ACNE | HEALTH AND WELL BEING | SIMPLE REMEDIES

One Effective Remedy for Acne That Helped Me

Tender Coconut Water

{{This is only a personal perspective}}

I am a lifelong acne sufferer with sensitive skin. Most parts of my life went off in finding remedies for this problem and shying away from people to avoid their comments.

There are different types — Small red pimples, big pimples, fat pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, pimples with blood and pus, nodular/painful acne, cystic acne. However, a definition was not my concern. My concern was only getting rid of them. I very recently realized I have put up with all kinds of acne over the years!

Image from iStock. Creator: Lin Shao-hua. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Seven Things I did Wrong, and What I Would Tell a Teenage-Me

1. Popping pimples, touching skin repeatedly.

Do not touch or pop the pimples. Avoid doing so. Use a wet cotton ball to soothe the area if it is irritated.

2. Walking in the sun without covering the face/poor hydration.

*Use a sunscreen or just an umbrella. It is that simple. Constant sun exposure damages the skin more than you can even imagine. Not drinking enough water adds to the woes.

3. Blindly trying all kinds of remedies which made the condition worse

*Hundreds of home remedies, including homeopathy, allopathy, facials — You name it, you have done it. You should not have wasted your money on so many things at once.

4. Not following the dermatologist’s advice.

*If you happen to seek a dermatologist’s help for severe cases, please follow the advice religiously. You were non-compliant and impatient when it came to taking the medicines prescribed. You wanted immediate results from the acne gels and the medicines, but it does not work like that.

5. Scrubbing my skin hard in hopes of getting rid of my scars

*Never be impatient enough to spoil your skin by scrubbing to get rid of the acne scars while undergoing treatment from a dermatologist. You will eventually get rid of the acne scars. However, if you are in a hurry, you will end up with pimples again.

6. Beauty parlor visits/Getting conned

*Strict no-no if you have sensitive skin. Be alert and mindful. Contact only trained beauticians who can be trusted, just for a safe pimple cleanup or soft fruit facials. There are plenty of people out there who will con you into buying their products. Do not fall for the false promises of getting your skin treated. Make informed decisions.

7. Trying creams which usually lead to the severe occurrence of blackheads

*There is no such thing as a magical fairness cream that will remove all your blackheads, whiteheads, pigmentation, scars, under-eye dark circles and will make you fair overnight. These creams contain harsh chemicals, and you will see some horrible results after 2–3 weeks (blackheads appearing on your jawline and cheeks). You can only enjoy that clear skin and fairness for 2–3 weeks.

I have done lots of experiments, tried lots of remedies, and used hundreds of products, but the one thing that helped me was Tender Coconut Water.

The Search and Success

While I was off-and-on searching for a remedy, something natural, I gave a thought to drinking Tender Coconut Water. Growing up, I only knew that patients admitted or recovering from surgery in the hospitals drank tender coconut water, or for dehydration, or that people drink it extensively during the summer season because of the heat. For some reason, I related the benefits — tender coconut water cooling the body or keeping the body hydrated — to acne occurrence due to heat, and I thought I should try this myself. I assumed it should reduce my body heat, might reduce inflammation, keep me hydrated, and perhaps lessen my pimples. I did not have the time at that point to check on the internet and find proof, and then drink tender coconut water (I will not do so now, though). I just trusted my instincts back then and gave it a try.

I started drinking tender coconut water on an empty stomach early morning, and this was the most important thing I ever did during this journey. I later wished I had started this much earlier. It would have saved me the trouble.

I have continued drinking tender coconut water for the past few years.

It cleared my pimple occurrences to a great extent.
It healed me internally, calmed down my inflammation and gave me glowing skin.
There is no worrying about bad skin anymore.
It has been useful for me as I have sensitive skin and no options for makeup.
During this time, I got to work on my self-esteem. No comments or judgments, looks or stares affect me now.

Yes, it has changed my life.

I do not claim tender coconut water only can help, but in my case, it did, and I stopped looking for other remedies. Not that all the problems vanished overnight, but there was some improvement. I love the glow on my face.

Limitations of Tender Coconut Water (for me)

I cannot drink tender coconut water in extreme cold/winter months or during rain. I have seen people standing outside and drinking even when it is raining/in winters, but I cannot. If I can manage for one or two days, I make sure I am in the kitchen preparing breakfast, in the sense that the stoves would be on and I am in a warmer temperature. An alternative I have found is oranges or sweet lime, or other fruits on an empty stomach for a few days. Consuming fruits and vegetables helps.

I am saying this is only from the perspective of skin healing and my personal experience. Yes, anything in excess is dangerous. Same for tender coconut water.

Lessons Learnt/Gratitude

It is normal to have pimples/acne. Mental peace is more important. Have good self-esteem.
It is okay to have acne scars.
It takes a lot of time to heal in severe cases, so do not expect anything magical to happen.
I am grateful I had the sensibility to give tender coconut water a try.

Concluding Thoughts

While being affected by pimples is an issue itself, leading to low self-esteem because of harsh comments and judgments from people, it is not the end of the world. We all will find those different ways to tackle it — Depends on the type and severity. I have also realized that some lifestyle changes and being stress-free will help, but pimples might reappear in chronic cases. As long as you are taking care of your health, not eating the wrong foods (triggers for acne), drinking lots of water, having a positive mind — You are not at fault.

I just realized that I’m just going to be who I am. I don’t need to adjust how I look for anyone or even for myself. Even if I have a pimple, I’m not going to cover it up with makeup. — Charlyne Yi

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