Using Papaya to Fight Acne

Most of us assume that only oily skin is prone to acne inflammations, as skin oil or sebum traps dust and promotes growth of acne-causing bacteria. However, the fact is that even dry or combination skin is susceptible to an acne problem. To add to the woe, such skin types are more sensitive to over-the-counter acne products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid and prescription ointments. This is where acne home remedies come to our rescue and in this case papaya is known to provide an effective and gentle solution. Let's delve into this!

What are the medicinal properties of papaya that make it effective in treating acne? Papaya can soften the skin and lighten the skin tone. Raw papaya juice reduces inflammation, brown spots, pigmentation and blemishes to a notable extent. A protein-dissolving enzyme called "papain" is responsible for the acne-fighting properties of the papaya fruit. Not only that, papaya seeds contain cericin and papaya leaves contain alkalide capain that have acne-preventing and treating properties. Papain dissolves fat and unclogs pores, rendering your skin lipid-free. In other words, it exfoliates the outer skin layer to slough off dead cells and promote the growth of healthy cells. Raw papaya juice can prevent pus formation, probably the biggest bane of acne inflammation. Papaya-based ointments, soaps and acne products contain papain extracted from the unripe fruit.

Using papaya to kick off a natural acne treatment is quite simple. The easiest method is to mash the fruit and apply it on the affected areas. Or, apply the paste all over your face as a mask, leave for about 20 minutes till the mask dries and wash with cold water. You can also make a mask of papaya and pineapple juice (mix ¼ cup of mashed raw papaya with 1 teaspoon of raw pineapple juice) for improved skin tone in addition to acne removal. Just pat the juicy pulp on the face and neck using your fingers and lie down with a towel around the head and behind the neck, as the mix will be runny. You can literally feel the product working through a tingling sensation. Rinse after about 20 minutes. Alternatively, apply raw papaya juice on the acne-infested areas to sooth the inflammation.

It is clear that papaya has both preventive and restorative properties, i.e. regular papaya skin treatment prevents the occurrence of acne and also eliminates acne that has already emerged. In addition, papaya is an important part of a healthy diet. Ripe papaya is rich in beta-carotene, a strong antioxidant that prevents oxidative damage and promotes the production of healthy cells. It also contains folate, vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C, which are important skin-healthy nutrients.

A word of caution here is to avoid papaya if you are sensitive to latex. Pregnant women must also avoid the treatment as latex can induce uterine contractions. Ripe papaya has very small amount of latex whereas unripe papaya contains plenty of latex, which can result in allergic reactions.