Get Rid of Bacne and Prevent Scarring With Apple Cider Vinegar

With summer almost here, no one wants to deal with bacne (those unsightly bumps and pimples that come out on your back), but with so many products that claim to help it can be hard to choose what’s best. Sometimes, expensive treatments don’t even work, and you’re left with pimples and scars that, let’s face it, can make us feel uncomfortable wearing sundresses and bathing suits. The good news is, apple cider vinegar may help bacne and other breakouts, too.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is simply fermented apple cider. When the cider is fermented, the sugar turns into acetic acid, which is what gives ACV many of its health benefits. When it comes to bacne, apple cider vinegar is said to work wonders. Why? ACV has been shown to kill different types of bacteria and prevent infections. Bacne is often caused by a kind of bacteria called P. acnes. In addition to the acetic acid in ACV, it also contains citric, lactic, and succinic acid — all of  which have demonstrated abilities to combat P. acnes bacteria. For example, one study found that subjects who used a moisturizer infused with lactic acid experienced significant reductions in acne breakouts.

And it gets better! One of the worst parts about bacne isn’t even the breakouts themselves, but the scarring that occurs after a pimple has gone away. Oftentimes, a healed pimple can result in dark or red marks on the skin that take significant time to fade — but not with ACV!

Acids like those found in ACV are often used in beauty products to treat skin discoloration and marks. The process is known as chemical peeling. Specifically, results from one study showed that succinic acid reduces the inflammation associated with acne, and could therefore result in less scarring. Even further, conclusions from another study on people with significant acne scarring suggest that lactic helped to improve texture, pigmentation, and appearance of the skin. 

Before you try to use ACV for your bacne or scarring, always perform a small test patch on your skin to be sure you don’t have any adverse reactions. Make sure to dilute the ACV with water in a ratio of 1:3. You can use ACV for regular acne, too, but. be super cautious if you’re applying this solution to sensitive areas like your face. Don’t ever apply ACV to an open wound or pimple that has just been popped, as it is highly acidic and could cause burning and skin damage. (Click through to learn if apple cider vinegar goes bad.)

Once you’ve done a test patch with your ACV solution, you can apply it directly to the affected areas using a cotton ball. Allow the solution to sit on your skin for 30 seconds, then rinse it off with plain water. Do this once or twice per day for best results.

Here’s to beautiful, glowing skin this summer!