The positive effects of green tea for acne internally have been well documented. This blog discusses the new research showing positive effects of green tea acne using topical applications of green tea.
Research on using Green Tea to treat acne
The first study was conducted in 2009. It used a 2% green tea lotion on the skin twice a day to assist mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Of the twenty patients treated the average improvement was 58.33% after just six weeks!
A later study in 2010 supported this evidence and suggested that the topical green tea works by reducing the skin sebum production that causes acne. This study used 3% green tea extract and showed positive results in only eight weeks. Importantly in both studies above no significant side-effects were reported, which is a major drawback with many pharmaceutical preparations. The study authors assign much of the effectiveness of green tea for acne to the linoleic acid content in the green tea.
Traditionally green tea oil was used cosmetically in China to benefit the skin and was considered the only oil that did not block the pores so preventing acne. Recent research has shown that green tea oil is on average 22.4% linoleic acid. This makes it ideal both for those suffering acne as it moisturises the skin unlike most acne treatments, but also can assist the spots directly.
Using Green Tea oil to prevent breakouts
White Lotus provides PETA approved organic green tea products for cosmetic use. The Organic Green Tea Face Oil is designed to benefit acne prone skin without the dry skin and side-effects of many conventional treatments.
