Green Tea and Pimples
Acne Skin Benefit

A green tea and pimples study suggests it to be as good as benzoyl peroxide cream in treating acne conditions with fewer side effects.

green tea and pimples Scientific research has shown that green tea fights bacteria, inflammation and reduces stress. Perhaps it would be an excellent candidate for treating acne?

Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong from the Memorial Medical Center in the Philippines decided to conduct a study to find out.

"This study showed that 3% green tea cream is comparable to 4% benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of moderate to severe acne."

The Study

108 participants were divided into two groups.

One applied benzoyl peroxide cream and the other green tea extract cream twice daily for 12 weeks. Subjects were examined and photographed each week by dermatologists.

The researchers noted the green tea cream seemed to lighten patients' skin color and improve the overall appearance of their complexion.

Advantages

“Green tea therapy might be appealing to consumers because conventional wisdom holds that natural products are less toxic and have fewer side effects than other drug products,” the researchers said.

Up to now, acne sufferers have only had a few conventional options (benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or antibiotics).

The preliminary data suggests that green tea cream causes fewer side effects than benzoyl peroxide. Patients in the green tea group reported fewer cases of dry skin, itching and allergic responses.

Historically, antibiotics such as tetracyclines and erythromycin were prescribed. While they were more effective than benzoyl peroxide, the bacteria eventually grew resistant and the treatments became less and less effective.

Antibiotics have also more side effects. There have been reports of stomach cramps and severe discoloration of teeth.

Conclusion

Before you rush out to buy a green tea cream, remember this is the first green tea and pimples study scientists have ever conducted, so the efficacy of green tea cream is still far from proven.

However, given that green tea cream has shown no side effects whatsoever, and may even prevent skin cancer, it may be worth trying out.

If you haven’t started drinking green tea, consider doing so.

It has no calories, helps lose weight and contains a high concentration of antioxidants. Recent studies even found that drinking 4 cups of green tea a day improves concentration and learning.

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