Clear, pimple-free, seemingly pore-less skin—that is the dream. This is especially true for teenagers as they enter the stage of late-night parties and puppy love, where having clear skin is essential if they want to climb up the social ladder.
But unfortunately, along with teenagers’ raging hormones come pimples wanting to break out from every pore in their face. Needless to say, acne-free skin is elusive for teenagers, at a time when they want their skin and overall appearance to look as best as possible.
According to statistics, around 85% of teenagers all over the world suffer from acne at one point in their teenage lives. It usually starts at the age of 11 for girls and 13 for boys, and lasts until the early 20s. It commonly occurs on the tiny pores and hair follicles of the face, but it can also affect the chest, back, and upper arms. The hormonal changes brought about by puberty stimulate the sebaceous or oil glands around the follicles, resulting to the production of oily sebum that becomes an ideal ground for the development of pimples.
As a teenager, you may have already tried several different ways to get rid of acne. You tried very hard not to pick at your pimples and just let them run their course, even though you have been itching to squeeze the hell out of it. You also avoided your favorite chocolates because you heard that they are one of the main culprits why you have zits on your face, even though studies have already proven that there is no special diet for controlling acne.
You may have already tried all kinds of treatment except for one: castor oil. Castor oil has been used for centuries to treat constipation and induce labor, but what many people do not realize is that it is also a good skin care agent. It can cure mild acne because castor oil has the ability to reduce inflammation and moisturize skin, stimulating less production of acne-causing sebum.
To use castor oil on acne-ridden face, take note of the following steps:
1. Get a pot of steaming water and hold your face over the steam. Exposure to hot steam opens up your pores and prepares it for castor oil treatment. Just make sure not to place your face too close to the hot water, since this may cause burns.
2. Place a towel over your head to lock in the steam and provide a makeshift tent that concentrates the steam on your face. Remember to take a break every now and then to avoid burns.
3. After opening up your pores, get a clean washcloth and moisten it with lukewarm water. Place a dime-sized amount of castor oil on the washcloth, and then apply castor oil to your face using gentle, circular motions. Remember to concentrate on the areas where there are lots of pimples, but do not rub the cloth vigorously on your face.
4. Allow the castor oil to remain on your skin overnight to let it adequately moisturize the skin
5. In the morning, rinse your face with cool water to close your pores and remove the excess castor oil that was not absorbed by your skin. Apply facial cleanser to thoroughly wash away the castor oil.
Try the castor oil treatment for your acne-prone teenage skin, and see the results for yourself. You will never have to suffer from annoying pimples again.