Breaking News: Thyme More Effective Against Acne Than Benzoyl Peroxide
Big points scored for team natural this week. It turns out that thyme, the herb we never really know how to cook with, could be a powerful topical treatment for acne.
Anyone who’s had it bad, knows that acne is the freaking worst. And while we always encourage people to look at potential internal imbalances (stress, hormones etc), we get that when your face is a mess you’ll do just about anything to stop it. We’ve both been there (and also done that). Enter the nation’s most popular acne treatment: the heinous benzoyl peroxide.
Why does benzoyl peroxide suck so bad? Aside from it’s skin burning-and-peeling, sun-sensitizing effects, studies have shown it to be free-radical-generating (not a good thing). It’s also caused tumors in mice. For these and other reasons, Europe has actually banned the stuff OTC.
But a new study by researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University tested three tinctures of thyme, marigold, and myrrh against the bacteria that causes acne. All had some effect, but thyme was found to be more powerful against the bacteria than benzoyl peroxide.
Here’s what the lead researcher said in this press release:
“The problem with treatments containing benzoyl peroxide is the side-effects they are associated with,” said Dr Gomez-Escalada. “A burning sensation and skin irritation are not uncommon. Herbal preparations are less harsh on the skin due to their anti-inflammatory properties while our results suggest they can be just as, if not more, effective than chemical treatments.”
Amen!
Have you tried BP over the years? What other topicals do you use for acne?
We like clay and tea tree oil (used carefully), but would be curious to try thyme for spot treating.
P.S. Happy Friday!
Are you kidding? Thyme is the BEST for roasting stuff! Chicken with thyme and half a lemon stuffed inside, lamb roasted with thyme is a classic and for all the veggies out there, it goes fabulously with roasted veg, too. It’s also lovely added to pumpkins and squashes, like in butternut squash soup. For my favourite roast potato recipe, I take a big chunk of butter and crush a load of garlic into it. Then I melt it in the microwave and pour over cut up potatoes. Then I just peel off a bunch of rosemary and thyme leaves off the stems and sprinkle all over the spuds with salt and pepper and roast. Yum!
Err… Where was I? Oh yeah, awesome news about thym’s acne fighting skillz! I stopped using BP when I was a teen and it practically burned my face right off. No thanks!
I’ve tried BP in younger days, I never really found it helpful, at least over the long term. And I don’t like the bleaching of linens and clothes. I used salicylic acid products more often and found that worked better for me. These days I try to focus on taking care of the internal stuff and use naturals like clay, lavender, and honey. I’ve been taking turmeric capsules for pain/inflammation and it helps with my skin issues too. I’ve heard that people use it topically but haven’t tried that because I’m concerned that the color would stick.
What are the details of how to use thyme for acne?
Ooh, I’m very curious about this, since I grow thyme in my garden. Does anyone know what the best way would be to try this at home? Grind up the leaves with water or honey or olive oil to form a paste? Boil the leaves and use the liquid to steam your face?
oregano is even better, although they are both from the same family. Katherine, the most potent thing would be to get the essential oil and use it with a carrier oil. Steaming might help too.
I think I’ll try adding it to my essential oil blend for hormone balancing/acne. I already added myrrh and I think it helps, so adding thyme, it sounds like, will make it even better. :)
Katherine: according to the study, the way to prepare it is by creating a tincture, i.e. steeping the thyme in alcohol. So basically just get a bunch of thyme and toss it in some alcohol (I’d get medical grade, rather than vodka, though I’m not sure it matters hugely) and let it steep awhile. I’m not sure about exact proportions, but it’s not like it’ll give you a burn or anything. Jezebel wrote about this as well and had a link to the original article – that might have even more info.
You could also make a tincture or a decoction and then use it as a rinse after (or in lieu of) washing your face.
I’ve been using Tammy Fender’s Clarifying Dermagel which has myrrh, thyme and tea tree. Pricey, but smells wonderful and works well on my very oily skin. I do use some 2.5% BP also, but might have to rethink it. Salicylic acid is very helpful too.
