The Benefits of Argan Oil for Acne

Can I Treat my Acne with Argan Oil?

Argan oil is well known as a natural skin moisturizer, but did you know that it can also help improve acne? Regular application of the oil can not only reduce the occurrence of acne and clear existing breakouts, it can even help reduce the appearance of previous acne scars.

Treating acne can seem like fighting a losing battle.

Using Argan Oil to Clear Skin

For most people, the most immediate problem is clearing your skin of existing pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, or any other form of acne that can cause embarrassment and physical discomfort. Before beginning, it's important to know that some other health and beauty products can work against argan oil. We therefore recommend you stop using astringent or anti-bacterial soaps for the duration of treatment, and instead stick to water and pure argan oil.

In the morning, clean your face with a mild soap and warm water. Using the tips of your fingers, gently rub the oil into your skin, focusing on the parts of your face most prone to acne.

Rinse with water. Argan oil acts as an emulsifier, helping to blend water and oil, which are normally repellent to one another. This helps water to work with your skin's natural oil as well as argan oil to provide a deep clean.

Repeat this process before bed, but without rinsing the oil away.

Astringents work by drying out your skin to quickly reduce the appearance of acne. Adversely, argan oil works by  'calming' the skin with its anti-inflammatory properties, and gradually bringing the oil levels on your face back to a normal, healthy level (more on that below). This is not an instant fix, but it will prevent scarring and recurrence, unlike many commercial anti-outbreak products.

Lose the lotions – treat acne naturally with Pure, Organic Argan Oil.

Preventing Outbreaks with Argan

Once your current outbreak is under control, the next most important step is to prevent future acne from forming. While everyone gets the stray pimple every now and then, if you suffer from persistent, mild to severe acne, argan oil can help. For this treatment to work, you'll need to stop using any other acne treatment, commercial or natural. This includes even mild astringents and harsh soaps.

After washing your hands, add a drop of organic argan oil to your fingertip (please note that the oil must be pure, 100% argan). Gently massage it all over your face (you may need a second drop, but be careful as the oil goes a long way). There's no need to rinse. Do this twice a day, before you put your makeup on and after you take it off. After about a week, you should begin to see clear results. Continue as a daily part of your beauty regimen.

According to a published study, argan oil can help control sebum (basically, your skin's natural oils). According to the trial, applying the oil twice a day caused a visible reduction in excess oil in 95% of the test subjects. What does this mean? Argan oil can help your body regulate the amount of sebum it produces, so that people with oily skin will stop producing excess sebum. The result? Normal, non-oily skin.

Because oily and dry skin often have the same root cause (a sebum imbalance), using argan to help the body regulate its sebum production can help those with oily or dry skin prevent breakouts.

Healing Acne Scars

Even after you have your acne under control, some people are afflicted by scars from past outbreaks. Luckily, argan oil has been shown to help heal scars and restore skin to a youthful appearance. Like any type of healing, it can take weeks of use for the results to become visible. When your scars do start to fade, the process will be gradual. We recommend taking a picture of your scars so it'll be easier for you to track your skin's progress.

To heal acne scars with argan oil, use it as a general facial moisturizer. Simply apply a miniscule amount of oil to the scar twice a day. It will take several weeks of daily application for the scar to fully fade.

Much of what makes a scar a scar is the difference in pigmentation from the surrounding skin. This hyperpigmentation happens during the skin's healing process, so that after the wound itself has vanished, a scar remains. The tocopherols in argan oil (among other agents) helps de-pigment the scar, making it blend in with the normal skin's pigment.

What's the secret to argan oil's magic?

Why Does Argan Oil Work So Well On Acne?

It can be difficult to believe that a single product could achieve any one of the above so fully. So when one hears the claim that argan oil can cure acne, prevent outbreaks, and remove scars, even the most gullible person would pause. Yet one scientific study after another has studied each of these claims and returned with overwhelmingly positive conclusions.

So how does argan do it?

Most commercial, chemical-based acne solutions focus on eliminating one aspect of acne (quelling outbreaks, keeping skin clear). Argan oil works simply by creating healthy skin. When skin is healthy and has normal levels of sebum, everything else falls into line. Natural argan oil targets the overall health of the skin while other products target one or two symptoms.

As we've seen, the daily application of a small amount of argan oil can keep skin healthy, clear, and youthful. Regular use can prevent a multitude of problems and keep skin looking younger longer. If it seems too good to be true, remember that women in Morocco have been using argan oil to keep their skin healthy and clear for hundreds of years – it's just that the rest of the world is only now catching up.

Additional Sources:

http://www.acne.org/argan-oil-reviews-1181/

http://www.xojane.com/beauty/after-decade-bragging-about-having-perfect-skin-acne-gods-got-me-real-good