Did you know that Ancient Egyptians used to think that acne was caused by telling lies? I won’t lie to you, that’s got nothing to do with your skin. Almost 85% of people have acne at some point in their lives, and it is the most common skin disorder in the U.S., affecting 40 to 50 million people. That’s an awful lot of liars!
Though it isn’t caused by deceit, acne can be very deceptive. People have been trying to get rid of it for centuries, but it keeps coming back for more. Check out some of these bizarre acne treatment methods:
Wash your face with urine!
Wait, is that right? That can’t be right. The Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine says that “rubbing [a] baby’s face with a recently wet nappy was practiced in the Highlands of Scotland to prevent the child developing acne later and give it a good complexion.” Apparently, there are antibodies present in the urine that are believed to have healing properties. (I wouldn’t try this one right before work.)
Cover your zits in sulfur!
Now, this is from the Egyptians again, so take this remedy in stride. But they and the Greeks would use a mixture of sulfur and molasses to zap their zits. This might not be the best skin care routine; I can only imagine that the sulfur acts as a burning agent, so if you don’t want acne scars, I definitely wouldn’t try this one at home. Not like you were planning on trying the urine one… were you?
Go get a tan!
Now this one is a little less ridiculous. UV rays are one of the most commonly acknowledged successful acne remedies. A blast of UV radiation was an especially popular treatment in the 1930s, when people would refer to acne as “chastity pimples.” This is also an easy thing to try if you have back acne, which can be hard to reach with other methods.
The best skin care option is obviously up to your dermatologist. But check out some home remedies if you’re really curious. Just remember not to experiment with anything that’s going to burn or scar.
