Finding new treatments for acne is on a lot of people’s minds, especially those who suffer from severe acne that stubbornly refuses to come off with over the counter products. While these same people can appeal to a dermatologist for some prescription medication, often these products are costly and can come with skin related side effects, such as rashes and sensitivity to sunlight, which some people can find worse than their acne. A potential remedy for acne you can concoct right from home is by using a lemon juice acne treatment to help reduce your acne over time.

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Scientifically speaking, lemon juice is not a miracle cure for acne but it does help eliminate the major cause for most people’s acne, excess skin oil. The main cause of acne is a buildup of skin oil on the face that can accumulate various waste products, such as dead skin cells, that in turn blocks and clogs the skin’s pores. This mixture of oil and biological waste compacts pores and causes a localized infection of the pore. The body’s response to this infection causes the red, splotchy mounds of acne due to the infected tissue becoming inflamed from invading bacteria.

How does it work?

A lemon juice acne treatment works by removing excess oil from your skin through alpha hydroxy acids, one of which is the commonly use acid known as citric acid. This substance surrounds particles of oil and dead skin, allowing them to be removed far easier than simple soap and water can provide. Consider using lemon juice to treat acne as a form of acid peel. The layer of citric acid surrounds and removes waste products from your skin, thereby allowing you to wipe or wash away the peel from your skin.

Are there any risks?

Nevertheless, lemon juice, although an effective and affordable treatment, does come with a number of drawbacks. First and foremost, the citric acid in lemon juice can be very damaging to skin. While skin oil is the main cause of acne, it is also a vital ingredient in maintaining skin health. Skin oil protects and moisturizes skin by providing a cushion of protection against the elements.

Without sufficient levels of skin oil, the skin can become dried out and cracked, causing irritation, discomfort, itching, redness and potential bleeding. Lemon juice, because it is so high in citric acid, can dry out the skin quite easily and quickly. Therefore, using lemon juice on a regular basis is not advised. Constant use of lemon juice may result in serious dehydration of the skin, leading to more problems than just acne.

Use the lemon juice acne treatment sparingly to reduce acne and be sure to use a gentle moisturizer to soothe your skin after you apply a layer of lemon juice. An even better solution is to purchase a facial cleanser that uses citric acid to combat acne. This way, you can benefit from the acne reducing potential of lemon juice but in proper doses. A facial scrub can also keep your face feeling more hydrated due to other active ingredients that restore the moisture in the skin.