Green tea may be helpful to acne sufferers of all ages. It is generally well-tolerated and non-drying. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is high in antioxidants, which assist the body in combating free radicals that cause damage to cells and tissues. This type of tea also has useful anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea has no reported side effects that some chemically based acne medications can cause, such as irritation and redness.
Green Tea for Acne Treament
Green tea can useful for treating acne when taken both internally and externally. It may be sipped either hot or iced or applied as a cream or gel product. Green tea contains caffeine, and the amount can vary according to how long the tea is steeped. However, decaffeinated green tea is also available, with most of the same benefits. Green tea extract tablets provide a viable alternative and can be taken as a supplement. Lastly, steeped teabags may be applied directly to your skin. "Many people find that applying cooled, steeped green tea bags can offer relief, reducing inflammation and redness, and helping kill bacteria on the skin," according to Acne Treatment News.
Studies About Green Tea and Acne
The April 2009 issue of the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology reports on a University of Miami study that looks at the results after participants used 2% green tea lotion twice daily for six weeks. The number of acne lesions reported was reduced by 58%. The overall severity of new lesions was lessened considerably as well. Another study reported to the American Academy of Dermatology in 2003 demonstrates that a 3% green tea solution works as effectively as a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution. The researcher, Dr. Gan Wong, indicates that the overall better choice between the two is the green tea cream because it did not cause any flaking or drying.
Antibacterial Action
One of the reasons green tea is effective in the treatment of acne is because it has antibacterial properties thought to be capable of killing the bacteria partially responsible for acne lesions, according to the website Natural Acne Remedy. Green tea in a lotion or gel can produce many of the same antibacterial actions as over-the-counter remedies like benzoyl peroxide, but without the same possible side effects.
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Green tea also may lessen acne symptoms due to its anti-inflammatory action. The soothing effect of topical green tea is said to reduce inflammation of acne lesions and diminish redness. Green tea has useful anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC).
Powerful Antioxidant
Green tea contains powerful antioxidants, particularly epigallocatechin gallate, which is 200 times stronger than vitamin E. According to the UMMC, antioxidants scavenge free radicals, which are damaging compounds in your body that alter cells, interfere with DNA and can even cause cell death. These free radicals occur in your body naturally, but are also caused by toxins in the environment like air pollution. Antioxidants in green tea can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even prevent some of the damage they cause, such as increased acne and other health issues, according to the UMMC.
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