Natural Remedies for Acne



Among the old time medical recipes there are several natural remedies for acne, including diet, frequent facial bathing, the use of cathartic salts such as Seidlitz salts, and even a recipe which calls for hard cider!

According to the compendium Favorite Medical Receipts and the encyclopedic work Dr. Gunn's Household Physician, acne is an affectation of the sebaceous glands in the skin, which erupt and form red, inflamed, pus-filled pimples on the face, neck and sometimes the shoulders. It usually begins during puberty and it tends to be chronic in nature. Failure to control acne may result in deep pitted scars.

The 20th century medium Edgar Cayce discussed natural remedies for acne in his psychic health readings. Read more on Edgar Cayce's acne remedies.

Many of the ingredients for these old-time remedies are hard to find. Need quick acne relief? Click Here!

Causes of acne

Some 19th century doctors felt that acne originated from poor digestion resulting in irritation to the nervous system. Could they have been referring to body toxicity? Drs. Gunn and Chase also suggest that certain medications of the day (such as Atropine, bromides, iodides or belladonna) were liable to produce toxic conditions in the body, resulting in the skin inflammations that characterize acne.

Dr. Chase states, "acne is an external manifestation of a general disease. Is is true that in many cases there may be no actiual disease, yet there is some disturbance of digestion which results in a production of irritants in some form ...."

Symptoms of acne

"Symptoms.-The oily secretion of the gland is retained, but the retention is attended with inflammation. Inflamed, ugly looking pimples are the result. Pustules may occur among the pimples. In the pustular variety of acne pustules are the rule.

"The face is the part most commonly affected, although the neck, back and shoulders may be subject to this eruption.Sometimes the color of the secretion which clogs the ducts varies from a white or yellowish to a grey or black, the last two being the result of dirt which becomes mixed with the secretions. This constitutes the condition known as Blackheads."

Natural remedies for acne

Favorite Medical Receipts specifies the following natural treatments:

"A. Avoid fatty foods as much as possible. Also take regularly some saline cathartic, as Carlsbad Salt in doses of from 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls in water, daily.

"B. Get a can of Seidlitz Salts from the Abbott Alkaloidal Co., Ravenswood, Station X, Chicago. Take 1 teaspoonful (or a larger amount if necessary) every morning to keep the bowels regular. Bathe the face in a solution of the same salts, say 2 teaspoonfuls of the Salts to half a glass of water. This treatment will be found most excellent. The Seidlitz Salts are effective, harmless, and pleasant to take.

"C. Try the following:


Hard Cider...... 1 pint
Alum ............size of a pea

Keep in a bottle on your dresser and apply night and morning.Use for a long time.

"D. Bathe the face often and thoroughly in good soap and hot water, and at bedtime, after bathing the face, dust on a little White Precipitate and wash it off in the morning. Keep the face protected from wind and cold."

"E. Wash the affected parts two or three times a day in salt water. At night after bathing in hot water, apply the following:


Carbolic Acid .........10 drops
White Vase1ine .........1 ounce

A small towel wrung out of hot water, applied on retiring, is a good remedy. The pimples should not be squeezed or pressed. between the finger nails."

Some additional natural remedies for acne recommended by Dr. Gunn are:

  • "Use prolonged hot bathing. Massage parts gently with tar soap and use alcohol rubs locally."

  • "Prepare an ointment consisting of:

    Solution subacetate of lead 20 drops
    Glycerine 1 drachm
    Lanolin 4 drachms

    Rub ointment thoroughly into acne skin night and morning."

  • "Keep bowels and kidneys open, using fresh water."

  • "Use a sixth dilution of sulphur, take 4 to 6 x day in drops or pill form."

  • "Apply to blackheads:

    Sulphuric ether 1 ounce
    Carbonate of ammonia 1 drachm
    Boric acid 20 grains
    Water 2 ounces

    The ether and ammonia will remove greasiness and oiliness from skin."


The above remedies may be hard to obtain and use. If you are searching for an effective acne treatment click here!

Edgar Cayce's acne remedies

  • A healthy diet of fresh fruits, grains, vegetables, light meats like poultry and fish -- NEVER fried -- and no greasy or fatty foods. Soups are highly recommended.