Awww man as someone in the grips of an genuinely nightmarish skin situation caused by BP (used it for 10 months nightly, suddenly reacted, burnt face, face got sore, saw dermatologist who used latex gloves to touch my face, had allergic reaction to gloves, have had agonising, sore, raw, weeping face ever since – 30 days and counting) I wish to god I’d known this earlier. BP can kiss my behind, dangerous, dangerous stuff but thyme is one of my fav herbs so this is wonderful news. I’m going to buy some essential oil and add it to my usual jojoba once my skin is healed enough to accept this kind of thing.
Thank you Lolly! I was just about to point out the same thing. I cannot imagine a properly roasted chicken without sprigs of time tucked under the skin and whole branches in the carcas, along with (as you pointed out) a lemon as well as a whole garlic. I also include it in my arrabiatta sauce with other Italian herbs and with garlic and parmesan oven baked fries. My goodness, fresh thyme is an absolute staple in my kitchen. I cannot imagine going without it.
However, I don’t have acne, but I’m not sure there is a 1:1 correlation for me. Glad to read about this though, as well as thyme’s anti-inflammatory properties.
I went to my doctor a couple of months ago with a horrendous bout of cystic acne all over my face. I have had acne since puberty and about in 2006 I was given a course of Roaccutane. About the same time I finished putting that poison in my body, I became very ill and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and CFS a couple of years ago after a long time trying to figure out what was going on with me. Anyway, my skin was clear for about three years and then last year it just went haywire. So the doctor prescribed me three things – oral antibiotics, a gel called Isotrex for night-time which is topical isotretinoin (the same stuff that’s in Roaccutane) and BP for daytime. So I went home that night and applied my isotretinoin (which also has alcohol in it), woke up the next morning and put on the BP, screamed while it basically burned my face off. My first reaction was to stop using the isotretinoin since I’d already had such a bad experience with it. So I switched to just using BP in the morning and then spent the next three weeks watching the skin slowly peel off various parts of my face and the exposed skin get infected.
So back I go to the doctor to tell her about this and to ask if I should really be using the two creams at the same time and if BP is really the best treatment since it is essentially removing my face. She tells me it’’s a GOOD thing that my skin is peeling off because I am getting new skin and if I can just put up with a little ‘discomfort’ while it regenerates I could potentially be acne free. I have no idea what twisted school of medicine this comes from but I gave up on it right there and then.
And that is my mini rant/tale of how BP is the devil itself and how doctors can be really stupid when they don’t have an alternative.
Now, I take my make up off with coconut oil, I slap on some yoghurt and honey, wash it off and moisturise with aloe vera. My skin has never looked better.
Thyme is one of my favourite herbs to eat so I will happily use it for my skin too!
So those of you who are using yoghurt – is it just any plain yoghurt or is, say, Greek better than the regular kind? Cow vs goat? I’m thinking organic would be best anyways, but I have a hard time finding organic Greek yogurt…
Also, while my skin is so much better since I started using One Love Organic’s Balm and honey, I’m still looking for a good sunscreen that won’t make me break out…I lnow everybody always raves about 100% Pure but Argan oil just never, ever worked for me – any suggestions out there from other acne prone ladies?
There’s thyme in Evan Healy’s blemish roll-on and I’ve had some success with it! It smells a little weird but if it clears my skin I’m not going to be picky about the scent.
I use a three-in-one cleanser/mask/spot treatment called Dermify that has oregano and thyme in it. About a year ago I started breaking out worse than usual, and kind of for the hell of it I ordered it online. Nobody recommended it to me or anything, I just found it by googling “acne solutions” or something, so I was kind of bracing myself for it to turn out to be snake oil. But I loved it! I was totally oblivious to the world of natural beauty products at the time, but turns out Dermify markets itself as all-natural, and after I found my way to this blog a few months ago and drank the kool-aid, one of the first things I did was check my Dermify. As far as I can tell (and I’m no expert), it’s golden! It has fullers earth, grapefruit, meadowsweet, white willow, rosemary, lavender, arnica, lots of nice things like that — and oregano and thyme. It’s like very light, wet, soft clay.
