Summary of how oils can help
see also Skin
Problems for a general discussion of the body's largest
organ, the skin, and links to other skin problems.
Overview: Acne is not necessarily caused by bad diet.
At the skin surface the problem is excess sebum, a natural skin lubricant helpful
in appropriate levels. The excess sebum becomes an irritant
that clogs the pores allowing a local infection to occur.
The root cause of excess sebum can come from a variety of
problems, including hormone imbalance, stress, or even
allergies. Melaleuca applied topically is excellent to clear
the infectious part of the problem.
Using oils to help with the skin blemishes themselves
will be helpful but it is also important to understand the
root cause. That is, what factors are causing the
excess sebum, Knowing whether the root cause is
hormonal, stress, or other factors can then lead to other
oils that can help with those concerns. Please review
those conditions on other pages on this website.
Application: For acne infection, direct
topical application to the affected area is suggested.
Coconut oil or grapeseed oil is an excellent carrier for
acne. If the problem is severe enough that scarring has
occurred, rosemary will treat this condition.
Procedures (protocols) other folks
recommend
Pat - I ran into a girl at a show I was
doing and she had some serious acne going on. We talked for
a while and I gave her a sample of geranium and told her to
try it. I ran into her again a couple of months later and
she had lost my card but had used all the oil I had given
her and it had started to really clear her up. You might
want to try the geranium on his face, adding just a little
coconut oil to help distribute it evenly. Also have him take
a capsule every day with 5 drops each of lemon and melaleuca
and 4 drops of oregano. This will heal from the inside while
the geranium is working on the outside.
Luke - I have personally suffered from
acne since I reached puberty. Now at 19 years of age it is
still an issue, both as a cause of discomfort and a source
of embarrassment. Recently (since I went to the launch of
doTERRA in October) I've been attempting to use only
doTerra’s essential oils to treat my skin. As of this
moment I've tried several combinations, admittedly none with
very much consistency, I'll list the most effective
combination I've used thus. 1-3 drops each of On Guard,
Lemon and Peppermint applied after washing my face with warm
water. It has been the most effective thus far but I also
attribute that to watching what I was eating, and making
sure to cleanse my face and apply the oils regularly every
morning and night. I am trying other alternative and
will post my results. I am also open to suggestions on
different oils to try should these not do the trick.
My best regards to anyone and everyone suffering from acne
and wishing to avoid the harsh chemicals in most acne
products.
Wendy - Our experience is that essential
oils are much more effective at preventing breakouts of
acne, than clearing up existing acne, especially if it is
acute acne. Our further experience is that coconut oil
(virgin coconut oil, medium chain, not the fractionated
type) can be very effective in balancing the body and aiding
quality anti-bacterial essential oils such as frankincense,
melaleuca, lavender, lemongrass, geranium, and sandalwood be
effective with acne.
If it were me fighting serious acne, I would do a 1
teaspoon of VCO (melted) and 3 drops each of frankincense
and geranium, just because those are oils that are most
compatible with me. I would apply 3 times per day if
possible. The VCO does not absorb easily, so night time
before bed is most effective and using a generous
application at that time would be easy. During the
day, a lot of time would need to be spent rubbing the oil
blend into the skin, and it still might not be totally
absorbed. I would wash my face well prior to applications.
There will be a few days where there may be an increase
in breakouts as the mixture begins to release toxins. But
clearing should follow. You can experiment with the
essential oils that you want to add, to find the best oil or
blend for you. Serious acne takes some time, but we've seen
VCO and essential oils work. Have faith and let us now how
it goes!
JJ - Use Organic Virgin Coconut Oil as a
base, then try one or a blend of the following:
Frankincense
Geranium
Lavender
Lemongrass (hot - watch eyes)
Melaleuca
On Guard (hot - watch eyes)
Purify
Sandalwood
Everybody is different and what works for one might not
be the best for another. But use your intuition, pay
attention to the energy you feel from individual oils and be
consistent and patient.
Other Tips : Wash your face morning and night, before
applications. Use Organic virgin coconut oil as a base or
carrier to the oils you use. (OVCO). Apply morning and
night. I would also apply Balance to my back or feet every
night and take a capsule every day with 5 drops each of
lemon and melaleuca and 4 drops of oregano.
