Toothpaste for Acne - Best Homemade Remedy or Hoax

There are a number of tried and tested remedies for acne, but toothpaste for acne is not one that readily comes to mind.

Acne results from a number of factors including hormones, diet, and clogged pores.

There is a suggestion that using toothpaste on the pimples and blackheads will help.

Toothpaste is regarded as generally considered safe, however it is not licensed by the fda for use on the skin so be careful.

If at any time you experience a burning sensation, stop and moisturize the skin immediately.

Toothpaste helps with acne mainly because it is slightly abrasive and also because it contains substances like soda that dry up oil on the skin.

To get the best out of the acne toothpaste therapy, note the tips below.

Buy the right brand - Use toothpaste not gel. As a guide buy a brand that is white and abrasive. Do not buy a whitening toothpaste because it may contain Hydrogen Pyroxide.

Use in moderation - To treat acne while avoiding burns on the face, put the toothpaste only over the spots.

Watch the clock - Do not leave on for more than 5 minutes.

There are a number of interesting constituents of your average toothpaste tube that may be helpful with acne. Although the concentration of each one makes it a doubtful acne zapper, they seem to work in tandem.

1. Silica and Alumina. These are abrasive and could work as an exfoliators, proven help for acne and clogged pores. To benefit from this effect you have to actually rub the toothpaste on the skin.
2. Sodium pyrophosphate (or something similar) helps reduce calcium in the mouth, reducing build up of tartar. Sodium has been shown to help with acne.
3. Baking Soda, is another possible reason why toothpaste is effective for acne, however like the other constituents, the concentration is really low. Baking soda masks and scrubs are one of the home remedies routinely used for acne.
4. Other constituents like Titanium dioxide and maybe cinnamon are present in trace amounts for colour and taste. There seems to be no link between them and toothpaste acne clearing action.

So back to the original premise - Toothpaste for Acne - Best Homemade Remedy or Hoax? I truly cannot answer that as it works for some people but not others.

If you decide to give it a try, stick to the white pasty brands.

Also please come back to this Hub and share your experience in the comments.