I’m surprised I haven’t heard anything about it anywhere. It’s BOMB as a spot treatment, but I love it as a cleanser too. I really want to be validated by a natural beauty guru though! I’m slowly getting over that, as the more I learn the more I’m convinced it’s the real deal (plus I suppose I should trust my own experience), but I can’t fully shake the need for a stamp of approval from an expert I trust. Plus, the word should get out! I’d be really sad if it went out of business.
Has anyone else used Dermify? I’d be super excited if the NMDL community weighed in!
After spending too much time abusing myself in the mirror and using the OCM (oil cleaning method) twice tonight i came to your site to look for support. i LOVE that this was the headline article!! I have had cystic acne along my left jaw/chin/mouth for almost 10 years. i have used proactiv almost exclusively. every few years i try and go off of it to try a more natural approach, and after a few weeks go crawly back to the proativ. I am about 60 days proactiv free and i am at a loss. i was feeling a lot better last week, and thought the OCM might be the real solution. the last couple of days things have gotten angry. i did start my period, so i am hoping that is to blame. also, i have all of these little bumps (not white or black heads, they look like itty bitty ant-holes) along my forehead that i have never experienced. any ideas? any OCM tips? thank you girls!!!
would it work on skin that is just seriously clogged and congested? ive always had clogged skin, with bumps and blackheads, but not really pimples. is that considered “inflammation” and would thyme work?
Evan Healy has a Lemon Thyme hydrosol. It has calmed my skin down A LOT!!!
I’d be interested in natural solutions for congested skin too :)
@Eva: Marie Veronique Organics has two tinted face sunscreens that are awesome, Elemental Herbs also has a really good tinted sunscreen (it comes in untinted, too), Eco Face sunscreen is not tinted but very good (not oily), and Keys Solar Rx is more moisturizing. I like all of them, but currently I use Marie Veronique’s Face Screen daily and Elemental Herbs or Eco when I go to the beach.
@Emily, I was intrigued so I checked out the Dermify website. It makes me nervous that they say a lot about how natural the ingredients are but don’t give an actual list of ingredients (at least I can’t find it). Does the packaging have a list?
@JK, don’t give up on the naturals! Especially wait to see how your cycle changes things. I’m not an OCM fan (had a VERY short-lived trial) so I can’t offer any advice there, but my best advice is to take good care of your overall health and stick with natural topical treatments.
I’ve had horrible skin for 15 years now, and like JK says, I keep going back to BP because it works. I’m willing to give thyme a try, though. If it works for me, I’ll definitely be back to report.
Like Emily, I would also love to know what you girls think of Dermify. I’ve been meaning to try this treatment for my cystic acne and am just wondering if the hype about it being amazing and awesome is true? Thank you!
Eva – I use whole (cow’s) milk organic probiotic yoghurt just because that’s what I used to buy when I ate dairy. I have seen other people say they use Greek yoghurt and I think it doesn’t matter. I am insistent on the probiotics though!
I’m using a cleanser from Yipsophilia (I have to get it from Spain unfortunately) which contains thyme, and has helped my cystic acne a lot (along with facial acupuncture and dealing with some underlying emotional issues – not a quick fix but seems to really have broken the back of the situation).
Generally speaking, switching to natural products and make up has helped so much (thanks NMDL for the encouragement!). I did use BP for a while and hated it – why is red peeling skin meant to be better than acne for god’s sake?! I got sun sensitivity with it as well. Totally avoided accutane, not putting anything that toxic into my body.
