Sandhya Raghavan
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I have had acne for as long as I could remember. When my skin first started breaking out when I was 12, I was told that it was a passing phase and that it would clear up by the time I finish school. But they were wrong; it followed me through school, into college and all throughout my twenties. At 31, I still get regular break outs and clear skin days are few and far between. The nature of my acne has also changed considerably. Earlier I used to get small eruptions all over my face.
But with time, the size of the pimples increased, and most of them were concentrated on my jaw line and chin. Apart from making my face looking like a Martian landscape, these cysts were also painful. Some of the zits that formed around my mouth would be so inflamed that it looked like I took a punch. While my friends and colleagues used compact powders and highlighters, I was at the mercy of my volatile skin and had to keep off make up for fear of irritating it further.
Last year, I had an important event to attend -- my close friend's wedding. And a few days before the event, I felt a small, hard spot on my face that was painful to the touch. I knew immediately that a new cyst was underway. My first step was to slather it with benzoyl peroxide cream till the zit chokes to death. Although it never stopped a pimple from developing, I would still apply the cream as a ritual, perhaps to pacify myself.
I made some frantic calls to my friends who gave me a variety of tips to tackle the problem. Spot treating with apple cider vinegar, turmeric, neem paste, lemon juice, tea tree oil and honey. But, none of them had worked for me in the past. But it was a piece of advice that I got from unlikely quarters that changed my life!
My 23-year-old maid deduced that I had a zit emergency. "Didi, apply this balm over the pimple," she said, pointing towards a bottle of balm kept on the dressing table."It will be gone by tomorrow. That's what I do all the time." There was no reason to suspect her; she had not a single spot on her skin.
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The balm in question is a household favourite in India. It is our go-to solution for common cold-related nose blocks, chest congestion and throat ache. In fact, adding dollops of the balm to a pot of steaming hot water and inhaling the medicated vapour is an age old, tried-and-tested remedy for a blocked nose. But applying the greasy stuff on the skin to bump off the pimple seemed far-fetched. I was still willing to try, because, at that point, I had little choice.
Before I went to bed, I applied the balm on the inflamed spot with my finger tip. And to my surprise, when I woke up the next day, the inflammation had calmed down. I could barely believe my eyes! Over the next few days, I kept applying a small amount of the balm on the spot. On the day of the wedding, I used some concealer to hide the blemish, the only reminder of the zit that was left behind. No one could have guessed I had a spot there three days ago!
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How does it work?
There are three main ingredients in the balm: camphor, menthol and eucalyptus oil. Out of the three, I believe it was eucalyptus oil which was the hero! There are studies to support the fact that eucalyptus kills p acnes, the bacterium responsible for acne. [1] I am not sure whether menthol and camphor have any role to play, but they do their bit by soothing the inflamed area and numbing the pain. Some of the inactive ingredients also include cedar oil and nutmeg oil. Nutmeg is my personal favourite when it comes to acne fighting ingredients. I have seen a marked difference when I started applying its paste on my skin. Not only does nutmeg reduce acne, but also reduces the lightens the scars and blemishes.
How to apply
As in any case, start with a clean, dry face. Wash your face first with warm water and pat dry with a towel. Once the face is sufficiently dry, dab the balm on the spots. Ensure your hands and clean so that you don't transfer the germs to your skin.
Points to remember
Remember, the balm was originally made for cold relief and not for treating acne.
Avoid slathering it all over your face, lest you want more zits than before.
The balm is a petroleum-based product whose comedogenicity is disputed, but it still has the potential to clog your pores.
The balm works best on cystic acne in the early stages. So if you feel there is a zit underway, give it the balm treatment ASAP. It can also work on smaller zits by bringing them to a head
Any pain-relieving balm with the same ingredients could work just as well.
DO NOT apply to bleeding pimples or cuts on the skin. Camphor can prove toxic if applied to open wounds.
References:
1. Athikomkulchai, S., Watthanachaiyingcharoen, R., Tunvichien, S., Vayumhasuwan, P., Karnsomkiet, P., Sae-Jong, P., & Ruangrungsi, N. (2008). The development of anti-acne products from Eucalyptus globulus and Psidium guajava oil. Journal of Health Research, 22(3), 109-113.
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