Essential Oils for Acne are part of my protocol for curing Cystic and Hormonal Acne with Acupuncture, Ayurveda, and Chinese Herbal Medicine. I have been specializing in the treatment of Cystic and Hormonal Acne in my San Diego Acupuncture and Natural Medicine practice for 27 years, and over time have developed a protocol that is quick, and very effective.
Why Do I Have Such Bad Cystic or Hormonal Acne?
Its often a perfect storm of factors that creates Acne, some of which can be
- A diet rich in heavy, bland, and sweet foods that creates congestion, or Dampness/Ama in the skin
- A diet high in stimulants like caffeine that increases sweating and sebaceous gland secretions
- A high stress lifestyle that pumps toxic adrenalin into the blood stream and stimulates the sebaceous glands
- A lack of regular deep relaxation to balance the stress of living
- Overuse of skin moisturizers and harsh chemical cleansing agents that destroy healthy skin flora
- A natural proclivity to high testosterone levels and/or oily or hot type skin
My Protocol for the Treatment of Cystic and Hormonal Acne
The Perfect Storm of Positive Factors
Just as its a perfect storm of negative factors that leads to ill health, its often a perfect storm of positive factors that makes the cure. Here’s how I cure cystic and hormonal acne:
- First, I use Classical Chinese Acupuncture to balance hormones and clear pathological heat from the skin. In the case of cystic acne, I do “Circle the Dragon” acupuncture directly around the cyst to remove inflammation and infection
- Second, I give you Ayurvedic and or Chinese Herbal Medicine that is specific for Acne. Which formula I choose depends on the location of your Acne, whether its just on the face, or on the back and chest as well. It also depends where on the face it is.
- Third, I may give you other Classical Chinese herbs to regulate your menstrual cycle and return your hormones to normal. This depends on many your age, whether your cycle is regular or painful, and whether you have PMS, or are using birth control drugs.
- Fourth, I may also prescribe herbs to improve digestion. Especially if you have Constipation, Gastritis, or GERD.
- Fifth, if you don’t sleep well, I will improve your sleep with Acupuncture and Herbs. Sleep has such enormous restorative value. It very important to get your “beauty sleep” if you want radiant healthy skin.
- Sixth, I prescribe specific Natural cleansers, Ayurvedic Masks, and topical Essential Oils for Cystic and Hormonal Acne
- Seventh, I help you understand the principles of healthy diet for cystic and hormonal acne. We look at the teachings of Classical Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. Together we improve your diet to detoxify and promote healthy skin
Essential Oils for Acne
Where Do I Buy Medical Grade Essential Oils?
There are two genuine and authentic Essential Oil companies that I recommend. They are not multilevel marketing companies with slick advertising. Both these companies source the highest quality steam distilled essential oils from around the world. One is Eden Botanicals, and the other is Original Swiss Aromatics. I have been using essential oils for Acne for 30 years. I have found the essential oil blends developed by Master Aromatherapist Kurt Schnaubalt very helpful for various skin disorders, including Cystic and Hormonal Acne.
What is a Medical Grade Essential oil?
There are three factors to consider when choosing high quality essential oils.
Correct Identification of Plant Species and Variety
One, is correct identification of the plant. If you want the specific medical effects of Lavendula Augustofila, for example, then you need to know that the distiller is actually using Augustofila, and not a cheaper similar-smelling variety like Lavendula.
Steam Distillation Not Chemical Extractions
Two, the vast majority of oils should be steam distilled. Some of the resins are an exception. Some inexpensive brands use a cheaper, toxic short cut, chemical extraction. The problem is chemical extraction leaves toxic residues in essential oils. Mass produced Lavender or Rosemary, for example, are often chemically extracted. This gives you a poor quality product with toxic residue. So the skill and integrity of the distiller and buyer is a vital piece of the essential oils for cystic and hormonal acne puzzle.
Plant Quality
The third factor in choosing authentic high quality essential oil is the quality of the plant being distilled. A plant is only as good as the soil its grown in and the skill of the grower. I try to use organic oils as much as possible. And some regions are known for their specific plants. Provence, Corsica, and Italy, for example, have a long history of growing and distilling fabulous Lavender, as well as other Mediterranean climate herbs. Jasmine on the other hand, is always going to come from India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, or Eygpt. The best cinnamon is grown in Sri Lanka, so that’s going to be the best source for cinnamon essential oil. Bulgaria and Turkey are famous for rose.
