Acne may not be serious health risk, but not one among us would take it lightly! Someone would suggest applying toothpaste to the zit, and we rush to try it out only to learn that toothpastes contain ingredients that can hurt our skin. What about over-the counter acne medication? But these contain drying agents like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid; keep using it and end up with over-dry skin and, whoops, more blemishes. Many of us have tried popping the pimples in frustration and learnt the hard way that it only prolonged healing time and scarred the area.
Why not try the desi way of healing then, the Ayurveda way?
From the Ayurveda perspective, acne is a condition of the pitta dosha. Says Dr Vasant Lad, a leading Ayurveda expert, When systemic pitta goes in circulation, it comes under the skin and accumulates there causing the capillaries to pop and it creates a bump and inflammation. A lot of sebum collects there. People whose sweat is acidic and have too much pitta under the skin, are prone to get acne . [1]He continues, Acne is basically a pitta disorder. Dry skin creates acne because vata pushes pitta, and when kapha pushes pitta there is more of oily secretion and it causes pimples . Therefore, both dry skin and oily skin can cause acne.
What we eat plays an important role in acne formation. People who eat cayenne pepper, chilli pepper, hot foods, oily and greasy food, spicy food, pickles, too much cheese or peanut butter, their pitta aggravates and their sweat becomes acidic leading to acne.
The remedy lies in removing the impaired doshas from the body or purifying these doshas with local or systemic medication.
The method used in ancient times was blood letting since the blood is the carrier of vitiated doshas and thus responsible for producing the disease. Blood-letting was done via leech therapy. Leech therapy is still practised as one of the Panchakarmas in Ayurveda and has been proved very beneficial not only for acne but also to remove toxins from the body and to give skin a glow.
For the less adventurous, there is the time tested Ayurvedic systemic medicine and Ayurvedic face packs for treatment of acne.
Ayurveda formulation for acne treatment
The first line of treatment for acne in Ayurveda is cleaning up your diet and a better lifestyle management. This involves
Avoiding processed food and, yes, carbonated beverages including diet drinks
Avoiding oily, greasy, spicy or hot foods
Detoxing now and then
Following dosha balancing diet depending on what type of acne you have
Use of digestive teas
Timely consumption of meals
Here are some common formulations prescribed for treating acne.
Mahamanjishtadikashayam: This formula in liquid form is mainly used to treat skin diseases. It contains more than 20 ingredients including ginger, turmeric, neem, berberry, triphala, long pepper and bhringaraj. Although the formula does not have any side effects, this is a formula containing berberry which should be cautiously used by pregnant and nursing women and is a strict no-no for infants. Use it only under medical supervision.
Nimbachoornam: Made up of primarily neem, triphala, ginger, black pepper, long pepper and other 20 or so ingredients, this formula comes in the form of powder. It is used as treatment for a wide range of skin diseases and skin infections. It is effective in balancing pitta dosha. An over dose can cause gastritis.
Sunder vati: This formula contains 4 herbs, namely, ginger, holarrhena antidysentrica, embelia ribes, and Indian gooseberry. Results of a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology indicated that Sunder Vati effectively reduced lesion count in acne patients who took two 250 mg supplements three times a day.[2] It has no side effects, but check in with your doctor first.
Avipathichoornam: This Ayurvedic powder is used to treat any pitta dosha imbalance, so it may be just right for acne. It is also prescribed for sunburn and liver disorders. It is especially used for acne resulting from high sun exposure.
Triphalguggulu: This formulation is an excellent blood cleanser mainly used for detoxification and improving metabolic functions. It is composed of triphala [Indian gooseberry, haritaki (terminalia chebula) and bhibhitaki (terminalia bellerica)], long pepper, and guggulu (Commiphoramukul). Research suggests guggulu reduces sebum secretion and blocks bacterial metabolism of triglycerides that promote the development of acne. People with oily skin respond much better to this treatment. [4] It works better if you go for non-Western Indian diet if you are taking guggulu.
