The Best Teas For Acne

By: Miles

Tea may not bring dramatic results all the time but they are well tolerated and produce far fewer side effects that regular acne medications. This is why they are one of the best drinks to take to help fight acne.  The best teas for acne are: Rooibos tea, Chamomile tea, Spearmint tea, Stinging Nettle tea, Dandelion, Arrowroot, Ginger, and Green tea.

Along with drinking the teas for acne, you can use the tea as topical agents for acne too.However, the tea has to be brewed to allow the active ingredients to seep into tea solution. This should be the case for both actions - for drinking and for topical application. And in some cases, acne can be treated both by drinking and applying the same herbal teas on the skin.

The best teas for acne are

• Rooibos tea
• chamomile tea
• Spearmint tea
• Stinging nettle tea
• Dandelion Tea
• Green tea
• Arrowroot tea
• Ginger tea

1. ROOIBOS TEA

Rooibos is a legume plant that is native to South Africa. It is also called Red Bush and has been used in the traditional medicine of its native country for centuries.

Rooibos tea is considered an effective tea for acne because it has benefitslikeAntioxidant,antibacterial andimmune-modulating properties.

Rooibos tea helps acne because it contains high levels of nothofagin and aspalathin as well as superoxide dismutase. These 3 antioxidants provide an effective and broad protection against harmful free radicals and they are active on the skin too. Therefore, they can mop up reactive oxygen species and prevent damage to the skin.

Rooibos Tea also helps with acne by reducing the severity and breakout of inflammatory acne lesions since some of the chemical contents of this tea help regulate the immune system and the detrimental aspects of the immune response in acne breakouts.

How this tea helps acne by applying it on skin:

• provide a mild antibacterial effect as it can contribute to the elimination of acne-causing bacteria on the skin
• help remove excess sebum and dead skin cells from the skin
• help protect the skin from irritants since it is also hypoallergenic
• be used as a cleanser or a toner and it will help restore the pH of the body, prevent skin dryness and unclog the pores

 2. CHAMOMILE TEA FOR ACNE

For many centuries chamomile tea has been used as a traditional medicine. Chamomile tea is considered one of the best teas for acne,  because it can provide antioxidant,anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits.

Benefits of Chamomile tea for acne are:

• Drinking the tea can reduce the severity of acne breakouts, applying the tea topically can also help relieve acne symptoms.
  
  
• Chamomile compresses that are used on the skin was compared to have a comparable activity to 1% hydrocortisone ointment in reducing skin inflammation. It can also help protect the skin by reducing the damage done by free radicals and also acne-causing bacteria.
  
  
• The powdered leaves of chamomile tea can also be rubbed on acne scars to fade them away. Cold chamomile tea bags can be pressed on pimples to reduce the swelling and redness.
  
  
• When treating acne by drinking chamomile tea, other acne remedies such as honey and lemon juice should be added to the tea to bolster the

3. SPEARMINT TEA FOR HORMONAL ACNE

Spearmint tea is one of the best teas for acne because it is anti-androgenic and  known to prevent a hormonal imbalance that is known to trigger acne breakouts. If your acne is due to an excess of male sex hormones like testosterone and androgen, than spearmint tea is worth a try. It stimulates the production of female sex hormones such as estrogen which are known to reduce acne breakouts. Spearmint tea is also recommended for hormone based conditions like PCOS too.A study showed that women drinking 2 cups of spearmint tea daily for 5 days reduced free testosterone levels in blood.  

If your hormonal acne is caused by a high ratio of testosterone levels compared to estrogen, then spearmint tea could be great to try for hormonal acne.

• The antioxidant effect of spearmint tea can help prevent oxidative damage to the skin. Thus it can protect the skin and prevent the formation of acne lesions.
• Spearmint tea slows down and delays the oxidation of fats that reduces a number of harmful free radicals formed as byproducts of an oxidation reaction.
• Spearmint prevents the sebum found on the skin from going bad. When sebum is quickly oxidized, it hardens and clogs up the pores.
• When drank, spearmint does not also reduce the amount of total testosterone in the body, it produces far less side effects unlike other acne drugs used to reduce the levels of androgens in the body.

This is especially recommended for women experiencing adult acne which flares up during their menstrual cycles. Because of its ability to affect the hormone levels in the body, spearmint tea should only be consumed in moderate amounts.

Important Note: This should not be used by pregnant and lactating women.

