Home remedies:
1. Apple Cider Vinegar (inorganic, unfiltered)- You can use it as spot treatment or as a toner. As a toner, mix 1part ACV with 2parts distilled/mineral water. As a spot treatment, you can use it pure. Get a q-tip and apply ACV on the pimples. However, you should still do a patch test before applying it all over your face to make sure that you are not allergic to it.
Just last week, I applied pure ACV on a pimple which I got 2days before my period came and the pimple was ready to pop 24hours later. This will sting but it will get rid of your pimple pretty fast. However, I'm not sure how well it will work on cystic pimples.
2. Aspirin Mask
I'm sure you've heard or read about this, but it works for a lot of people. My sister who rarely ever gets pimples tried this when she broke out from using a moisturizer and the small pimples that she had on her forehead dried pretty quickly (maybe in a day or two, I can't really remember).
You can use this as a mask, scrub, or as a spot treatment. Just don't overdo it because your skin might create resistance to it. Also, it does have a tendency to cause irritation if you're allergic to the substance.
3. Honey-Sugar Scrub (with calamansi and ginger)
It's the usual brown sugar and honey scrub with calamansi --- it has cleansing, antifungal, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties --- and ginger --- it has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
Do not scrub hard; doing so will make your skin raw. Do it very gently. Leave the mask on for 10-15minutes.
If you don't want to scrub, you can just extract the juice of the ginger (or even calamansi) and apply it directly on the pimples. Again, this will certainly sting.
Don't forget to use a non-acnegenic/noncomedogenic moisturizer afterwards because these will dry your skin.
*Others worth mentioning:
- Juice of raw papaya
- Cinnamon powder mixed with milk
- Turmeric (not the powder. They mix it with something else. I just can't remember. Sorry)
- Orange peels
- Potato peels
I'm not sure how effective are the last five natural remedies that I mentioned coz I just read them on the internet. The first three have been proven to be effective by me and other gtalkers (check their respective threads). Lastly, you have to remember that your pimples will take a much longer time to dry/heal when natural remedies are used. Chemical mixtures work faster.
Hope this helps
