleeper. This one was particularly tough for me as I naturally am most comfortable on my stomach. But, sleeping on your side or your back will allow more air to flow around your face as you sleep. This may help prevent acne breakouts.
3. Wash your face just twice a day. You might think that you can prevent acne by washing the oils away more often but this is a fallacy - in fact, washing your face more often can make your skin product more oil. If your face is feeling oily during the day, blot your face with tissues specifically meant to soak up oil.
4. Avoid touching your face during the day. Your fingertips are oily in their own right and touching your face will deposit even more oil on your skin.
5. Acne free skin will be easier to obtain if you change your bedding, and particularly your pillowcase, frequently. Aim to change your bedding once a week and your pillowcase at least twice a week.
6. The old adage of eating healthy and getting exercise will also work to keep your skin acne free. And, remember to drink your water!

Witch hazel is a liquid that you can find in any pharmacy and is a pretty good home acne remedy. But, it's not for everyone. It worked for me - for a while but then the effect of using witch hazel on my acne sort of fell off.

Witch hazel contains tanin acid which is rumored to be a powerful anti-bacterial agent against acne. In the medical community, the use of witch hazel is divided - some doctors think it works, some don't. The only way you'll know if it works for you is to try it.

Just dampen a cotton ball with a bit of witch hazel and moisten your acne spot. I'd try it on an inconspicuous area first (such as your back if you have a pimple there) as witch hazel is sort of harsh and might cause a reaction. If you don't react adversely to it, go for it.

As a warning, do not apply witch hazel to acne more than twice a day as it can be very drying to your skin.

Witch hazel comes in many forms and, before you laugh me out of the park, Tucks Hemorrhoid Pads are a perfect way to apply witch hazel to acne spots as they're pre-moistened cotton pads with 100% witch hazel. Just hide the jar from your roommates...

Zeno Hot Spot Blemish Clearing Device, Blue

I bought one of these Zeno Hot Spot devices and love it. If you have acne that starts out as small cysts (hard spots under you skin), just apply this heat device to it twice and day. The heat kills the underlying bacteria and will prevent breakouts - in my experience, it works around 90% of the time.

Yes, that's true

There is something in honey that actually will help clear acne scars although I have no idea what it is! But, after years of use, I can tell you that it works. You won't see instant results but, if your use honey masks twice a week, you will see a reduction in acne scars within a few months.

Using a honey mask couldn't be any easier - just apply the fresh honey to your face and let it remain on your skin for 20 minutes before washing off with cool water. You skin will be incredibly soft and your acne scars will fade.

Read more from actual users about using honey for a treatment for acne by clicking this link: Using honey as a home acne treatment.

Yes, really

It's been a long held conviction that apple cider is just plain old good for you. It's gaining strength right now in the weight loss area as a catalyst to dropping the pounds.

Apple cider vinegar actually contains alpha-hyrdroxy acids which help dissolve the oil which sits on your skin. But, apple cider vinegar is very strong so do not apply it directly to your skin! Instead, make a mixture of 1 part apple cider vinegar to 10 parts water. Crush an aspirin (do not use tylenol or motrin...) into the solutions and stir well to dissolve the aspiring. Salicylic acid (aspirin) will actually dry up acne.

Apply the solution to your skin twice a day and you should see results fairly quickly - within 2 or 3 days. I use this home acne remedy for the times when I have a pimple brewing. Sometimes, it will keep the pimple from developing and quickly shrink the offending spot.

I depend on this stuff to keep my skin mostly clear. These days, I only get a mild breakout if I put on a heavy sunscreen - whew. I recommend and stand by this product.

Yep!

Baking soda, that age old remedy for about everything from clogged drains to bee stings, is also great to reduce acne flares. Baking soda works by changing the pH of your skin and, hopefully, preventing bacteria from grabbing hold and creating acne. Baking soda is also a bit harsh though so use it just once a day.

There's a few ways to use baking soda as an acne treatment. Read on!

1. Put about a tablespoon of baking soda in the palm of your hand and add just a bit of water to make a paste. Wash your face with the solution. Not only will the slight abrasive action of the baking soda help scrub away dead skin cells, but, using this once a day will give you decent results in preventing additional acne breakouts.

2. Create a paste of baking soda and water and apply to the acne spot. Let dry for 5 minutes or so and wash off. Repeat just twice a day. You might see some peeling of the skin (it's drying) so make sure to use a decent moisturizer afterward.

3. Use baking soda as a toner after washing the skin with an acne preparation soap. Using an 8 ounce spray bottle, add water to the top and shake vigorously to dissolve. Spray your face lightly with the solution after washing and allow to dry. Do not rinse off.

Read more about using baking soda for a home acne remedy by actual users by clicking this link: Baking Soda reviews.

Now you're pulling my leg...

Nope, not pulling your leg at all - Toothpaste will, indeed, work as a spot treatment for pimples or individual acne spots. Beware though - toothpaste may burn your skin so try a bit on a spot for just a few hours. For the best results, apply a dab of toothpaste to the acne pimple and leave on overnight. In the morning, the redness and swelling should be relieved, if not gone.

Note: This home acne treatment will not work if you try to use gel toothpaste - it must be the original paste type of toothpaste to reduce your acne pimple.

Read more about using toothpaste as an acne home remedy from actual users by clicking this link: Toothpaste as a home acne remedy.

Just as apple cider vinegar changes the pH of the skin, so will a spritz of a homemade acne prevention toner of lemon juice and water. Make sure to dilute the lemon juice though or it can burn your skin. Juice a lemon and add 1 tablespoon to an 8 ounce spray bottle and fill with distilled water. Spritz your face twice a day. Not only will you feel refreshed but you'll smell good too.

Get reviews from actual users of lemon juice for acne by clicking this link: Lemon juice for acne.

Here's some good buys. I particularly love the lemon and witch hazel preparation - perfect!

Do you have any home acne remedies? Shout em out! Leave me comments please.