Neal’s Yard Remedies do a Thyme tincture (not sure if you can get that in the US?) so if things get bad again that will be my first point of call. In the meantime I think cooking with thyme more can’t do any harm, yum!
to those looking for info on dermify, i did a quick google search and found this ingredient label on their website:
http://www.dermify.com/ingredients.html
the “other ingredients” (active ingredient @ 5% is a sulfur colloid) are completely safe…mostly just oils, extracts, and clays. i’m actually a little amazed! but i don’t know anything about sulfur colloids…haven’t really ever used any acne treatments and so im not sure if this is a common active ingredient, how safe/irritating it may be, etc. i did a search on cosmetics database for the ingredient and there wasn’t a lot of research available. anybody got more info on it?
I have tried countless skincare products for my acne and it seems I finally found something that works for me.
I take 2 tabs of New Chapter Zinc Food complex and 2x Borage seed oil (switch up brands) and I can really say my skin hasn’t looked that good in a long time. I also use a calming zinc soap bar and together with the supplements it cleared up those bumps on my forehead+temples and helped with the chin breakouts.Borage oil is supposed to help balance hormones which would explain the improvement of the chin/jaw breakouts. So happy!Maybe that helps somebody!
BP is terrible.It gives me itchy skin and redness that lasts for days:(
@Laura, thanks for sharing that. It is fairly common for acne treatments that are not BP or salicylic acid to have sulfur. Lots of people can’t use sulfur products due to sensitivity so it’s important for companies to be clear (I don’t know anything about the safety of sulfur for those not sensitive).
Dermify. I’ve never heard of it but now I’m interested. Anyone know anything about this product from first hand experience?
Thanks in advance!!
I have used proactive for years and number it did on my skin is absolutely horrid. It worked beautifully for a while and then, my skin always felt super dry and looked flaky. But the worst of it all is that it made my pores large as the grand canyon and they have permanently stayed that way. I have used prescribed benzyl peroxide as well. After years of suffering from severe cystic acne and scarring and trying numerous topical and antibiotic medications, I finally found out that due to hormonal imbalance my acne has been this serious.
While I have not completely tackled the issue naturally, my skin has been clean for about 8 months. Part of that has to do with the fact that I am still continuing some topical medications (clyndomyiacin) and clean beauty products. My acne was so bad, I had to use it to clear it up. Good news is that, I have stopped using over the counter cleansers, creams, makeup that are full of mineral oil, silicone and all that other junk. I have religiously stuck to clean products like Bubble and bee, Pai, Kahina, Pangea, and Vapour, 100% pure and afterglow makeup products. It is expensive and time consuming to do so much research to make sure you are using quality green products but it is worth it. I only have one face and I see this as an investment for healthy skin.
BP made my face suddenly swell. My left eye was almost swollen shut yesterday. BP sucks.
Love this post!! I’ve been on a month-long stint of only putting things I would eat on my face. Can’t wait to add this to the ingredients list!
BP went bye bye for me after a short stint during my teens when it basically burned my skin and left little bleach spots on my mom’s carpet when a little bit got out while I was shaking the bottle.
My favorite spot treatment these days is still Bach’s Rescue Remedy drops. They’re intended to be used for stress, and they totally take the pain and redness out of bumps for me.
New favorite use for dried thyme: Mix 3 t. organic baking soda, 1 t. celtic sea salt, and 1 t. dried thyme and voila! You have your own yummy tooth powder. Just scoop some on your brush and brush as usual. Much more gentle than toxic toothpastes, and my dentist has begun gushing about my gum health since I made this switch.
That is great news!
I’m wondering if anyone has feedback about using tea tree oil as a spot treatment. I use a really tiny amount on blemishes and apply pure sea buckthorn seed oil on top.
it might be tough for some, but i’ve found that completely eliminating animal products has caused my skin to do a complete 180. i used to be the girl that would buy anything and everything under the sun claiming it contained “miracle” benefits, thousands of dollars later i still had a terrible complexion. so i cut out meat and, more effective for me personally, dairy and WHOA! the results are incredible! after countless books and documentaries, i finally found a safe and effective way to get all the nutrients i need with a plant based diet. you wouldnt believe how many crazy hormones are pumped into our food system (although, im sure most are actually aware considering the dialogue of comments on this site). and ps – ive found it to be easier to just say you are picky about food or that you have food allergies because family and friends have definitely given me the blank stare after i try to explain it. im actually very surprised myself that ive gone full-blown vegan but these days, im a very happy girl.
