Natural Remedies For Common Skin Problems

All of us will face some sort of  skin problem once in our lives, and the most common kinds are warts, skin tags, moles and clogged pores. There are various reasons each of these problems pop up, but treatment can sometimes be expensive. There are many different options available at pharmacies and cosmetic shops that promise you clear and healthy skin, but they can burn a hole in your pocket, and worse, some of them also have side effects. The chemicals and ingredients in commercial products aim to change the composition of your skin and, often, aggressively tackle skin problems that might actually make things worse. In cases like this, natural remedies can give you great results without any of the side effects. Here are some of the most commonly used natural products to tackle skin problems:

1. Moles 

   Moles are small, darkened patches of skin that occur when skin cells grow in a cluster rather than being spread out. The cells are usually melanocytes, which are the cells that give skin its color. They can occur anywhere on the body, and are more common when someone is exposed to the sun for a long time. It is common for an adult to have anywhere from 10 to 40 moles by the time he/she has reached 25 years of age. Though they’re a common occurrence, many people don’t like to see moles on their skin. These are some natural remedies that have helped people in the past:

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   i. Castor Oil And Baking Soda

   Mix some baking soda and castor oil till it becomes a gummy paste. Take a small amount of the paste and apply to the mole, and wrap the area with a bandage. You can leave this overnight, remove the bandage in the morning and rinse the area. You can leave this mixture in the fridge for up to 48 hours if made in excess. Do this once every two days, and within a fortnight, you may see some changes in how the mole looks.

   ii. Apple Cider Vinegar

   Soak up some apple cider vinegar in a cotton ball, and tape it to the mole with a bandage overnight. Once again, remove the bandage and rinse the area in the morning. This remedy has shown to darken the mole before it falls off or disappears.

   iii. Garlic

   Garlic is a very strongly acidic product, so first, apply some petroleum jelly or beeswax around the skin surrounding the mole. Afterward, place a small cut garlic or garlic extract onto the area and cover with a bandage. Leave it in place for a maximum of 4 hours, and repeat this process every day.

2. Warts 

   A wart is a skin growth that is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The top layer of the skin which is broken becomes infected by the HPV, and grows rapidly to form a wart. HPV is contagious, and spreads through touch, and through sharing towels, razors or other personal items. Once infected, it can take some months for the wart to grow beneath the skin. Some people are more prone to get warts than others. These are the most commonly used natural remedies for warts:

   i. Garlic

   Crushed garlic as well as garlic juice can be effective in removing warts. Place the crushed garlic onto the wart and leave it overnight, and apply garlic juice to the wart twice a day. The results start showing after a fortnight of repeating this routine.

   ii. Pure Raw Honey

   Rubbing honey onto the wart and covering it up overnight has shown great results in wart removal. This may be a slow process, but people have reported that there are also no recurrences in wart growth in that area of the body after this treatment.

   iii. Apple Cider Vinegar

   Soak apple cider vinegar in a ball of cotton and place it over the wart for 24 hours. Make sure to replace the soaked cotton ball every day. This will cause the wart to shrivel and disappear.

3. Skin Tags 

   Skin tags are small flaps of tissue that are connected to the skin and hang from it. They aren’t dangerous, and the most commonly affected areas are the eyes, neck, chest, back, armpits, breasts and the groin area. Most often, skin tags appear in women who gain a lot of weight, and in the elderly as well. If you approach a doctor, he/she can get rid of skin tags by cutting it with a scalpel, through cryosurgery (freezing it off), or through electrosurgery (burning it off). There are some natural ways you can get rid of skin tags at home however:

   i. Baking Soda And Castor Oil

   A mixture of baking soda and castor oil will create a paste, which can then be applied to the skin tags generously and then covered with a bandage. Leave the bandage on for about 4 hours, after which you can repeat the same process two or three times a day. You can leave this mixture in the fridge for up to 48 hours if made in excess.

   ii. Tea Tree Oil

   Though this process can take up to a month to show any changes, it is also one of the safest and best ways to remove skin tags around the eyes. Soak a cotton ball with water and add 2 drops of tea tree oil to the cotton. Dab it onto the skin tags and cover it with a bandage. Leave it on for a maximum of 4 hours, and repeat the same process 2 to 3 times a day.

   iii. Apple Cider Vinegar

   Soak some apple cider vinegar in a cotton ball and wring it to remove any excess vinegar. Dab the skin tags with the cotton ball, and leave it on the area for a couple of hours, repeating the process 2-3 times a day. You can start seeing the changes within a few days.

4. Clogged Pores 

   When there is a bit too much oil buildup on our skin, it can lead to clogged pores. Though they aren’t dangerous, leaving pores clogged for too long can lead to an infection. Moreover, clogged pores make the skin look bumpy and affected, so getting rid of them can help to regain smooth skin. The most commonly affected areas are the nose and the forehead. These are some natural home remedies to unclog pores:

   i. Steaming

   You can boil a pot of water on the stove, or you can also use a steaming machine, if you have one, to unclog pores on your face. Wash your face and pull your hair back so it doesn’t get in the way, and cover your head with a towel so that your face gets as much steam as possible. Once you’re done, rinse your face and use vinegar to clean up any leftover areas that are still clogged.

   ii. Sugar Scrub

   A sugar scrub exfoliates your face and removes the clogs effectively, and sugar and lemon are a great combination. Make a paste of sugar and raw lemon juice, and apply it to your clogged pores in a circular motion. Use warm water to rinse your face when you are done scrubbing.