Acne is the result of high pitta moving under the skin and breaking out in pimples. Ayurveda recommends several natural approaches that, taken together, can effectively control acne.

 

The possible pitta-provoking causes are numerous. They include emotional stress, premenstrual hormonal changes, and exposure to chemicals or too much sunlight. The problem might also be a bacterial infection. It is important to find out the cause, so it can be properly treated or, in the case of exposure to chemicals or sunlight, simply avoided.

FOLLOW THE PITTA-PACIFYING DIET.

Because acne is a pitta condition, the first step is to follow the pitta-pacifying diet. Avoid spicy and fermented foods, salt, fried foods, and citrus fruits. Favor blander foods such as rice, oatmeal, and applesauce.

USE THESE HERBS TO BALANCE PITTA.

The following formula is excellent for pacifying the excess pitta that causes acne:

Kutki
Guduchi
Shatavari

Make a mixture of equal proportions of these three herbs (you
might start with 1 teaspoon of each), and take ¼ teaspoon of
your mixture 2 or 3 times a day. After meals, place the powder
on your tongue and wash it down with warm water.

• A helpful tea, made from common household herbs, is cumin ,coriander– fennel tea. After each meal, steep ⅓ teaspoon of each of these three seeds in hot water for 10 minutes, strain, and drink. Use this tea 3 times a day.

DRINK BLUE WATER.

 

Fill a clear glass bottle or jar with water, and cover it with
some translucent blue paper (such as blue cellophane, available at art supply and some grocery stores). Put the bottle in the sun for about 2 hours. Drink 1 to 3 cups of the water each day. This will have a cooling, soothing effect. Believe it or not, it works!

Healing Pastes for Your Skin

Here are three pastes you can make at home and apply to your skin.
They can be effective in reducing acne.

1. Mix 1 teaspoon of chickpea flour (Besan ka ata available at Indian grocery stores and natural food stores) with enough water to make a paste, and wash your face with this mixture. Rinse off, then apply either of the following:

 

2. Mix almond powder with a little water, and apply the paste to
your face. Let it dry and remain on your skin for up to half an
hour, then rinse it off. (You can easily make the almond
powder yourself in a coffee or nut grinder.)

 

3. A paste of sandalwood and turmeric powders mixed in goat’s milk is healing for the skin. Take ¼ teaspoon turmeric and ½ teaspoon sandalwood powder, mix them together, and add sufficient goat’s milk to make a paste. Apply this mixture to
your face. Note: Your face will look yellow for some time—up
to 5 days—but this formula is quite effective in alleviating
acne.

DRINK ALOE VERA JUICE.

You might try drinking half a cup of pure aloe vera juice twice a day.

KEEP YOUR COLON CLEAN.

Keeping your colon clean is important, in order to remove toxins from the body. You can easily accomplish this by taking the herb amalaki, ½ to 1 teaspoon daily, as a powder on the tongue. Take it before bedtime, and wash it down with warm water.

APPLY MELON.

Rub some melon on the skin at bedtime, and leave it on
overnight. Its cooling, anti-pitta quality will help heal acne. It also makes the skin soft.

YOGA POSTURES.

Recommended yoga asanas for acne are the Lion Pose and
the sequence of postures called the Moon Salutation.

BREATHING EXERCISE.

Breathing through the left nostril only, for 5 to 10 minutes, will help to reduce pitta. (This is called the Moon Breath and is
said to be cooling; breathing through the right nostril is called the Sun Breath and is heating.) Simply cover the right nostril with your thumb, and breathe normally through the left side. If the nostril is blocked, don’t force it; try again later.

RELAX YOUR FACE.

Rub your hands together vigorously to create a bit of
warmth, and place both hands over your face for a couple of minutes. This will relax the facial muscles and increase the blood supply. You can also rub your hands until the palms become warm, then gently touch just the heart of the palm to the eyelashes. Our eyelashes are intensely electrically charged; they take that warmth and relieve the pitta under the skin that is coming out in the form of acne.

VISUALIZATION.

The root cause of acne is emotional stress. One effective way
to relieve that stress is visualization. Close your eyes and visualize that the acne is clearing up and going away—as if you are communicating with the tissues in your skin that are bursting out in acne. This works. A final suggestion: Avoid frequent looking in the mirror and feeling.