and as for my skin routine, it is an extremely simple and cheap process now… i first tried coconut oil but it was no good. then argan, not much of a difference. finally i landed on jojoba oil. after the 3 month trial period this product made the biggest difference. and you can get a high quality organic bottle for right around $15 that will last for a very long time. my only indulgence is the acure organics facial scrub which is a dream, but i try not to get too carried away and use it about 2-3 times per week in the shower. i also included many of the tips from nomoredirtylooks including dry brushing, switched to clean beauty products and basically just did a complete overhaul.
BP is terrifying. so are 90% of the OTC meds and products out there. one of the greatest analogies i have ever heard when it comes to modern medicine is “when the emergency light in your car goes on, you dont take it to the garage and have them shut it off, you get the car repaired”. very true, because in most cases we are not looking at the route of the problem but just a quick fix.
can anyone please point some good home remedies for blemishes, thanks :) and also has anyone tried thyme for acne in some way? please explian if so …;)
When I heard that there was a study seeing how effective natural treatments are for acne I was very happy because I am a massive fan of natural acne treatments.
I have to say it comes as no surprise to me that thyme is more effective then Benzoyl Peroxide, as there are also many other natural treatments such as tea tree oil which are just as if not more effective then Benzoyl Peroxide.
I look forward to seeing more studies like this being done hopefully.
Bobby Thomas
I have been using Thyme essential oil at night in addition to Tea Tree Oil. It’s difficult to say whether it has been helping, but I’ve had minimal new blemishes, so it probably has. I also ordered the Dermify (from Amazon) that an earlier commenter mentioned. I was intrigued because, in the past, sulphur has worked really well for me when nothing else would. I have been using it for about a week and I do really like it. It doesn’t smell the best (that’s just how it is with sulphur), but it’s a really gentle cleanser and a fantastic spot treatment. I also like how, in the before and after pictures on their website, it shows definite improvement but not perfection – I feel like it means the results are real. I also like how they start out with people who do, actually, have moderate to severe acne (versus an Allure article I read recently about acne treatments for people who have, like, two pimples…). All in all, I’m a huge fan of Dermify so far. :)
I use thyme essential oil from Oshadhi to nip zits in the bud. It is very, *very* potent, and all you need to use is ONE drop — use more and you might burn yourself.
Just for reference, I thought I’d update again. This Dermify stuff is super fantastic. Two weeks in, and my skin is almost completely clear. I have hormone balance issues and even with that it has still worked fabulously. I mostly had (painful) breakouts on my cheeks and chin, and they get better every day, though most pimples are gone completely (though I haven’t seen a reduction in scarring yet). I was reading over the weekend about a Mario Badescu product that the company was known for that was supposed to be really good for acne. I looked it up and it was a sulphur product – Dermify is a “cleaner” alternative with the same active ingredient (though Dermify has a bunch of other herbs and extracts that are really good for skin that the Mario Badescu doesn’t have).
Also, I don’t work for Dermify or anything, I’m just an acne sufferer who found something that works for her. :)
Thyme is wonderful and have been using it prior to this article being published. PLEASE try evanhealy.com the blemish treatment box for starters. It has thyme in a hydrosol and I love it!
Does anyone have advice for someone looking to get off BP? I have used it for the past 8 years and every time I try to get off it I break out horribly and end up going back on it in desperation because it is the only thing I know works. But, it has given me melasma (brown spots) on my forehead and I really want to quit it for good. Acne is so depressing for me, I don’t want to break out bad either.
Megan and JK- Have you found a solution other that BP? I think we need to start a support group for those trying to get off it.
i tried thyme tea , internally and externally , it worked like miracle for me, i am drinking at least 3 cup of it and putting it on my skin using a piece of cotton.. i have no idea what it makes it work but it is working definately for me.