The Examiner has this very informative article on Green Tea and how it can help treat Acne.
Acne affects 85 percent of young people ages 12 to 24, and 25 percent will end up with permanent scars. There are many treatments available both over the counter and by prescription to treat this skin disorder, and each one is associated with varying degrees of success and side effects.
One natural approach that has proven helpful in some recent studies is green tea.
Green tea lotion for acne
A University of Miami study published in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology reported on the use of 2% green tea lotion in 20 patients who had mild to moderate acne vulgaris. The participants applied the lotion twice daily for six weeks.
At the end of the study, the mean total number of lesions had declined from 24 before treatment to 10, for a reduction of 58 percent. The severity of the lesions also declined by 39 percent.
In another study completed in 2008 and published in the Saudi Medical Journal, researchers compared the use of 2% green tea lotion with 5% zinc sulphate solution, which is frequently used to treat acne. Forty patients ages 13 to 27 used either green tea lotion or zinc sulphate solution twice daily for two months. By the end of the study, the patients who had used green tea lotion experienced a statistically significant reduction in acne lesions compared with the patients who had used zinc sulphate.
In an anecdotal study, researchers compared 3% green tea lotion and 4% benzoyl peroxide (a common treatment for acne) in patients who had acne. They found that both treatments offered similar improvement, yet the green tea did not cause the dryness and irritation associated with benzoyl peroxide.
Using green tea for acne
Applying green tea lotion to acne vulgaris lesions twice daily appears to be effective for people who have acne. Credit for the benefits are given to the high antioxidant levels in green tea, especially the catechins, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which also have antibacterial properties.
Don’t stop with just the lotion, however. Many people find that applying cooled, steeped green tea bags can offer relief, reducing inflammation and redness, and helping kill bacteria on the skin.
After you steep the green tea bags, many experts recommend drinking the tea, as much as six to eight cups daily. Utilizing green tea both topically and internally can improve treatment results.
