An Acne Natural Treatment - Toothpaste
There are conflicting accounts on the use of toothpaste as an acne natural treatment. Some people have have very good results with it and other people have found it to further irritate the condition. First of all lets have a look at the active ingredients within toothpaste and see what scientific effect those ingredients are likely to have as an acne natural treatment.
Active Ingredients in Toothpaste
The most common active ingredient in toothpaste is sodium monoflurorophosphate and this is of course what makes it effective as a toothpaste as it can help prevent tooth cavities. However when applied to the skin the fluoride can actually be harmful. There have been some studies that have reported that large doses of fluoride can cause systemic poisoning. However, the amount of fluoride found in toothpaste is actually very small so this is not usually an actual risk.
There are a few active ingredients in toothpaste that can be beneficial in the eliminating of acne zits and pimples. Silica can be used to treat acne in a dermabrasive fashion but when used in toothpaste is is usually too fine to effectively exfoliate the skin. Another active ingredient found in toothpaste is glycerin which is usually used as an acne natural treatment in soap bars.
Perhaps the most important ingredient is sodium pyrophosphate which is responsible for removing calcium and magnesium from saliva. The level of calcium found in the skin directly influences skin cell growth. An excess level of calcium in the skin can cause more hair follicles to grow and makes the skin more susceptible to an acne outbreak. Therefore reducing the level of calcium in the skin can help to reduce the symptoms of acne.
Using Toothpaste as an Acne Natural Treatment
In order to use toothpaste as a treatment for acne it must be applied topically - ie, directly to the affected areas of the skin. Brushing your teeth with the toothpaste will not help clear up your acne!
As toothpaste is rather thick, it can applied as it is directly to individual pimples and spots or you may prefer to thin it down with a little water and then apply it as a face mask.
Whichever method you choose, leave the toothpaste on your skin for at least half an hour. Some people will leave it overnight though toothpaste can have a drying effect on the skin so if you suffer from dry skin then wash off the toothpaste with warm water after half an hour or so. Experiment with the timing to find what duration works best for you.
Choosing a Toothpaste Brand
If you decide to go ahead and try toothpaste as an acne natural treatment your first dilemma is how to choose a brand as there are literally thousands of them to choose from.
As we discussed above, flouride is not good for the skin but of course it is the most predominant active ingredient within toothpaste so for this reason you might find the cheaper brands to be better as you are looking for a brand with the lowest amount of fluoride.
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Tagged With Acne Natural Treatment, fluoride, toothpaste
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