Does Lemon Help With Acne?

Lemon: The fruit of legends and undying beauty treatments. It’s true! It does help with acne! But let me break it down for you, you can use lemon as a toner, moisturizer, light exfoliator, and prevent whiteheads and blackheads. Lemon is a natural bleaching agent, so it can work to lighten acne scars and clear your skin. Lemon is also great for oily skin types because of its astringent properties. There are so many properties to lemon that I can go on for days, but we’ll leave you here to read about it.

An overview about lemon:

Citrus fruit extracts are often included in skincare products due to their antioxidant properties. Lemon is also an astringent, which means it tightens the skin and shrinks pores. Also, it has a high level of vitamin C which will help to brighten your skin tone! Lemon contains many ingredients that have been proven to be effective against bacteria and other microorganisms that can lead to breakdowns within our bodies. Lemons contain high levels of Vitamin C, Lysine, and Lactic Acid. Vitamin C is effective against bacteria that can lead to breakouts and reduce the rate of cell turnover, which will slow down blemishes from forming. The acids in lemons tighten skin pores and stimulate blood flow to the surface of the skin. Lemon juice contains components that have antibacterial qualities, making it very useful for treating acne. Lemon juice has also long been used as a disinfectant because it prevents bacterial growth and kills existing bacteria on the skin.

How does lemon controls acne?

Due to the drying effects of citric acid, lemon juice makes an excellent toner for oily skin. It removes dead cells from the top layer of the skin and tightens pores. Citric acid can help with acne scars by lightening them over time. As mentioned above, it also controls bacteria that eventually break down into toxins that cause inflammation in the body.

Lemon has antiviral properties, so applying lemon juice to a pimple will reduce swelling, redness, and irritation caused by acne. Also, its astringent qualities are excellent for shrinking large pores around the nose or chin area. Lemon juice also helps prevent bacterial growth on your skin, making it one of the go-to ingredients for natural acne remedies all over the world!

How you use lemon externally for acne:

Try using a sugar scrub:

Sugar acts as an anti-microbial agent, killing bacteria on your skin that contribute to blemishes. Lemon juice also acts as an astringent. This means that it can tighten pores, making them look smaller, which will reduce the appearance of scars. Sugar helps exfoliate dead skin cells away from the surface of your skin, while lemon juice stimulates blood flow to the surface of your skin, healthy cell turnover. Once you’ve made the scrub, apply it to your face and neck area (avoiding eyes), let it sit for five to ten minutes, then rinse. Apply this once or twice a week after you’ve washed your face in the morning or before you go to bed at night.

Lemon juice honey mask:

Honey acts as an antibacterial agent, while lemon acts as an astringent. Combining these two ingredients works at killing bacteria on the surface of your skin that could lead to breakouts while also tightening pores, which will prevent future blemishes from forming. This mask is best applied onto dry skin, wait 15-20 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water. Just like a lemon sugar scrub, use this once or twice a week.

Use the peel:

The peel is where the fruit’s essential oils and highest concentrations of vitamins reside. Therefore, because the lemon juice works only on the surface, applying a thin film of lemon oil or gel directly onto your cleansed skin is an excellent way to give a boost to any acne-fighting regiment. Apply 1-2 drops of fresh lemon juice on a clean cotton ball and rub gently into your entire face, avoiding eyes. Or, if you have any leftovers from cooking lemons, squeeze out two tablespoons of lemon juice into a glass bowl. Add in one teaspoon of baking soda and mix until it is smooth. Apply this to your clean face, avoid the eye area, sit for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse off with lukewarm water.

Lemon juice and cream:

Suppose you’re looking for a way to exfoliate your skin and reduce blemishes, mix lemon juice with some sour cream. Sour cream has natural properties that help cleanse the skin. Apply this mask onto the cleansed face, avoid the eye area, let sit for 10 minutes, and then rinse with lukewarm water. This mask can be applied once or twice per week.

Lemon with essential oils:

Lemon oil is powerful in itself; therefore, adding it to other carrier oils will ensure that you are diluting this oil properly before applying it topically. Lemon essential oil is also known as one of the most phototoxic essential oils, which means when exposed to sun or UV rays, it increases your chances of getting burned. Dilute lemon oil at least 50/50 with a carrier oil.

How to use lemon internally for acne:

Believe it or not, one of the best ways to get all of the excellent benefits of lemon is to eat it! You can squeeze some fresh lemon juice in with your juicer daily. It tastes great and has tons of beauty benefits! Lemon juice is a great way to add some zing into your water! When you’re feeling sluggish, add a slice of lemon, or squeeze in some fresh lemon juice into your favourite iced tea or iced coffee. You can also add this into sparkling water if that’s more up your alley. If you have one in the morning before breakfast and another at night before going to bed, it will help re-hydrate your body, replenish electrolytes lost during exercise, detoxify the body from free radicals and reduce bad cholesterol.

