There’s nothing like waking up, looking in the mirror, and seeing an unattractive zit smack dab in the middle of your forehead. Wherever the zit occurs, it’s noticeable and you want it gone as soon as possible. Do you turn to pimple solution sticks or creams that cost a lot and contain harmful chemicals? Do you pop it and deal with the scab and future scar? If you don’t want to use harsh creams and you want to avoid scars, the all-natural zit zapper sticks in this article will come to your aid.
What Is Acne?
Acne is a skin condition that occurs when hair follicles fill with oil and dead skin cells, causing whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. Although it is most common among teenagers, acne affects people of all ages. Pimples and other blemishes tend to heal slowly, but new ones seem to crop up when others go away. Depending on the severity, acne may scar the skin or cause emotional distress. When you take action early, you have a better chance at reducing these problems.
Pimples are raised red spots that have a white center, and they develop when hair follicles fill with bacteria. Inflammation and blockages deep inside the hair follicles can produce larger than normal lumps beneath the skin’s surface. Other pores in the skin don’t typically have anything to do with acne. Diet hormonal changes, certain medications, and stress can all trigger or worsen acne.
Tea Tree Oil
Made from the leaves of the Australian tree of the same name, tea tree oil has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Today, a lot of people use tea tree oil to keep their skin healthy, but does this include acne? A 2015 review of 35 studies found some evidence that tea tree oil may support acne reduction. A separate 2006 study, however, found that the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties may accelerate the healing of acne lesions like pimples. In 2016, a study looked at combining resveratrol and tea tree oil to protect the skin from sun damage. It wasn’t the aim of the study, but findings showed that participants had less bacteria and oil on the skin as a result. This could potentially improve acne! Finally, a 12-week study monitored people who put tea tree oil on their face twice daily. At the end, researchers concluded that tea tree oil was able to significantly improve mild to moderate acne with no serious side effects.
Coconut Oil
About 85% of coconut oil’s composition is saturated fat, with the remaining 15% being unsaturated fat. The monounsaturated fatty acids in coconut oil exhibit strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, which may kill bacteria and microorganisms that cause infections that can lead to breakouts. Lauric acid is the most potent antimicrobial agent within coconut oil’s monounsaturated fatty acids. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that lauric acid outperformed 29 other fatty acids as antimicrobial agents. What does this mean for your acne? Well, one study found that lauric acid performed better than benzoyl peroxide, one of the most popular acne treatments. Additionally, coconut oil’s other active fatty acids were as effective as antimicrobial agents at fighting off P. acnes.
Homemade Zit Zapper Sticks
Ingredients:
- 1/8 cup virgin coconut oil
- 5 drops tea tree oil
Instructions:
- Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. If it’s a hot day and your coconut oil is already melted, you can skip that step and simply pour the coconut oil into a glass measuring cup.
- If you melted the coconut oil in the saucepan, remove from heat and pour into a glass measuring cup. Stir in the tea tree oil.
- Carefully pour the mixture into lip balm tubes. Allow the mixture to set at room temperature or in the fridge and then put the caps on.
- Store the tubes in the fridge so that they don’t melt. Use as needed as a spot treatment or homemade zit zapper.