The reason why I only use Original Swiss Aromatics and Eden Botanicals, is because I know that they source the highest quality essential oils and have direct relationships with small distiller-growers..I know what I am getting when I buy from them. Their website tells me where the plant was grown and what the chemical and fragrance profile is. If you buy cheap mass produced essential oils you wont know what you are getting. And if it says fragrance, and not essential oil, then beware–what you have is synthetic perfume, not essential oils.
Why Use Essential Oils for Acne?
Acne is Infection and Inflammation
Pimples are hair follicles blocked by oil and dead skin cells. Eventually the blockage leads to a minor infection in the skin due to an overgrowth of your body’s own bacteria. People with oily skin and/or high testosterone levels are more prone to oily, hot type skin. Not surprising, since testosterone is associated with higher levels of aggression, or the fight aspect of the nervous system. We call this Pitta Dosha in Ayurveda and its associated with pathological heat.
So pimples and cysts are small infections in the pores. Your body’s natural response to infection is inflammation. Every kind of infection leads to inflammation. The more infected, the more inflamed. With Infection and inflammation there is redness, swelling, pus, and pain.
The essential oils for cystic and hormonal acne that I use neutralize the bacteria overgrowth where it occurs; on the skin. They also reduce the inflammation that is your body’s response to the infection, and that cause all the redness. Essential Oils for Acne also help to liquify the hardened oil and dead skin cells that are clogging your pores. On top of all that they also stimulate new healthy skin growth. If you are risk for scarring , then I also use a group of essential oils that help to prevent new scars from forming.
How to Use Essential Oils for Acne
There are two ways I use Essential Oils for Acne. One, is to add a few drops of essential oil into an Ayurvedic mask powder with whatever liquid you mix the powder with, whether water, rose water, or milk. I use a variety of Ayurvedic masks for cystic and hormonal acne. I choose the mask that matches both your acne and your skin type.
Ayurvedic Masks for Cystic and Hormonal Acne–Multani Mati, Neem, Tulsi, Sandalwood
For hot, red, oily, inflamed acne, where I see a lot of redness and oil in your skin, especially if you say that your acne actually hurts, then I use a strong, cooling mask, with Indian river clay (Multani Mati), Turmeric, powdered Neem leaf, and Sandalwood powder, a. Sometimes I use a mask that also has powdered Aloe, Zinc Oxide, or Calamine, which really helps to calm things down . It the person is irritable, or it their skin is irritated, then I have them mix the mask power with Rose water.
Which Essential Oils Are The Best for Acne:
Tea Tree, Spike Lavender, Eucalyptus Dives, Lavandin, Rosemary Verbenone, Thyme Linalol
When making a mask you are adding some liquid like water, rose water, or milk, to your herb powder. At this oint you can also add some antibiotic, anti-inflammatory essential oils to your mix. My favorite are Tea tree, Spike Lavender, and Eucalyptus Dives. Dives is the variety of Eucalyptus that is specific for acne. I may also used Thyme Linalol, which is a very soft smelling thyme which has strong antibacterial qualities.
For acne that is milder, especially if the person has underlying dry or sensitive skin, then I use a a mask that has a higher proportion of Multani Mati, and that has powdered rose petals, with smaller amounts powdered Neem leaf, powdered Rose petal, and Sandalwood. Here I have you mix your powder with a fresh cow’s milk rather than water. I may not recommend essential oils at all in this case as the the Chinese Herbs, Acupuncture, Diet Changes, and natural effect of your Ayurvedic mask may be enough.
Original Swiss Aromatics Brand “Acne Magic”
For convenience sake, and for daily use when not making a mask, and especially with more severe versions of cystic or hormonal acne I often recommend Original Swiss Aromatic’s Acne Magic essential oil blend for acne in a convenient roll on dispenser, like a tiny roll on deodorant bottle. This way, with bad acne, and I always do this with cystic acne, you can apply the essential oils 2-3 times per day directly onto your worst acne areas that are red, swollen, and inflamed. I recommend applying it to your skin in the morning after you wash your face, at night right before bed, after you have washed your face, and in the middle of the day, after washing your face with water. In severe cases, if you tolerate it, i have you apply it up to 5 times per day.
In my San Diego Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda practice I have had very good results with hundreds of cases of acne, even severe cystic acne. Treatments generally include around six acupuncture treatments, along with Chinese and/or Ayurvedic herbs that, depending on the case, you will want to take for from 3-6 months.