A study reported in the American Academy of Dermatology that a topical cream of 3% green tea extract produced similar results as a cream containing 4% Benzoyl Peroxide. The study concludes green tea appears to be an effective topical treatment for acne.

However, some believe that drinking green tea is better than a topical application since the benefits are limited to where it is applied. They point to green teas reported ability to support hormonal balance which may be helpful in reducing the number or severity of acne breakouts going forward.

Popular green tea regimens for acne include drinking as many as 8 cups of green tea a day until the affected skin areas clear. Those regimens usually call for fresh brewing without adding sweetener since it is believed preservatives and sugar can interfere with green teas beneficial qualities.

Though green tea is said be a pleasant beverage, to improve the taste without adding a sweetener, many use other flavorings such as adding lemon or orange slices either during or after brewing.

Many teas including green tea can contain significant levels of fluoride or aluminum. If this is a concern there are green tea extracts that claim to be fluoride free or at least only contain insignificant trace amounts. The green tea extracts are also convenient because brewing the tea is not necessary; one just adds drops of the extract to water.

Other research supports the conclusion that green tea demonstrates an antibacterial effect topically. Green tea has been used for centuries by traditional healers for a variety of purposes.

Green tea and black tea actually come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis). Green tea is produced when young healthy leaves are harvested from this plant and lightly steamed to keep their green color and preserve their beneficial phytochemicals. Black tea leaves are produced by over fermenting the leaves which changes their color from green to black, allowing much of the plants phytochemicals to be rendered ineffective.

Green tea is the second herbal acne treatment gaining acceptance by mainstream medicine as effective.

Study results reported in 1990 showed that both a 5% tea-tree oil gel and a 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion had significant effects in improving the condition of acne by reducing the number and severity of inflamed and non-inflamed lesions. Researchers noted that although the beneficial action of tea tree oil took more time, study participants reported fewer side effects from its use.

It is estimated 40 million suffer with acne and many use antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to treat the condition. Other treatment methods attempt to combine diets with various oral and topical treatments in the belief that certain foods or eating patterns may affect the frequency and severity of acne breakouts./pbr
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Natural remedies have become very popular in recent years. People have stopped looking at the expensive medications and creams to cure various conditions, and have started looking at remedies found closer to home. This is, in part, because they are less expensive, but they are also on hand and easily obtained.
Acne is a common condition in teens and adults alike, and is no exception to the theory that a home remedy can sometimes be better. If it’s worked for many years, why wouldn’t it work now? One such remedy believed to aid in the healing of acne is green tea.
Green tea is used by the Chinese as a traditional medicine to treat many ailments including acne and to improve general well-being. But does it provide an effective herbal alternative to modern medication? The answer seems to be ‘Yes’. There are only two herbal treatments that are known to be effective in treating acne and green tea is one of them.
While many teas are fermented, green tea instead, is steamed soon after being picked so as to prevent the oxidation of its leaves. This helps to retain the active substances the leaves contain. Camellia Sinensis, or as we know it, green tea extract, contains a high content of Polyphenol, along with other important antioxidants.
Green tea can serve many purposes, and it is recommended for a number of reasons. It acts as an anti-bacterial substance, decreasing hormonal activity. Since acne is often caused by hormones, which produce excess oil and clog pores, thereby causing blemishes, green tea could be a good remedy for this problem.
The antioxidents contained in green tea have been shown as very beneficial to acne prevention because they help the body fight against free radicals that cause cell and tissue damage. Green tea also has very few potential side effects, especially when compared to other acne products and medications.
Because of its advantages, green tea is also used in various creams and other topical products used to treat acne. When compared with other commonly used acne treatments, it ranked high, because of its natural anti-bacterial properties.
Other products containing green tea extract are also sold and developed, and are available as herbal remedies. It can be purchased as a cream. Green Tea and honeysuckle is often called “Pimple Tea” in China. It also helps your body rid itself of toxins, which helps prevent acne.
It is also easily available. It can be purchased in most stores that carry various herbal and other natural remedies, and can also be bought through many on-line sources. It comes in the form of tea that you drink, or can be purchased in the form of the cream mentioned above.
Drinking green tea will help cleanse your body from the inside out, while applying the topical cream, which goes directly onto the skin, will help cure and prevent acne at the source. No matter how you choose to use it, it can serve many purposes, and may be a welcome alternative to harsh products or unwanted medications.
Bruce Walls is a writer and webmaster at http://www.a1-acne.com

If you are looking for a healthy way to help keep your acne under control without resorting to the typical over-the-counter topical drugs that may cause more harm than good, green tea may be a treatment worth looking into. Green tea has long been a staple of traditional Chinese medicine, taken to treat ailments such as acne as well as to improve general health. It has become popular worldwide both for its taste and the many health benefits it provides.
Green tea is definitely a healthy beverage, but is it really effective at treating acne? The answer seems to be yes, although how effective it is may depend on the severity of your acne (and just how much green tea you are willing to drink). The main reason for green tea’s effectiveness is due to the fact that green tea is extremely rich in antioxidants. Thus, by drinking plenty of green tea you help rid toxins from your body and maintain a healthy cell structure.
Besides fighting off bacteria, research has shown that green tea can help reduce redness and inflammation, and even deter hormonal activity. Thus green tea can both speed healing and help prevent acne, which is often caused by the activity of hormonal shifts.
For acne treatment, green tea may be taken as a drink, a pill (green tea extract), or in a topical cream. Also, simply placing a warm teabag on acne lesions can help draw out toxins and promote faster healing.
By far the most popular method is simply drinking green tea. Green tea with honeysuckle is known as “pimple tea” in many Chinatowns. Drinking a glass of green tea each day will help a little, but if you plan to use green tea as a main factor in your fight against acne, you will need a higher dose. For more dramatic results, many regimens recommend as much as 8 glasses of green tea each day until your skin clears. This is most effective if the tea is freshly brewed and sugar-free. Preservatives and sugar will neutralize many of green tea’s benefits.
Taken as a pill, green tea is similar to vitamins for acne that focus on detoxifying your skin through antioxidants. Unfortunately, this approach does not typically work as well as simply drinking green tea due to the fact that the nutrients are much more easily absorbed as a liquid rather than a pill.
According to a recent study reported to the American Academy of Dermatology, a topical cream with 3% green tea extract produced similar results to a solution containing 4% benzoyl peroxide. Thus, green tea appears to be very effective as a spot treatment as well, without causing the dryness and irritation that generally go along with benzoyl peroxide. However, I would still recommend drinking the tea over using a topical cream, since the benefits of the topical treatment are limited to only the applied area, and do not include hormonal effects that can help you actually avoid, or at least diminish the intensity of, future acne.
Don Amodeo is the webmaster of Acne-Vitamins.com, where you can find vitamin B5 acne products and a free guide to vitamins for clear skin. This article may be republished provided that the author’s information and all active links are left intact.