Honey for Acne – Use Honey to Remove Acne and its Scars

Honey for acne may not be a new concept for you. You might have read about many remedies for acne that use honey in various forms. If you are curious to know about how does honey help acne removal or whether, in the first place, is honey good for acne, you have come to the right place. This article will tell you all about the miraculous honey and its effects on acne.

Why is Honey Good for Acne?

As you may know, acne is a skin disease involving your sebaceous glands and hair follicles. It is due to excessive oil secretion and trapped dust with oil in your hair follicles that may become a thriving ground for bacteria. It thus involves inflammation of your skin shown as the eruption of pimples on face, neck and sometimes even on back and chest. It may become infectious due to a growth of bacteria and it also involves pain and irritation. Now let me come to the question- is honey good for acne and if yes, why!

• Honey is a natural antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory agent.
• It contains a lot of antioxidants, vitamins like vitamin B2, B3, and B5 as well as minerals.
• Not only it becomes antiseptic in nature due to its anti-bacterial properties but it also is a very good moisturizing agent.

So, honey heals your acne with its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and at the same time, keeps your skin moisturized and glowing due to the excellent nutrients present in it.

Now when you have got a ‘Yes’ for the question- is honey good for acne, the other question that might be disturbing your mind may be- how does honey help acne? Let’s know this as well.

How does Honey help Acne Treatment?

If you are wondering how a natural anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent like honey works upon your skin to treat acne, you must read on the following points.

1. Honey fights off a bacterium that causes acne, thanks to its natural antibiotics.
2. Honey heals the wound caused by acne effectively due to the antiseptic properties that it gets from its hydrogen peroxide. Yes, hydrogen peroxide is naturally produced in honey by the enzyme glucose oxidase.
3. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, honey is a very good remedy to get rid of acne related discomforts. It effectively reduces swelling, pain and redness associated with acne.
4. As your skin breaks due to acne, the natural antioxidants present in honey prevents the damage that caused by the free radicals present in the environmental. These environmental factors too are sometimes responsible for acne eruptions.
5. When you consume honey internally, it reduces the sensitivity of your skin apart from boosting your immunity. So, not only you cure acne with honey but also prevent acne breakouts in future.
6. Consuming honey also cleans your blood and boosts metabolism. Proper blood circulation keeps toxins out of your body thus eliminating one of the causes of acne breakouts. Good metabolism ensures you absorb optimum nutrients from what you eat and keep your immunity at its best.
7. Honey, being a natural moisturizer, is also capable of fading away from the acne scars.

Raw Honey v/s Manuka Honey for Acne

People who want to use honey for acne often get confused about what type of honey is good for acne- raw or Manuka! We’ll try to find out the differences between these two kinds of honey and how also the ways they affect acne.

What is Raw Honey and does it help Acne?

Raw honey can be defined as the concentrated nectar, the one naturally made by the bees using the nectar they collect from flowers. It is neither pasteurized nor processed. The processed honey that you usually get from grocery stores are filtered and heated in order to get refined honey and in this process, it loses much of its therapeutic value. Therefore, if you want honey that works wonder for your acne and skin, use raw honey which is not processed.

Unprocessed raw honey contains almost all its nutrients and properties and so it is a potent anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agent that works to get you rid of pimples and acne. Experts recommend applying raw honey for acne scars. However, raw honey is also effective in treating acne but manuka honey is a better choice when it comes to acne!

What is Manuka Honey and is it good for Acne?

Manuka honey is that honey which is derived from the bees that gather pollen only from manuka bushes (tea tree plants), found in New Zealand and Australia. Manuka honey, when compared to the raw honey, has stronger anti-microbial properties. This is due to the presence of the enzyme methylglyoxal in manuka honey. Manuka honey has up to 100 times more methylglyoxal than other types of honey. Manuka honey to is unprocessed. So, while you get all the benefits that you get from raw honey for acne, you also get extra strong anti-microbial effects when you use manuka honey for acne cure. Only keep in mind that manuka honey is comparatively expensive than the raw honey.

How to Use Honey for Acne Treatment?

After going through the previous two sections, you may now be well convinced that honey is good for acne and it really works not only on your outside but even inside and makes you free from being acne prone. But still, you may be in a dilemma as to how to use honey to treat acne! There are many ways to use honey for acne:

1. Apply honey as a spot treatment for acne
2. Make the honey mask for acne
3. Consume honey by including it in your daily diet

Now the question is how to apply and make a honey mask for acne? Let’s know how to do so!

1. Apply Raw Honey for Acne Cure

This is perhaps the simplest remedy of honey for acne. You just have to apply raw honey (it may be manuka honey too!) to your acne.

Get this:

• Raw honey (Unprocessed or even Manuka honey)
• Cotton ball or pad (optional)
• Warm water

Do this:

• Take some honey on to your palm.
• Using your fingers or cotton ball, apply this honey to your acne and the skin around it. You may also apply this to the whole of your face.
• Leave it for half an hour.
• Now wash it off with warm water.
• If your acne problem is serious, repeat this daily else do it once or twice a week.

