There’s always a deviating argument whether sea water can actually heal acne or not. The large population of acne-affected individuals is also divided when it comes to this. Certainly, no one can refute the other when it comes to personal opinion. But by and large, many hopefuls are asking if it’s worth their time soaking in the ocean, or if it’s worth their money buying saltwater-based creams and whatnot.
Unfortunately, there’s no definitive answer to this question. But, it’s definitely a subject worth looking into. To answer whether saltwater cures acne or not, it is important to ask other relevant questions to understand the connection between sea water and zits.
Does Sea Water Have Healing Properties?
According to a nutritionist and herbalist, Stephanie Tourles, saltwater has the ability to heal skin problems. “The trace minerals in sea salt help to soothe and heal skin that is inflamed, broken out in a rash, itching or even oozing.” Jacques de Langre, a biochemist based in California and the author of Seasalt’s Hidden Powers wrote in his book that, “Sea salt contains 92 trace minerals, 24 of which have been scientifically proven to be essential to the maintenance of optimal health.” He added that, “Deficiencies of these trace minerals can cause dire consequences for the body’s cells, which lose the ability to control and balance their ions. Resultant cell damage can lead to muscle spasms, brain damage or nervous disorders.” This means that saltwater helps promote cell health. Another healing benefit of salt is that it helps ease muscular and joint pains. Jude Todd, an herbalist suggests, “Adding several cups of sea salt to a tubful of hot bath water,” to help bathe away arthritic pain and discomfort that a muscle or joint pain is causing.
So, Does This Mean That Saltwater Can Truly Cure Pimples?
There’s no enough research that support this claim. Although many people and cosmetic industries would affirm that sea water helps cure acne, most of these are based on conjectures and personal theories. Brad Chase, the CEO of ProgressiveHealth.com, wrote some of these assumptions:
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Saltwater can dry out facial oil. This has been tested and founded to be true; thus many cosmetologists assume that sea water could cure acne due to its moisture reduction ability.
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Saltwater reduces bacteria. This is also true since salt is used to preserve food. However, there’s no scientific findings that say saltwater could also kill acne bacteria.
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Saltwater can reduce pores. There’s no proof of this, but it’s a popular assumption nonetheless.
On the other hand, Dr. Jetske Ultee, a research physician in cosmetic dermatology says, “Long exposure to seawater breaks down the barrier functioning of the skin, and as a result it becomes dried out. This drying out leads to a higher production of sebum which eventually aggravates the acne. Furthermore unfortunately it is not the case that the positive effect salt water has on certain skin conditions automatically means that it can improve acne. Sun is also good for certain skin conditions, but certainly not for healthy skin or acne!”
The Bottom-line:
However, the lack of scientific evidence doesn’t disprove the possibility of sea water to cure pimples. It only means that right now, the effectiveness of saltwater in this capacity is subjective to every individual’s skin and reaction to it when used as a pimple remedy. Dr. Ultee’s acne advice is to stay conventional when it comes to treating zits – cleansing the face with a mild cleanser and using benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid based creams. But for individuals who want to try sea water, it is safe to experiment at home using a salt water remedy by mixing 1 tablespoon of salt into a glass of warm water. Using a ball of cotton, the mixture can be dabbed on acne-affected skin for a week. If it works, then it is a good remedy for someone.