Can Honey Really Cure Acne?

While it may sound like an old wife’s tale, the answer to the question “can honey really cure acne?” is yes. While the severity of your symptoms and your own biochemistry are mitigating factors, the anti-bacterial properties in honey can do wonders to alleviate an outbreak of acne.

What is the Culprit behind Acne?

Acne develops when skin pores become clogged. Sebum (oil produced by the sebaceous glands) is the culprit responsible for the plague of blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cysts that blight the faces of 85% of us at some point in our lives. Because of hormonal changes brought on by puberty, teenagers and adolescents are especially prone to acne as these changes increase the production of Sebum, but the real difficulty arises when pores clogged by excess sebum become infected. Bacteria trapped in clogged pores can transform a whitehead or blackhead into a puss filled pimple.

Honey has Antibacterial and Antiseptic Properties

Honey can cure acne because of its antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Honey contains an organic acid and it slowly releases hydrogen peroxide. This explains honey’s long history as a topical ointment used to disinfect cuts and treat burns. While the discovery of antibiotics in the 40s displaced the use of honey in modern medicine, honey is still a practical and natural alternative for the treatment of a mild bacterial infection such as acne.

Sticky Honey Cleans Your Pores

Many beauty and skin care products tout the beneficial effects of honey. This is because honey really can produce a cosmetic effect, not least because of its sticky quality. Honey works its way into your pores ands sticks to dirt which is then removed then the honey is washed away.

 Organic or Medicinal Honey

When looking for the right honey to use to treat acne it’s best to forgo the generic brands that frequently come packaged in bear shaped squeeze bottles and search out organic and unprocessed honey instead. The trouble with the table honeys you’ll find in most grocery stores is that the steam heat processing this honey undergoes destroys the enzymes that can produce the natural peroxide in organic honey.

Apply the Honey to your Face

Once you’ve found the right kind of honey you can simply apply it to the infected areas of your face by rubbing the honey into your skin with clean hands. Leave the honey on your face for ten to twenty minutes and then rinse with warm water. After topically applying organic or medical grade honey to the infected areas daily for a week to ten days you should notice some improvement. However, results are variable, and severe cases of acne may require professional treatment from an accredited dermatologist.

Treating acne with natural and organic honey is a good way to approach skin care with little attendant risks. Organic honey is readily available online and can be found in natural groceries and co-ops. Tasting a little nip of honey once you’re finished taking care of your skin is not entirely frowned upon either. So, if you are still wondering about the question, “can honey really cure acne?” consider trying it the next time you have an outbreak.

More more tips to eliminate your acne once and for all? Check out our 14 Days Acne Cure that has helped hundreds of people to overcome their acne blemishes