People who've suffered from painful cystic acne: what are the best NATURAL, at-home remedies you've come across?

[Sara413]

Not to exclude people, but I only want answers from people who have suffered from cystic acne - it's not the same as the small little pimples that everyone gets once in a while. It's a very painful, genetic condition that doesn't just go away by cutting down on chocolate and greasy food or washing your face twice a day...

I've been dealing with cystic acne since my teens and I'm so tired of it. I've tried so many different things.

Updates

+1 y

OK, so for the past few days I've been using a mask of honey, lemon and cinnamon which I leave on for 10-15 minutes in the evening and then follow up with apple cider vinegar as a toner. In the morning I either scrub my face with a bit of baking soda or with leftover honey/lemon/cinnamon mask from the evening before.

Updates

+1 y

It seems to be working, but I've also been taking Omega-3-6-9 supplements and probiotics, and I've cut way back on my dairy intake, so it's hard to way what is making the difference.

[Nik1hil]

Well faced that situation, it's not genetic, it's just that few of us don't have genetic defense against dermal germs,
There is a simple 3 steps change in your routine. This worked for me
1) cleanse your face daily before sleeping or whenever you find time but fix a part of day with a lemon juice 1teaspoon!, mixed with cinnamon powder apply it and let it dry. Till it dries it will burn like shit, it's cause it's antibacterial cause of acidic property but not that much acidic that is can affect your facial skin. You can add honey if you want! I didn't cause that shit ain't cheap and I like eating it more. And honey+cinna is cinnamon for those who have dry skin.
2) once your lotion has dried up, wash it without any soap, in my personal advice skip using soap on face, soap is dirty with germs on hands, you don't want them near your face, you can go for a fact wash but most of them are more acidic or basic so they affect your skin cells and mess up increasing acne.
3) Aloe-vera leaf!, once you wash your face it will feel, itchy using Aloe-vera will heal the skin and any extra damage done by the lotion or any other thing.
Once the Aloe-vera has dried up wash your face and don't wipe hard,
Now see the difference on the the face, maybe take a selfie before this treatment and after it.
Prevention : in my opinion we live In a dirty environment and we cannot clean it, so it better we keep the things that come in contact with our face clean ar keep cleaning our face.
One major mistake : never sleep on a pillow sheet twice.
Change your pillow sheet daily, OH! Man that's hectic, but there is other way. Every pillow has 2 side! One day sleep on one side and next day switch the side and then swap the pillow sheet.
Never go to bed with dirty face! Aways wash it with water and a little soap for 5 seconds. It's major cause of acne...

[Anonymous]

Changing my whole diet did really help my acne. I avoided preservatives, gluten, dairy, artificial anything, and added sugar. I always took supplements that helps to get rid of candida, which apparently causes acne.

I also sleep with a shirt on and do not put my face on my pillow. The oil on the sheets and pillow case really cause acne with me if my skin touches it.

I also wash my face with this organic juice face wash that seems to help and I put coconut oil on my skin afterwards. It apparently helps with inflammation, acne, and redness and it works for me. Normally everything irritates my skin but coconut oil doesn't and it actually seems to help.

[Opinion Owner]

Thanks

[Anonymous]

I know you're asking for home remedies and stuff like that, but to tell you the truth I had the same problem as you and the only thing that made my acne better was accutane.

[ginnyweasley]

one word: facials
try mixing honey and cinnamon together into a paste and apply to face the longer you keep it on the better

[Sara413]

I use honey on my face a lot, but I've been reading about using honey, cinnamon and tumeric together as a mask and I'm gonna try that. I also seem to be coming across a lot of articles saying to use apple cider vinegar as a toner.

[ginnyweasley]

i used to have horrible acne and i think it came because it was around finals and i was chugging coffee and was very stressed but even when i stopped drinking coffee the acne was still there the facial helped a lot

[Sara413]

Stress definitely exacerbates the problem for me, as do my hormonal changes throughout my menstrual cycle, but even when I'm not stressed out, not near my period, eating extremely healthy and whatever else, I still ALWAYS have at least 4 or 5 painful cysts on my back, chest, neck or face. I don't think my skin has ever been completely clear of acne.

It's not nearly as bad as it was when I was younger, when my whole face, chest and back were completely covered in red, painful cystic acne, which I am thankful for, but the ones I do get hurt so much and I'm just soooo tired of dealing with it!!

[ginnyweasley]

thanks for MHG!

[Anonymous]

vegan diet completely rid of processed foods and sugar (and even some vegan foods that are heavy) helped many people get rid of acne. its an internal health problem that manifests externally. external treatment won't help much. also drink lots of good water and excercise. needless to say absolutely no alcohol, coffee, things with additives and conservatives, and sugar. you have to change gradually to that super clean diet not right away. the first months you will suffer from detoxification and see your skin problems maximize. dont be scared and turn back. you can go through this.
for these girls it worked:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qdwn2itsgg

[Opinion Owner]

as many greens and vegetables as you can. and some fruits. completely organic and unsprayed if possible. needless to say no smoking either. also try to work on your stress. a good psychology and positive/gratitude mindset helps very much.