4. STINGING NETTLE TEA

This tea is thought to purify and detoxify the blood, which naturally clears the skin right up. Herbalists also claim that this can be used to make a herbal tea that supports skin and hair health.

This tea is rich in B vitamins, vitamin K, selenium, and zinc. These factors combine to help give the drinker firmer and clearer skin.

5. DANDELION TEA

This herb has actually been used medicinally for centuries. Native Americans used it to promote skin health, and some of the today’s herbalists and naturopathic doctors recommend it for the same purpose.

Dandelion is thought to help the skin by improving liver function, which cleans the blood and removes toxins from the body.

Dandelion root also contains a ton of antioxidants, which help prevent premature aging, as well as vitamins A, B, C, and the minerals iron, potassium, and zinc, which all support clear skin.

6. GREEN TEA FOR ACNE

Green tea is considered as the Powerhouse of all teas for acne. Many point to green tea if they are looking for the best tea for acne. But does green tea really help with acne? The short answer is yes!

Green tea contains multiple antioxidants including EGCG, carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbic acid and selenium which are responsible for promoting skin health by preventing oxidative damage due to harmful free radicals, making green tea effective for reducing acne.

When Green tea was applied topically in a formula with 2.5% concentration of green tea daily for 60 days. the results showed thatsebum production was decreased by as much as 80% after 8 weeks. If your acne is due to oily skin and excessive sebum, applying green tea daily for several weeks could reduce your acne and sebum production without the strong side effects of medications.

7. Arrowroot Tea Acne Benefits

Arrowroot tea is known to be anti-inflammatory and a digestive aid.  It's not entirely known exactly how it works, but it helps soothe digestive issues, and it is also protective of mucous membranes which is why its beneficial for digestive issues. Some studies of arrowroot show that it also boosts the immune system. Reducing inflammation, and aiding digestion can reduce acne as inflammation is usually what leads to the redness and flare up of acne. To use, mix arrowroot powder into some water and enjoy! 

8. Ginger Tea for Acne

Ginger is well known for soothing an upset stomach, but it could also benefit those with acne too!  This is because ginger contains over 30 gingerol compounts that have antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties. Ginger tea can be made by boiling a spoonful of chopped ginger in water for a minute, you can also apply the liquid topically too so the anti-inflammatory properties go directly do the skin. If you have been having digestive issues, and dealing with more pain and redness on your skin, ginger may be a good choice for you to try out. 

Other Acne Benefits of Green Tea:

• The vitamins and provitamins contained in green tea are responsible for a number of biological processes all of which can help correct some of the root causes of acne.
• They can help reduce skin inflammation by modulating the immune system and correct hormonal imbalances too.
• The antimicrobial effect of green tea is also useful in acne treatment. Green tea contains zinc. Zinc is a known antimicrobial agent used for treating acne.
• According to arecent study, green tea was just as effective as 4% benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne.

HOW TO APPLY TEA TOPICALLY FOR ACNE

One important thing to remember is that preparing and drinking tea is straightforward, but applying herbal tea on the skin requires some guidance.

1. Prepare Your Tea For Topical Use On Acne

You can pick any of the teas for acne mentioned in this list. Prepare the  tea by placing your tea bags, or tea leaves in just boiled water for about 5 minutes.  Remove the tea bags and let them cool so you don’t burn your skin. If you are using leaves, you can filter it out and place the leaves on a clean paper towel for use later. Let the brewed tea cool down as well. Both the leaves, and the tea can be used topically.

1. To rub tea on your skin, first wash and rinse the skin with a hypoallergenic soap or cleanser. Ilike to usethis mint cleanser because it has ingredients like chamomile and spearmint for acne as mentioned earlier.
2. After washing, apply the cooled brewed tea on the skin with a cotton ball like a toner.  If you used loose leaf tea, you can mix the leaves in with the tea too.
3. Allow the tea to dry on the skin and let it stand for 10 minutes before rinsing off.

How to make a tea poultice for acne:

1. You can also soak a small, clean towel in the tea to make a poultice (a soft, moist mass of cloth).
2. Spread the poultice on the affected area of the skin and leave it for 15 minutes before rinsing off.
3. Apply a good qualitymoisturizer after to prevent skin dryness.

Clearly, these best teas for acne have superpowers! However, just because these teas and herbs are natural, doesn’t mean they don’t come with possible side effects or reactions. Still, consider speaking to a herbalist or other health practitioner to make sure you don’t have any contraindications or health issues that would make these teas unhelpful or even harmful to you.