2. Use Cinnamon and Honey for Acne

Cinnamon has effective antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and microdermabrasion properties. It is especially effective against acne-causing bacteria like P. acnes and S. epidermis. So, when you use it with another very good ingredient honey which is almost equally (or more) capable of treating acne, you double your chance of getting rid of acne faster. Why not then use cinnamon and honey for acne as mentioned below!

Get this:

• Honey- 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon powder- 1 tsp

Do this:

• Combine honey and cinnamon and mix them well.
• Now apply this mask to your face focusing more on the acne affected area>
• Leave for 15 minutes.
• Wash off the well warm water.
• Repeat once or twice a day when you have too many acne otherwise do it twice a week.

3. Make Strawberries – Honey Mask for Acne

Strawberries are loaded with the antioxidant vitamin C and if you didn’t know, antioxidants are the major defence against free radicals. Free radicals nowadays are one of the common causes of acne. Excessive free radicals damage your skin pores as well as the sweat-producing sebaceous glands present on your face. This makes acne breakouts more likely. So, the best policy would be to eat a lot of antioxidant-rich foods daily. Strawberry is one of them. You can also make a mask for acne using strawberries with honey.

Get this:

• Honey- 2 tsp
• Fresh strawberries- 3-4

Do this:

• Mash the strawberries properly.
• Add honey to the mashed strawberries and mix well to get a fine paste like consistency.
• Apply this to your face and leave for about 25-30 minutes.
• Wash off with warm water and apply moisturizer.
• Repeat this twice a week.

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4. Salt-Honey Scrub for Acne

Using honey with salt has an added advantage. While honey works to fights off bacteria, salt pulls out the toxins to reduce the inflammation and making your skin free of any toxic element. It also soothes the pain that you might be experiencing and the micro-granules of salt exfoliate your skin to remove dead cells without being harsh on the acne-ridden skin.

Get this:

• Kosher salt or Sea salt- 1/2 to 1 tsp
• Honey- 1-2 tsp
• Vanilla extract (optional)- few drops
• Cocoa powder or Coffee (optional)- 1/2 tsp

Do this:

• Combine all the ingredients. You can adjust the quantities as per your requirement and get the consistency that suits you.
• Apply this to your affected skin and scrub gently for 2-3 minutes.
• Wash off with warm water.
• Do once a week.

5. Brown Sugar – Honey Scrub for Acne

Sugar, as you might know, is one of the very gentle scrubs having a very good effect on the skin. This is more so in case of acne because you need to avoid harsh ingredients to protect the already broken and painful skin at your acne site. Sugar will melt quickly and thus you would also be saved from over scrubbing your wounded area. Mix it with honey and see how effective it can be for your acne.

Get this:

• Brown sugar- 1 tsp
• Honey- 1-2 tsp

Do this:

• Mix the sugar and honey.
• Apply this to your face or affected the skin.
• Scrub in gentle circular motion for about 2-3 minutes.
• Wash off with warm water and moisturize the skin.

6. Oatmeal Honey Mask for Acne

Oatmeal has come to be known as one of the best ingredients for skin health. When it comes to acne, you can get benefits of oatmeal’s soothing and exfoliating properties. Not only will it remove the dead skin cells but will also absorb the excess oil to relieve you of acne. Honey in this mask will fight off the bacteria and moisturize your skin. You may also use onion in this mask to prevent acne scar. Onion is anti-inflammatory and can prevent scaring well.

Get this:

• Plain cooked oatmeal- 1/2 cup
• Onion puree- of 1 medium onion
• Honey- 1-2 tsp

Do this:

• Add onion puree and honey to the oatmeal.
• Mix well and apply to your skin.
• Leave it for about 20 minutes.
• Wash off with warm water.
• Repeat 1-2 times a week.

7. Use Honey with Turmeric for Acne

Turmeric has excellent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric can destroy the P. acne bacteria which causes inflammation. Turmeric also soaks up excess oil from your skin, one of the causes that lead to acne. When combined with the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory honey, turmeric can do wonders to get you rid of acne.

Get this:

• Turmeric powder- 4 tbsp
• Raw honey- 4 tbsp
• Milk- 1 tbsp
• Washcloth
• Hot water

Do this:

• Combine all the ingredients and mix well to get a smooth paste.
• Cleanse your face or affected skin by washing with water.
• Dip the washcloth in hot water, take it out and then wring out the excessive water.
• Place this over your skin and let it be there for about 5 minutes. This process helps bring pus in the acne to the surface.
• Pat dries your skin.
• Now apply the honey-turmeric paste to your skin.
• Gently massage for about 5-10 minutes.
• Leave the paste on your skin overnight.
• In the morning, wash off the dried paste from your skin. You can visibly find a reduced size of your acne.