[Opinion Owner]

and while the cleaness, naturality and quality of your food is crucial dont let even that become an additional factor to your stress. dont go to the other extreme of orthorexia. but know without a clean diet you can't do much either.

[Sara413]

I don't think going vegan is the answer. I've read plenty of articles saying that salmon is a good staple in a diet to try to get rid of acne.

[Opinion Owner]

whatever suits you girl. i gave you the best advice i could. if gluttony is above your health suit yourself.

[Sara413]

Gluttony? Seriously.

Fucking vegans...

[Opinion Owner]

what would you call being so attached to certain foods that your health comes in a second place? if i were told my health would be improved i'd eat effin stones if needed.

[Sara413]

I literally said that I've read from lots of sources that salmon is a healthy option for dealing with this problem...

[Opinion Owner]

yeah my dear and beloved friend, that study was A BIG PILE OF CRAP, to put it in simple words. fish have so great quantities of concentrated heavy metals from the oceans, and so many toxins that they are walking bombs of toxicity. (well swimming not walking). also a big fish like salmon eats smaller fish and planctons, and in this chain the toxins are accumulated in an exponential progress! example: if the plancton had 700 units of pollutants, when consumed by the small fish its like 2000, when consumed by the bigger 50000, when consumed by your salmon its like 200.000, when YOU eat it, it becomes like 7.000.000!!! seven- freaking- million. thats what we mean exponential. the "dirtiest" pepper is not remotely close as polluted as the "healthiest fish". eat what you want, i just present you with the truth. i would recommend reading the china study. nice book.
anyway, i see you are not into deep rooted slow process radical solutions. you are looking for external fast food solutions so

[Opinion Owner]

so here is the recipe for a homemade cream. you will need:
1) calentula flowers
2) comfrey
3) saint john's wort
4) plantago lagopus
5) golden seal
6) chamomile
7) butter karite A' grade quality
8) aloe vera 1 fresh leaf
9)1 liter ultra premium quality extra virgin olive oil.
10) pure, real bea wax
11) vitamin E
12) lavender essential oil
13) geranium essential oil
14)5 glass vases/containers with caps
procedure:
first you make the floweroils: you will need 1/4 of flowers for 3/4 of olive oil. these percentages are about of one big cup. you put in each glass container the flower and oil. close their caps and leave them exposed in the sun for 4 weeks. put a label in its vase to know what u got inside.
how to prepare the cream. when you got the floweroils ready, put them in a ben marie (pot) to boil. put them together with the karite butter and bee wax. when all the solid stuff get melted take it from the fire, add 10 drops from each essential oil and the aloe gel. a big table spoon of it.

[Opinion Owner]

when it comes to room temparature put to fridge. you can use it for like 4 months. of course i recommend storing it in a glass container with a cap. preferably of amber anti-uv colour. apply up to three times a day. even if the symptoms subside keep using for at least a month. even if you dont listen me about the diet, i didn't want to offer no help at all. good luck.

[Sara413]

I appreciate the information re: the homemade cream - thank you for that.

But just an aside - it's saying things like this: "anyway, i see you are not into deep rooted slow process radical solutions. you are looking for external fast food solutions" that makes so many people think vegans are a bunch of condescending ass holes...

[Sara413]

That and "if gluttony is above your health suit yourself. "

Seriously. SO condescending!

[Opinion Owner]

oh, i forgot you to mention you have to ruffle the floweroils when the month passes, so that only oil remains and not big flower pieces. you will put them in clean vases/ glass containers and put labels on them to know what flower's oil you got inside. well 5 vases was a miscalculation its more, and the amber one for the cream lets not forget.

[Opinion Owner]

babe, dear. my bad behavior is against ME, noone else. it wasn't targeted to you. i just used to be exactly like you. i expected the magic button solution. i received inummmerable slaps from life to learn change mindset and learn that change comes through slow painful but wonderful processes and sacrifices.

[Opinion Owner]

i'll also give you a recipe for an active-carbon anti-acne soap!
you will need:
400 grams extra virgin olive oil
350 grams coconut oil
100 grams grape seed oil
50 grams jojoba oil
50 grams argan oil
50 grams castor oil
360 grams water
140 grams lye
15 drops tea tree essential oil
15 drops pergamont essential oil
1 big table spoon of active carbon.
in a light trace add first the essential oils and later the active carbon. we want to have the control of the process. after its ready let it get hard in 24 hours. cut into bars and let for 6 months to "mature".
here is a vid about trace in soap making:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNOBP9jWz_o

[Opinion Owner]

six weeks not months! sorry typo!

[Opinion Owner]

important tips. its exactly 137 grams of lye not 140. dont worry about lye when the soap is ready its super safe. and a help vid of the cold soap making process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghvQ4v_Fjrs
and another
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcCOruzFTgQ
and another
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKY6NGvdQjY
good luck! this soap is good.