Acne Ingredient Spotlight: Green Tea for Acne
Green tea contains many anti-oxidants, which can be beneficial to your health. Unfortunately, simply drinking green tea is not enough to fight acne. However, recent studies have shown that when applied directly to the skin, green tea does have acne-fighting benefits. Dr. Schweiger explains that, “A 2010 study showed the a 3% green tea emulsion decreased excess sebaceous gland activity in male patients, when applied directly to the skin. Excess sebaceous gland activity results in excess sebum, or oil, production on the skin. Excess sebum production on the skin leads to clogged pores, which attract acne-causing bacteria.”
Topical green tea for acne is an exciting development in the management of acne. Previously, over-the-counter acne treatments were mostly limited to salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide formulations. These ingredients are effective for use in fighting acne, but can lead to irritation on the surrounding skin. Topical green tea for acne does not cause irritation to the skin. Many patients will find that green tea for acne is most effective when used in combination with other acne treatments. Since acne has many causes, it is helpful to attack it in many different ways. Benzoyl peroxide kills the acne-causing p. acnes bacteria and salicylic acid unclogs sebum and debris from the pores, but neither decreases sebaceous gland activity on the skin. By adding green tea into your acne regimen, you can decrease the production of sebum that often ends up clogging the pores on the face and attracting the acne-causing bacteria.