Lemon mixed with soda:

If having plain lemon is too dull for you, why not mix it with carbonated water? Mix 1/2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice with a cup of club soda, garnish with freshly cut fruits, and you have a refreshing, healthy lemonade that is also good for your skin.

Lemon juice with water:

If you’re looking to detox your body, then this is the drink for you! Here’s what you do – squeeze one fresh lemon into a glass of water. If you’re feeling adventurous, add in some honey or maple syrup, depending on your taste. Drink this first thing in the morning whenever possible to flush out all the toxins from your system. This will help boost your immune system, improve digestion, keep weight gain at bay, prevent anemia and provide a clear complexion.

Lemon juice in tea:

Drinking lemon juice with warm water in the morning is an excellent way to detoxify your body, and for most people, it can help reduce acne breakouts. Why? Because drinking water helps flush out toxins from your system. Lemon juice contains a compound called citric acid which also assists in flushing toxins. Warm water opens up your pores, which will allow all of the toxins from inside each pore to go directly into the intestines, where they are expelled from the body.

Lemon juice with cucumber:

This is a yummy drink that you can make at home – for this, you’ll need to be peeled and chopped cucumber, lemon juice, honey, and ice cubes. Mix the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve over ice cubes, and enjoy! Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s very refreshing too!

Lemon water with ginger:

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling from within. It reduces the redness of skin along with providing your skin elasticity to avoid sagging. Instead of drinking water all day long, which can be tedious, why not try lemon water infused with ginger? It’s tasty as well as nutritious!

These are the various ways by which you can use lemon to achieve clearer, acne-free skin.

Lemon can also help in treating acne scars:

If the acne scars are fresh and red, lemon juice can be used to remove them. Just apply a tiny amount of lemon juice using a cotton ball and leave it on for 20 minutes. Repeat daily until the scar fades away.

Lemon also has antibacterial properties:

Another way you can use lemon for acne treatment is to prevent bacteria from entering your skin pores. To do this:

1. Mix half a cup of water along with one tablespoon each of rosewater and lemon juice.
2. Store this mixture in a spray bottle and shake well before every use.
3. Spray directly onto your skin as often as possible throughout the day or even just before going out! You will have a nice glow upon application but don’t worry – it will fade away in a few minutes!

However, to keep in mind, there is no hard and fast rule that the more you apply lemon on your face, the better your skin will look. Too much of it can dry out your skin which isn’t ideal either. Be careful not to overdo anything with lemon. Also, make sure not to use lemon on open acne sores as they tend to burn very severely!

Are there any side effects of using lemon juice for acne?

As lemon is very acidic, it can be pretty harsh on your skin if not diluted properly. Some of the side effects of using lemon juice are redness, burning sensation, tingling sensation, itching, inflammation, and peeling. Using lemon juice topically will make your skin photosensitive or more sensitive to sunlight, so avoid going out in direct sunlight for extended periods. If you have dry skin, it is even more vital to moisturize your skin after using lemon juice. This is because the fruit’s acidity may dehydrate your skin, drawing moisture from deep within, leading to aging signs.

Ways to prevent acne:

1. Eat a healthy diet:

For a healthy body, you need to have a healthy diet as well! Avoid oily food as far as possible and include a good amount of fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. This will not only improve your acne condition but also help you maintain a fit body.

2. Do regular exercise:

Not just for reducing weight, regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve your overall health, including that of your skin. It stimulates blood circulation, which is vital for healthier and more effective epidermis.

3. Say no to stress:

Stress is another factor that causes acne breakouts on your skin so give stress-busters like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing a shot. You will see the difference in your skin soon!

4. Get enough sleep:

To combat stress, you need to get a sufficient amount of good quality sleep daily. You must get at least 8 hours of undisturbed sleep daily to rejuvenate your body and mind for the next day.

5. Take care of your skin:

Always take off your makeup before going to bed. Make sure you use gentle cleansers that are hydrating and moisturizing, never harsh or abrasive, which will over dry your skin, leading to more breakouts!

6. Use Homeopathic acne treatment:

Prevention is always better than cure, and this is especially true in the case of acne! Homeopathic treatment will also help you avoid expensive treatments and surgeries later on. A well-researched homeopathic medication can work wonders for your skin.

If you are still wondering, “Does lemon help with acne?” then try it out yourself! You will be amazed by the results. However, make sure that you follow instructions correctly and do not neglect any of the above precautions. Please note that this article does not replace medical advice, and you should consult your dermatologist if you have doubts about using lemon juice for acne. You can book an appointment with a registered homeopathy doctor from OHO Homeopathy for more information!