by: Elaine Clay
Green tea is used by the Chinese as a traditional medicine to treat many ailments including acne and to improve general well-being. But does it provide an effective herbal alternative to modern medication?
The answer seems to be ‘Yes’. There are only two herbal treatments that are known to be effective in treating acne and green tea is one of them.
In a study by Jennifer Gan-Wong M.D., a green tea cream was trailed against a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution on people suffering with moderate to severe acne. The results from this research study showed that green tea was just as good in treating acne as the benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide however dries out skin causing itching or allergic reactions. Unlike green tea that has the added advantages of natural anti-bacterial properties and antioxidants, particularly epigallocatechin gallate which is 200 times more powerful than vitamin E at fighting free radicals.
Green tea also helps to reduce inflammation, hormonal activity and aids in detoxification – which is all good news for acne sufferers.
Green tea extract is an extremely versatile herbal supplement – it can be administered topically, often being used in creams, taken in the form of a pill or incorporated into your diet and drunk as a tea.
This last method is very popular (Green Tea with Honeysuckle is often known as ‘Pimple Tea’ in many Chinatowns) when drunk after a meal it aids digestion and helps to detoxify your system, getting rid of the toxins that can cause acne.
Tip: don’t drink it with sugar; this will neutralize the worthwhile effects of the tea.
It seems that taking green tea for acne is a win-win situation. It has many beneficial properties which promote good all-round health with little or no known side effects and for the price, green tea is definitely a herbal treatment that’s worth trying.
Elaine Clay is the owner of Acne Treatments Online.com: Get articles and information to help you find proven and effective acne solutions to treat and get rid of your condition safely and naturally.
Indeed, my spouse and I drink them daily and also get green tea pills. I also consider some other supplements consequently. What i can say for sure is drinking/taking tea leaf possesses served my personal pores and skin.
Larry Oz
Blog:
I suggest using loose leaf green tea, if you can find it. I have a friend who live in Japan right. She’s been steeping the leaves in the morning to drink (you can steep the leaves about 3 times), then keeping the leaves in a bowl until the night time, she rub them on her face. She leave them on her face for a few minutes, until it dries, and rinse it off with warm water. Her skin isn’t miraculously clearer or anything, but the fine lines on her forehead are almost invisible now, and the redness of her acne scars is reduced.
In my own opinion, using herbal remedies such as green tea is better than using harmful chemicals. You see, our skin are composed of thin layers of cells, and most usually are sensitive. So in my personal outlook, I would recommend using green tea for treating acne. And I totally agree that the green tea has many beneficial properties which promote good all-round health with little or no known side effects and for the price, green tea is definitely a herbal treatment that’s worth trying.
Regards,
Michelle