Acne is characterized by skin blemishes or pimples and can occur at any point throughout once in a lifetime. Since it is related to hormonal imbalance, acne frequently appears at puberty and in women over forty as they approach menopause. The western medical approach is to treat acne with antibiotics, but this can harm the liver.

In Chinese terminology the skin is controlled by the lung system and affected by the liver system, and acne is commonly a condition of heat and toxin in the lungs and damp heat in the liver and gallbladder. Therefore, the approach to this condition is to cool the heat, cleanse and detoxify the organ system, and topically work on the healing process.

Alterative herbs tend to be quite gentle in their effect, so they are best used as a long term treatment. Results would not be sudden, but they will improve the general health of the body. They tend to be given for chronic inflammatory problems, especially relating to the skin, such as acne.

These herbs include burdock, cleavers, red clover, figwort, poke root, echinacea, and blue flag. A great combination is blue flag, burdock, yellow dock, and echinacea. These can be mixed together and infused with hot water to make a tea. Drink a cup of this 3 times a day. You can put a little honey in it to make it taste better.

Calendula Officinalis

Calendula Officinalis is an astringent, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory herb. These are very beneficial for healing and prevention any disease or problems related to skin.

Soapwort: Soapwort contains saponins, which is extracted to make soap. To release your skin from the cycle of becoming dry and overcompensating by producing extra sebum, make your own cleanser using 15g of soapwort boiled in a liter of water for two minutes. Strain the liquid and use as a face-wash. Keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Elder: Elder is a tonic, purifier and anti-inflammatory. As well as being very useful for treating acne, it can also be used for colds and sore throats. To make a cup of elderflower tea, put 3g of dried elder-flowers in a cup of hot water and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Strain the liquid and drink immediately. You can also use elder-blossoms as a skin emollient in your homemade skincare products and apply them directly to the skin.

Oleum Lavandula

This herb has lots of feature like healing or soothing of the skin. This herb treats wounds and burns and it is very beneficial to heal and prevent acne scar from the skin.

Rose

Rose is another essential oil that can be used topically on the skin. Lavender and Rose are really the only two essential oils that can be used directly on the skin without fear of a rash forming. Rose can be beneficial in treating mild forms of acne or small breakouts.

Witch Hazel

Derived from the Witch Hazel bush, it is often diluted with alcohol and sold in drugstores and used as an astringent. When used in its true form, it can be very effective at treating acne blemishes. You can use the Witch Hazel as an astringent and also the concentrated form to treat blemishes.