Precaution- Turmeric stains whatever it comes in contact with, so be careful with your clothes and bed sheets etc. The yellowish tinge on your skin left by turmeric will go away in a couple of days.

[Also Read: Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Cystic Acne Fast]

8. Honey Apple Mask for Acne

Apples are a rich source of vitamin C which is a great nutrient for the health of your skin. It is, in fact, an antioxidant that fights off free radicals. Free radicals make your bodies and skin’s defence weak and thus lead to frequent breakouts. Lack of vitamin C may also negatively affect the skin’s ability to heal wounds. This may hamper the healing of acne too. So, while it is wise to have Vitamin C rich foods like an apple in your daily diet, you can even use apples with honey to make a mask for acne.

Get this:

• Apple (medium-sized) – 1
• Honey- 4-5 tbsp
• Lukewarm water

Do this:

• Remove the seeds of the apple and grind to get its fine pulp.
• Add honey to this and mix well.
• Apply this paste like apple honey mask to your affected skin.
• Leave for 10-15 minutes.
• Wash off with lukewarm water.
• Repeat once or twice a week.

How to Use Honey for Acne Scars

As discussed somewhere above in this article, honey not only treats acne but also help you get rid of acne scars due to its excellent moisturizing properties. When you add other complimentary ingredients to honey, the following masks can effectively eliminate acne scars. Some of these remedies also cure acne and remove acne scars at the same time.

1. Nutmeg-Honey Mask for Acne Scars

Nutmeg has anti-inflammatory properties that assist in reducing redness and swelling. When mixed with honey’s moisturizing properties, this mask not only treats mild acne but also the acne scars.

Get this:

• Honey- 1-2 tsp
• Nutmeg powder- 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon powder (optional but recommended if you are using this mask for acne)- 1/2 tsp
• lemon juice (optional; don’t use if you have sensitive skin)- 1 tsp

Do this:

• Combine all the ingredients and mix well to get a thick paste-like consistency.
• Apply this to your face or affected skin area.
• Let it sit there for about 10-20 minutes. Be aware that this mask may give you a burning sensation for the first few minutes.
• Now wash off with warm water.
• Apply some moisturizer.

2. Exfoliate with Honey-Olive Oil to Reduce Acne Scars

Sometimes when your acne has gone, you still can see dark areas on your face. These may be the acne scars or the dark skin patches caused due to dead skin cells that are still there. You can use this remedy to get rid of such marks.

Get this:

• Honey- 2 tbsp
• Olive oil- 2 tbsp
• Washcloth
• Hot water

Do this:

• Mix honey and olive oil and blend well.
• Apply this to your affected skin.
• Gently massage the area for about 3-4 minutes.
• Make the washcloth hot by soaking it in hot water and wringing out the excessive water.
• Now place this warm washcloth over your skin that you just massaged with honey and olive oil.
• When the cloth cools down, remove it while wiping off the oil on your face.
• Feel the dead skin free soft skin.
• Repeat once or twice a week.

Thus, you saw that honey is not only good for acne treatment but also for acne scar elimination. And if you think that only applying honey to your skin can treat acne, you are wrong. Even eating honey can do wonders, not only for acne removal but also for your overall health. Let’s know why eating honey is important when it comes to curing acne!

Why Eat Honey to Treat Acne?

Topical application of honey may cure your acne but what about the breakouts that you will get soon! Honey can also prevent these acne breakouts by strengthening your immunity. So eat honey, daily. Honey is loaded with natural antioxidants. It contains many vitamins and other minerals. Eating honey also reduces the sensitivity of the skin.

While locally produced honey is good for treating health problems like seasonal allergies, if you wish to eat honey to treat acne, you should opt for Manuka honey due to its extraordinary anti-microbial properties.

Now, how much honey is sufficient to eat daily? You can safely eat 15-20 grams (about a tablespoon) of manuka honey daily.
If you now think about how to eat honey, plain or mixed with something, it all depends upon your choice. Honey is naturally sweet and tasty. You can have it as it is. Just take a teaspoon or a tablespoon of honey and place it into your mouth and feel the heavenly taste as it goes down your throat. You can also do the following if you don’t like the idea of having honey plain.

1. Add 1 tbsp of honey to a glass of warm water. Add 1-2 tsp of lemon juice to this and have it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This will not only give you the daily dose of honey but also boost your metabolism.
2. Add honey to your tea or the herbal teas during the day. This way you not only cut back on your sugar intake but get all the benefits of honey.
3. Spread honey over your toasts and have it.
4. If you like a little sweet taste in your salads or dishes, use honey in your salad dressings or while cooking.
5. Add honey in place of sugar in your smoothies, juices and shakes etc.

These were only few of the ways in which you can eat honey daily. Let your imagination work and find out more ways to eat honey for overall health. Yes, honey for acne is only one aspect of this miraculous natural gift that bees give us. You can, in fact, find a treasure of health in honey!