Aromatherapy is one of the most popular therapies being used for acne control these days. Aromatherapy is the combination of two words, aroma and therapy. The meaning of the word aroma is scent and therapy means a treatment that is done to heal a disease. Therefore in aromatherapy those essential oils are used to cure acne and acne scars which have scents in them. The sources of these oils are fruits, seeds, flowers, bark and so on.
Some of the essential oils that are considered to be effective in acne scar treatment include lavender oil, tea tree oil, jasmine oil, myrrh oil, sandalwood oil, Ylang Ylang oil, rosemary oil and so on. What you need to remember while using these essential oils is that the undiluted form of these oils is never used on the skin. Before applying it on the skin, two to three percent of essential oil is diluted with carrier oil like jojoba vegetable oil and only then this solution is applied on the affected acne area using a cotton pad.
The essential oils used in aromatherapy have antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial properties and therefore they prevent the growth of microbes and bacteria which are responsible for causing acne scar. Not only this, these oils also help in opening the pores of the skin and heal the acne spots and acne scars. Besides essential oil, even the carrier oil such as jojoba oil helps in moisturizing and exfoliating your skin. The therapy can also help in boosting the immunity of skin to fight against harmful microorganisms. Although aromatherapy is very effective in acne scar control but you must also remember that you will not get results overnight and healing through this therapy takes time.
People using aromatherapy need to follow certain advices. They should avoid the use of those facial lotions which have alcohol or other chemicals in them and also other facials should not be used more than twice a day. They are also advised not to squeeze, scrub or prick their spots, scars and pimples. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is a must in order to enhance the effectiveness of aromatherapy. Healthy lifestyle means eating right, taking enough sleep, leading a stress free life and avoid exposing yourself to pollution. Drinking enough water is also important to speed up the healing process as water helps in removing waste and toxins from our body.
Usually, essential oils are safe to use but some of the essential oils may have bad reaction on some individuals. Therefore it is always better to test whether the essential oil would suit you or not. Use the solution of oil that is the combination of essential oil and carrier on your arm and wait for a day to see if it causes any allergic reaction on your body. If there is no allergic reaction seen then most probably it is safe for you to use.
In a nutshell, we can say that aromatherapy can be very effective in acne control provided certain precautions are used while using this therapy. Also, it is always better to consult a practitioner of aromatherapy for any of your further queries.