You look onto the mirror, to see your pretty face,
But don’t see anything else, except a haze
A big pimple now has occupied the space
All you can hope that it leaves no trace!
The Pimple
With the hormonal changes taking place and body constantly evolving, pimples give a traumatic time with ugly breakouts here and there on the face. In severe cases it may appear on upper chest and on the upper parts of the shoulder hitting our self-esteem and putting us in an all-time low situation. The insecurity and dejection is hard to cope with, especially in an age bracket of 13-23 years.
Growth of the pimple
Each of the hair follicles in our body is connected to a gland that secretes an oily substance to lubricate skin. To do that, a substance known as sebum needs to move up the hair shaft and out the opening of a follicle. But sometimes the sebum acts almost like a glue to dead cells being shed by the skin. Together they form a soft plug that blocks the shaft while the sebatious gland continues to produce sebum. The growing blockage can stimulate local bacteria like staphylococcus to reproduce. Increased bacteria will lead to reactions from the immune system, pimple being the visible evidence of this process. White puss is formed from the accumulation of sebum, dead cells and bacteria; the redness is caused by the inflammation as the immune system tries to kill the bacteria.
Ayurveda’s Perspective:
Ayurveda attributes the growth of a pimple mainly to the faulty food habits and the triggering hormonal changes inside the body.Excess Kapha, which controls the production of sebum, results in clogging of the pores. An imbalance in Vata results in impaired digestion and accumulation of toxins .The imbalance of Pitta affects the blood resulting in inflammation. This combination Organic Essential Oils of impaired digestion, accumulating toxins, inflammation, and over-production of sebum creates the perfect environment for the overgrowth of bacteria resulting in pimples. The overgrowth of bacteria is only an effect of the underlying imbalances, but not the ultimate cause of pimple. Ayurveda advices well balanced diet and healthy time-schedule for the intake of food. The irrational food habits include Adhashana (consuming food at short intervals), Virudhashana (consuming incompatible foods like fish and milk together) and Vishamashana (which involves consuming food with disregard to body cravings).
Prevention and Treatment:
PANCHAKARMA:Panchakarma is effective in correcting imbalances and eliminating the harmful Ama out of our system through the body’s own channels. Panchakarma purifies the skin at a very deep level and involves daily massages, oil baths, herbal enemas and nasal administrations. Ayurveda recommends panchakarma as a seasonal treatment for maintaining beautiful skin free of pimples. Some of the processes of panchakarma effective in curing pimples are:-
VAMANA OR MEDICATED VOMITING: Suitable medicines are orally given to induce vomiting. This procedure is very useful in blockage of subtle channels or srothas of facial skin.
VIRECHANA OR MEDICAL PURGATION: It is a cleansing method, performed by giving bitter, astringent and sweet herbal purgatives which bring down abnormally increased pitta principle. This procedure is beneficial in stages of inflammatory changes.
NASYA: This Ayurvedic treatment is beneficial for all doshas, particularly vata and kapha. Nasal administration of suitable medicine is effective in chronic clinical conditions of pimple.
AYURVEDIC HERBS
Ayurvedic medication involving herbs has been effective in treating pimple problems.Various medicinal herbs are used in Ayurveda which effectively help in eliminating the scars.
NEEM – All components of the neem tree are strongly anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. This excellent cleanser is used for a wider array of skin problems. Scrape the neem trunk with a small knife, wash them thoroughly and dry them in the sun. Powder them and make a paste out of it with water and apply on skin. Repeat this procedure regularly. Neem’s concoctions are effective in removing excess oil resulting in a healthy skin.
BASIL – Basil leaf’s anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti spasmodial properties help in preventing pimples and make your skin supple and brighter. Two effective ways in using this herb are:
- Put 2-3 dry basil leaves in one cup boiling water. Let it boil for 10-15 minutes. Strain it and let it cool. Apply the water on your face with cotton wool. Do this twice a day.
- Place turmeric powder and basil leaves in a bowl of water, which has just been boiled. Cover your hair with a towel. Create a mini-steam bath for your face. Make sure to wash your face immediately afterwards as it removes dirt and oil more easily from open pores.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek can be an excellent ingredient for your home-made beauty product. Fenugreek is also used in face packs to help prevent blackheads, pimples, wrinkles, etc. A paste made from fresh fenugreek leaves applied regularly to scalp before bath helps hair growth, improves hair complexion, and reduces dandruff.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon has anti-bacterial and de-clogging properties which help in drying out acne. The most important property of cinnamon is that it brings blood and oxygen to the surface of the skin aiding in blood circulation. Make a mixture of cinnamon powder & honey and Buy Essential Oils Online apply on your pimples before you go to bed. Wash it with warm water when you wake up in the morning. Do this for a fortnight and watch your pimples disappear.
Diet
Ayurveda recommends the usage of fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouted seeds and raw nuts for a healthy and beautiful skin. Since skin is the largest organ of the body, it is the first to loose moisture and become dehydrated. Drinking 7-8 glasses of water daily will help body’s self-cleansing, self-purifying systems to be in perfect working condition to protect skin from toxicity. Eating foods rich in beta carotene such as carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe and other yellow-orange fruits & vegetables is effective for healthy hair. Avoiding spicy, oily, bitter, sour and processed foods will be highly beneficial.
So, why wait? Try Ayurveda, the natural way of healing…
Let your pimples disappear, and never come back again. After all, face is the reflection of your mind. A smiling face means a happy you! Keep smiling!