Guduchyadivati: This Ayurvedic formulation containins powders of Guduchi (Tinosporacordifolia) stem, Manjistha (Rubiacordifolia) root, and Krishnasariva (Hemidesmusindicus) root in equal proportion. This formulation purifies blood and checks aggravation of Pitta and Kapha according to a study by Darshana Pandya and colleague. [3] So it is going to be especially useful if your acne is because of the oily skin. The researchers however found best results when this formulation is combined with Shalmalyadilepa, a face pack.
Shalmalyadilepa: The formulation is a face pack composed of Shalmali (Salmaliamalabarica) thorn, Ficusbengalensis buds, Jaatiphala (Myristicafragrans) fruits, Lodhra (Symplocosracemosa) bark, Masoora (Lens culinaris) seed, and red sandalwood (Pterocarpussantalinus) stem. This is applied twice a day with milk over affected area. Remove the mask soon after it dries. [3]
Mukhadushikarilepam: This is a face pack that comes in the form of a powder. Use warm water or pure coconut oil to make a paste and apply to your face. Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with warm water. This pack is relieves acne and pimples and improves skin complexion and texture. As an added bonus it balances Pitta.
A face pack made up of lodhra (Symlocosracemosus), myrtle /vacha, coriander, sandal, and vetiver is also very beneficial for acne.
Kumkumaditailam: This Ayurvedic preparation comes in the form of oil and its main ingredient is saffron. It improves skin texture and relieves skin problems such as acne and pimples. Apply 3 to 5 drops to your face and massage gently for 10 to 20 minutes. Wash it off with warm water. Continue the treatment for at least a week. It goes without saying, if you have an oily skin, use it judiciously. If you are using it for the first time, test it for burning or rash on a very small area of your skin.
Who can or who should not use Ayurveda for acne
Ayurveda, or the science of life, is an ancient Indian holistic system of healing. It is based on the principle that good health is achieved only when the body, mind, and spirit are in harmony with the universe. The five elements air, water, fire, earth, and space manifest in a way unique to each individual, thus giving us our physical and mental qualities. The combination of these elements form the Doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) or constitution for each person. You can see why then Ayurvedic remedies are so specific and individualized.
Anyone and everyone, whether a teenager or adult, can use Ayurveda for acne. But the treatment for each individual may be different. So, don t try the remedies without consulting a certified Ayurveda doctor.
Side effects of Ayurveda for acne
Although most remedies are without any side effects, some formulations may contain mercury or other heavy metals that may not be suitable for all. Further, most remedies have more than 10 ingredients. You might be sensitive to one or more of them. Tell your doctor about your allergies.
And never, never, take an overdose of a remedy. This may give rise to serious side effects.
How soon can you expect to see results?
The duration of treatment will depend on your constitution, severity of acne, and the line of treatment. You can start seeing results within a week or two for most formulations. However, you need to continue with the medicine for a month longer or as recommended by your Ayurvedic doctor.
You don t stop Ayurvedic remedies once the acne is gone. For example, use the face mask 1 3 times a day depending upon the severity of acne in the first month. As the acne improves, reduce it to alternate days. Thereafter, do a weekly routine for maintenance.
Paranjpe P and P H Kulkarni. Comparative efficacy of four Ayurvedic formulations in the treatment of acne vulgaris: a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled clinical evaluation. Journal of EthnopharmacologyVolume 49, Issue 3, 15 December 1995, Pages 127 13
Pampaniya PV, Pandya DH. Effect of Shalmalyadilepa and Guduchyadivatiin the management of Yauvanapidika (Acne). Ayu. 2013;34(2):174-179. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.119673.
Ray C, Trivedi P, Sharma V. Acne And Its Treatment Lines. 1st ed. International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical and Biosciences; 2013. Available at: http://urpjournals.com/tocjnls/40_13v3i1_1.pdf.
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