Acne Improved By Green Tea

Green tea has been used in Chinese medicine to treat many illnesses, both inside and outside the body. It recently has been shown that green tea may also improve acne.

A recent study compared green tea cream to a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution in people with moderate-severe [tag]acne[/tag].

The results were surprising.

Green tea was shown to be as effective in treating acne as benzoyl peroxide, and had fewer side-effects.

Benzoyl peroxide tends to dry out the skin with frequent use, which can lead to skin irritation, redness, and allergic reactions. Green tea treated acne with fewer side effects, and, also provides extra benefits by way of natural antioxidant and natural antibacterial properties.

In fact, the most powerful antioxidant in green tea is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is even a more powerful antioxidant than the more well-known vitamins C and E. EGCG is a powerful free radical scavenger and therefore may reduce the damaging effects of environment and pollution on the skin.

Also, green tea has calming properties, which can reduce the effects of stress hormones in the body. Green tea also helps to reduce inflammation and improves detoxification. It can be used in liquid, pill, or topical form.