Acne is the most common skin condition which affects people around the globe irrespective of their race, gender or age though it is most common among teenagers or adolescents.
However, there have been developed with time various methods and medications to deal with this problem as most of its possible causes are well known.
Some of these medications include antibiotics, anti retinoid, oral contraceptives, herbal medications etc.
Home remedies have also emerged as a major solution to these kinds of skin problems even as all kinds of treatment are available in your very kitchen and there is no need for you to go out.
Olive oil is one such remedy for treating acne problems but mostly for your skin health in general.
About Olive oil
Olive is the fruit of Olea europaea which belongs to the family of Oleaceae and is found in the Mediterranean.
It is from this fruit that olive oil is extracted.
It is one of the most productive and widely used oils and serves various purposes which ranges from cooking to medication.
Other than this, it was also earlier used as a fuel or oil for earthen lamps.
Olive oil is used in the largest amount in Greece which, according to a survey, has its highest consumption value per person.
Its effectiveness in healing skin problems has been universally acknowledged and is widely used as a cleanser and moisturizer.
Which Kind of olive oil is best suited for the skin
The effectiveness of olive oil towards the treatment of acne and other skin problems depend upon its polyphenol which is a very strong anti-oxidant present in the oil.
Considering this in mind, the kind of olive oil best suited for the skin is high-quality extra virgin olive oil which has the highest polyphenol count.
How Does Olive Oil help in Acne Treatment?
Olive oil exhibits antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant (polyphenol) properties which help in the treatment of acne, psoriasis and various other skin problems.
Olive oil contains a natural organic compound known as squalene which is used not only as an antioxidant but also tends to moisturize counter affecting the drying effect.
It further serves as a vehicle for topical application .
It can be used in various ways for skin treatment which includes using it in combination with other products like lemon or baking soda in form of a mask or scrub.
How to Use Olive Oil for Acne
Here are some ways to use olive oil for acne -
1. Lemon Olive oil mask
lemon and olive oil together work towards the unclogging of acne pores, reduction of inflammation and removal of dead skin cells and also treats acne scars.
It requires mixing lemon and olive oil in oatmeal along with egg whites in a uniform and consistent mixture.
Apply this to your face and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash it with lukewarm water. This paste is suited for all skin types.
2. Olive oil Acne Scrub
This includes adding a quarter cup of virgin oil to one cup of sea salt.
It should be applied to a clean but moist face and rubbed in a circular motion for about 3 to 4 minutes before washing it with warm water.
After this olive oil can be gently massaged on the skin in order to do away with the dryness of sea salt and keep the skin moisturized.
It helps in unclogging the skin pores and removing the dead skin cells.
3. Olive oil and Baking Soda
A uniform paste must be formed by mixing olive oil, baking soda and a few droplets of warm water.
This paste can then be applied and massaged on to the skin with your fingertips in a circular motion and washed with warm water.
This paste is effective in doing away with the dead cells, unclogging the pores and effectively working towards the scars.
These are some of the popular ways in which olive oil can be used or applied to the skin for the benefit.
General Benefits of Olive oil and Precautions
- Apart from skin problems, olive oil has the following health benefits when ingested:
- Lowers the level of cholesterol
- Helps in controlling the blood pressure
- Effective in the prevention of cardiac arrest by managing the cholesterol level
Possible Side effects
- If you are allergic to olive oil, when applied topically it might cause contact dermatitis or other allergic reactions
- The pollen produced by olive trees can cause respiratory allergy in some people
- There is not sufficient research work on whether olive oil during pregnancy or while nursing can cause any harm to the mother or child. However, it is usually advisable that the quantity of intake or application be restricted to the usual amount and no excesses be done
Precaution while using Olive oil
- It is very important that you perform a patch test for olive oil before using it regularly in order to check for allergies that you might have either from olive oil or from any other ingredient mixed in it.
- You must also be careful while buying olive oil from the market to make sure that it is not adulterated and is available in pure form
- After treating your face with olive oil, you must not use a soap immediately to wash it as it might and usually does drain away all the essential oil that the treatment has added to your face.
Drug interaction related information
- Olive oil is known to interact with diabetes medications and is also known to lower the blood sugar. If both of these are taken together it might cause an extreme drip of your blood sugar.
- It also tends to interact with antihypertensive drugs. These are medications for high blood pressure. Olive oil also sufficiently decreases your blood pressure; therefore taking them together might also be dangerous.
What are users of olive oil saying?
We did an analysis of online consumers who are engaged in using olive oil for their skin to get a hold over what are their responses to this home remedy.
Here is a summary of what they liked and disliked about it:
What they liked about it:
Skin tone: Many consumers experienced even skin tone after they started using it. It moisturized their skin too and made it healthy but never made it look greasy at all.
Their skin was soft, supple and glowing.
Reduces scars: Olive oil is not only an effective solution for the acne breakouts but also works fabulously towards reducing the scars and redness of the skin caused by the inflammation.
Time effective: Most of the consumers felt that this option was very time effective as compared to other chemical based medications which took months and weeks to heal.
Most of them saw effective result in 3 to 4 days, some even in one fortnight.
What they did not like about it:
Not for oily skin: Though it has been mostly stated that olive oil works on all types of skin when it did not work on certain people, they attributed it to their oily skin.
However, this differs from person to person.
Heavy: A few consumers were of the view that it is too heavy to wear it on your skin over daytime and eventually switched to its application only at night, before sleeping.
Summary
Olive oil is one of the most highly recommended home remedies for any kind of skin problem.
Its antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties can together prevent your acne breakouts from its root and leave your skin glowing and soft.
It is also very easily available in the market but you must make sure that the quality of the product you are buying is pure and not adulterated.
Olive oil is effective not only towards acne but also towards other scars, marks, skin problems that you might have and serves as a one-in-all solution.