It is often necessary to include both external skincare treatment and internal detox to balance the body when you are fighting with acne breakouts. When you detox, you improve your overall health which will help you get clearer skin. You might find that the outcomes are more effective and longer lasting; skin redness will subside, visibility of pores will diminish, and you will get a more radiant skin overall. Here are a couple of effective detox solutions that will help you heal acne.
Teas to Help Heal Acne
You can incorporate drinking herbal teas every day to achieve healthier skin. Drinking 2 cups a day of either of the teas listed below will help expel toxins from your body which will improve your complexion and overall skin health.
Calendula has detoxifying properties and cleanses the liver and gallbladder. It is used internally to treat chronic infections and skin disorders, like acne.
Echinacea helps strengthen immune system when taken internally. It also helps detoxify the body of impurities that might be contributing to acne.
Nettle is astringent, anti-allergenic, and anti-inflammatory. It is often used to help eliminate waste products from the body and thus helps with many skin conditions.
Root Decoctions to Help Clear Acne
To extract beneficial properties from a plant’s root, it needs to be boiled. The resulting liquid is called decoction. It is usually stronger than tea and might have a stronger effect. Here is a list of best detox herbs for decoctions. I also included some decoction recipes that will help detox and cleanse your skin from the inside.
Burdock root is great for body detoxing of heavy metals and other impurities. It is best to use with other herbs because on its own it can contribute to skin condition flare ups, like eczema.
Dandelion root has strong detoxifying properties. It is also a great prebiotic that supports good bacteria in the gut.
Echinacea root also aids in clearance of toxins from the body. Look for the best-quality root. It should leave a tingling sensation on the tongue.
Chinese rhubarb root is anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antibacterial. It has been found to be very effective against Staphylococcus aureus which is often responsible for acne. Caution: do not take if pregnant, breastfeeding, and during menstruation.
Yellow Dock root helps detoxify the colon and bile. Yellow Dock root is usually not taken on its own, but in conjunction with burdock or dandelion. Because of its detoxifying properties, it is often taken for skin conditions including acne. Caution: Do not take if pregnant or breastfeeding.
Burdock and Dandelion Decoction
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of dried burdock root
- 2 teaspoons of dried dandelion root
- 3 cups of cold water
Steps:
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes until it’s reduced to about 2 cups.
- Strain, divide into 3 doses and drink it for morning, lunch, and dinner.
- You can keep it for up to 48 hours if refrigerated.
Echinacea Decoction
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons of dried echinacea root
- 3 cups of cold waters
Steps:
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes until it’s reduced to about 2 cups.
- Strain, divide into 3 doses and drink it for morning, lunch, and dinner.
- You can keep it for up to 48 hours if refrigerated.
Yellow Dock and Dandelion Decoction
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon dried Yellow Dock root
- 2 teaspoons dandelion root
- 3 cups (750 ml) cold water
Steps:
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes until it’s reduced to about 2 cups.
- Take ½ cup (100 ml) each evening.
- You can keep it for up to 48 hours if refrigerated.
Balance Hormones to Get Rid of Acne
If you are a female and suffer from acne, you might have hormonal imbalance. In China women take “Four Things Soup”, a female tonic that is thought to help with gynecological problems and even reverse PCOS symptoms. I found this recipe in Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chavallier, FNIMH.
Four-Things Soup
Ingredients:
- Chuang Xiong (Ligusticum wallachii)
- White Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
- Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis)
- Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa)
Steps:
- Take equal parts of each of the herbs mentioned above and mix them together.
- Take 15 g of the mixture and steep in 3 cups of boiled water for 15 minutes.
- Drink 1 cup three times a day if you have menstruation problems or drink ¾ cup a day as a general tonic.
Chaste Tree Berries
Chaste tree berries help regulate hormones. If acne is due to decreased estrogen or progesterone levels, take chaste berries in combination with echinacea. You can take chaste berries in a tablet form. Caution: Do not take chaste tree berries tablets or tincture for more than 3 months at a time, do not take if pregnant or breastfeeding, do not take if on contraception or fertility treatment.
Take Supplements to Improve Acne
Besides teas and decoctions, you can also take some supplements that will cleanse your system and help heal acne fast naturally. Here are supplement suggestions for those suffering with acne.
Slippery elm bark powder is demulcent, emollient, and nutritive and helps soothe irritated digestive system tissue when taken internally. It also acts as a prebiotic, helping balance the gut flora which in turn will improve digestive processes and help fight acne. When applied externally to pimples and other skin blemishes, slippery elm helps draw out impurities.
Guggul gum resin is anti-inflammatory and blood-thinning. It has been shown to effectively help heal acne when taken in a form of guggulipid extract.
Garlic is a strong antiseptic and antioxidant. When garlic is crushed, alliin that is present in the plant changes to allicin which has strong antiseptic qualities. Crush your garlic and wait 10 minutes before adding it to your food.
For more tips on how to clear acne continue to read Effectively clear acne with DIY spa day and Clear acne naturally using oils.
Works Cited
Chevallier, Andrew. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. New York, New York, Dk Publishing, 2016.
Duke, James A. The Green Pharmacy : New Discoveries in Herbal Remedies for Common Diseases and Conditions from the World’s Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs. Emmaus, Pa., Rodale Press ; [New York, N.Y, 1997.
