Acne is one of the most common skin disease affecting millions of people across the globe
The good news, however, is that over time, a lot of medications and methods have been developed to prevent if not completely cure these breakouts.
This article intends to discuss the effectiveness and benefits of essential oil, manuka oil, towards the treatment of acne vulgaris.
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What is Manuka oil?
It is an essential oil extracted from the manuka tree which is native to New Zealand.
It is extracted from the leaves and branches and has been used since ages for various health benefits.
The plant is somewhat similar to the tea tree plant found on the south-east coast of Australia.
The former, however, is believed to have three south-easter anti bacterial properties than the latter.
Manuka oil has been used to treat rheumatism, fever, various kinds of infections and also as antiseptic for cuts, wounds, and burns.
It is considered an effective treatment for acne and acne induced inflammation.
How does Manuka oil treat acne?
Manuka oil is believed to exhibit strong anti viral, anti bacterial, anti fungal and anti septic properties which help towards the prevention of acne breakouts as also towards healing various other skin conditions.
Its antimicrobial properties help in fighting and thereby destroying the acne causing P.acne bacteria and remove them, unclogging the pores and preventing further breakouts.
According to a study, it is believed to be 33 times stronger than tea tree oil for fighting against certain bacteria.
Also, it is effective against MRSA bacteria, which is resistive to most anti biotic.
Manuka oil further posses anti inflammatory properties which help in reducing the acne induced inflammation and thus reduce the swelling and redness caused as a result.
Furthermore, its antiseptic qualities help in the healing process by facilitating the recovery of damaged skin.
Application
It is very important that you use the oil in diluted form and not directly over the skin.
You can dilute it in water, witch hazel or other such vehicles in the ratio of 1:2.
You must clean your face with a non medicated cleanser or soap and use a cotton ball to apply it to the affected area.
This process can be followed on an everyday basis.
How to apply
It has been suggested that 2 to 4 drops of manuka oil are enough for one application when used either directly or in a diluted form.
Benefits of Manuka Oil
The benefits of manuka oil are enumerated below:
- It is 33 times more efficient than tea tree oil to kill certain kinds of bacteria.
- It is a good remedy to fight various kinds of foot infections like athlete’s foot and toe nail infection as it is effective in destroying various bacteria and fungi that might be responsible for it. This can be done by soaking your feet in a manuka oil bath.
- It tends to have a calming effect on the mind and cause relaxation of nerves and muscles as it affects activation and rejuvenation of the cells of the outer skin and is therefore widely used in aromatherapy.
- Using manuka oil as massage oil tends to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. It is therefore used in cases of muscle pain and rheumatic conditions.
- It is often used in a bath to reduce your strong body odor and foot odor.
- Because of its anti microbial properties, it is often used for treating dandruff and lice on your scalp. This requires massaging manuka oil on your scalp for 15 to 20 minutes before washing your hair.
- A study observes that inhaling manuka oil might help with nasal congestion and other forms of respiratory problems.
Possible Side effects
The side effects of manuka oil are extremely rare and minor. Some of them are enumerated below:
- Very high doses can lead to acute toxicity.
- An allergic reaction can cause itching and irritation.
Precautions while using
In order to procure maximum benefits from manuka oil while treating your acne, you must observe the following precautions:
- In case of irritation or any other type of adverse reaction, the treatment should be discontinued and a doctor should be consulted.
- Its use during pregnancy should be avoided because of spasmolytic effect.
- It should only be used in the diluted form and not directly.
- Internal intake is not advisable without consultation with a doctor.
- Do a patch test to check for allergic reactions before using it.
- If you are buying it from the market, you must ensure that the product is not adulterated.
Possible Drug interaction
Manuka oil has a positive reaction when used with bacitracin, cephradin, and meropene.
However, it may have adverse impacts when used with ofloxacin, enoxacin, and sparfloxacin.
Customer reviews on Using Manuka Oil
We did an analysis of online consumer reviews to determine the effectiveness of manuka oil. Here is a summary of what they liked or disliked about it:
What they like about it
Inexpensive: A lot of consumers said that its relative inexpensiveness motivated them to try this out once.
It was not a burden on their pocket and even if it did not help them as much, it did not feel like a waste of money.
Sensitive: Most consumers were of the view that it was a really good product for sensitive skin because it is organic and does not contain harmful chemicals.
Sensitive skin does not usually respond well to chemically based products and their scope as a result gets restricted. This is a vital option for people with sensitive skin.
Time effective: It proved to be an effective spot treatment. Many people said that it healed with great speed and was showing results in just a few days.
What they did not like about it
Clogging: Some of the consumers said that manuka oil clogged their skin pores rather than unclogging it.
However, it had been suggested that this situation arises only when the oil is used in excess quantity and is not diluted in a vehicle but applied directly.
By following these two steps, the clogging can be easily avoided.
Smell: The organic smell of manuka oil is a big turn off for consumers.
However, with time you tend to get immune to the smell and are able to ignore it completely.
Summary
Manuka oil is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities.
It tends to attack, reduce and repair the acne induced damage on the skin.
The side effect of using this oil is almost negligible and it has proved to be quiet effective as a spot treatment.
What more, it is inexpensive and easily available at any store. Trying this one out for your long suffered acne problem is most likely not going to disappoint you.