A cup of tea can help you wind down at the end of the day, but it can also potentially improve your skin. Tea is made with different herbs that all provide health benefits. One of the most popular teas that people drink is peppermint.
Peppermint can potentially offer numerous health benefits like improved digestion, treating bad breath, or fighting common cold symptoms. However, is it possible that peppermint tea can heal your skin or treat skin concerns like acne?
There’s no doubt that peppermint tea contains multiple vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need. In addition, acne is tricky to heal, and not everyone will have the same acne experience. However, peppermint may be able to remedy pimples.
Can you use peppermint tea for acne, and does it work? While there are many studies looking at the benefits of peppermint tea, it’s still unknown if it can directly treat acne. However, it may be able to lower inflammation or fight bacteria.
It’s crucial to remember that most evidence regarding peppermint tea healing acne is anecdotal. Nevertheless, it may be worth trying to see how peppermint tea can improve your skin. How can you use peppermint tea to minimize acne?
What Is Peppermint?
Peppermint is more than just a toothpaste or candy cane flavor. It’s a versatile herb that can provide flavor for multiple items. In addition, peppermint is known for its strong, minty, and revitalizing taste. Also, peppermint has a high concentration of menthol.
According to Healthline, “Peppermint is an aromatic herb in the mint family that is a -cross between watermint and spearmint.” It’s also a caffeine-free alternative to drinking coffee.
Benefits Of Peppermint Tea
Peppermint can provide numerous benefits for your health and body. However, do any of these benefits help alleviate acne? Peppermint may have the ability to soothe certain skin conditions on the scalp and create a youthful glow from within.
In addition, peppermint tea may indirectly heal acne. So, what are some significant benefits you can receive from peppermint tea?
Improve Digestion
Did you know that your digestion and gut health can impact your overall health? Your gut health can also trigger acne. For example, consuming highly inflammatory foods can result in discomfort and inflammation in other parts of the body, like acne.
Thankfully, peppermint tea can quickly soothe your gut. In addition, the menthol found in peppermint tea can help relieve cramps, keep regular bowel movements, and reduce inflammation.
Reducing inflammation with peppermint may be able to calm down breakouts.
Potentially Anti-Bacterial
Peppermint can also have antibacterial properties. If you struggle with acne or breakouts, you know you’ll want to reduce as much bacteria as possible. So, drinking peppermint tea can potentially reduce bacteria that trigger acne.
Overall, peppermint’s anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties can indirectly calm down redness and breakouts related to acne.
Reduce Stress And Improve Sleep
Most people are unaware of how much sleep and stress can impact your skin. If your body isn’t nourished or feels like it’s in survival mode, it can show through your skin. So, if you’re not getting enough sleep and peace, peppermint tea can help.
Peppermint is caffeine-free, making it the perfect bedtime drink. Because peppermint can relax muscles, it’s said it’s great to unwind with a cup before sleep. However, there is still mixed evidence regarding if peppermint improves sleep.
However, the better your sleep, you can reduce your stress levels and finally calm down breakouts. So, peppermint tea may be worth a try.
Can Peppermint Tea Work For Acne?
While there is still not enough evidence regarding how effective peppermint tea is for acne, it may still remedy some symptoms. For example, it may heal your acne indirectly.
If you’re struggling with inflamed breakouts and skin, sipping on peppermint tea may help reduce inflammation. Likewise, if you want to reduce bacteria-causing breakouts, peppermint tea is shown to have antibacterial properties.
However, it can take a long time to see results and decide whether peppermint tea works for acne. It’s also crucial to keep in mind there are various types of acne like hormonal acne. In addition, one treatment won’t be tailored for everyone.
How Much Peppermint Tea Should You Drink?
We briefly mentioned that it could take time to see if peppermint tea helps your acne. So, while it is unknown how long you should drink peppermint tea, let’s talk about how much is recommended to drink in a day.
It’s crucial to note that peppermint tea can produce some unwanted side effects for some individuals. While there are no set guidelines, some studies suggest that 1-2 cups a day should be adequate.
According to Medical News Today, “A person can drink peppermint tea throughout the day…peppermint tea also contains zero calories.”
Can You Apply Peppermint Tea Topically?
Peppermint tea can sometimes be used topically. For example, you can brew peppermint tea and let it cool. Then, you can use it as a toner or a face mist. However, peppermint tea is a potent herb that can react differently on the skin.
If you are more sensitive, you may want to avoid using peppermint tea topically. When you create skincare at home, it can be tough to regulate how much menthol is in your tea so it can potentially lead to a bad reaction.
It will be wise to leave skincare formulation up to the chemists. However, if you want to see if peppermint tea toner or face mists can work for you, conduct a patch test before using the tea on your acne.
How To Brew Peppermint Tea
Surprisingly enough, peppermint tea is pretty easy to brew. However, it’s important to note that anything you add to your peppermint tea can also affect any results you may see in your skin.
For example, adding sugar to your tea may minimize its effectiveness in reducing inflammation. So, watch out for what you add to your peppermint tea if you’re trying to calm down breakouts.
1. Boil Water
First, you’ll want to boil your water. One of the easiest and fastest ways you can boil water is by investing in a kettle. You can even opt for an electric kettle to speed up the process.
However, this method of boiling water is more convenient than waiting for the stove or using the microwave.
2. Steep Leaves
Next, it’s time to pour your water into a mug and over your peppermint leaves. Then, you’ll want to leave the peppermint to steep for a few minutes or for as long as the directions require.
After that, you can remove the leaves, or sometimes you can keep them.
3. Drink
Now it’s time to finally enjoy your tea! You can sip on your peppermint tea throughout the day. Also, you can let your tea completely cool down to room temp or leave it in the fridge if you plan to use it as a toner or facial mist.
Side Effects Of Peppermint Tea
Unfortunately, peppermint tea won’t be for everyone. Peppermint tea can trigger some unwanted reactions for some people, and over-consuming it can cause discomfort. So, it’s wise to start slow if you plan to drink peppermint tea.
In addition, if you have previous health concerns or have certain medications, always consult with your doctor to ensure that you can drink peppermint tea safely.
Medication
Surprisingly enough, peppermint tea can alter the efficacy of your medications. So, double-check with your doctor to ensure that peppermint tea won’t weaken or reduce the effectiveness of your medications.
It’s always best to take this precaution, especially if you plan to use peppermint tea to treat another concern like acne.
Acid Reflux
While peppermint may help soothe stomach issues, it can also do the opposite for people prone to heartburn.
Medical News Today states, “Some people find that drinking peppermint tea can trigger or worsen symptoms of heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).”
So if you deal with these issues above, it may be wise not to drink peppermint tea for acne.
Pregnancy Issues
If you’re pregnant, it’s crucial to talk to your doctor if peppermint tea is safe to drink during your pregnancy. This is also smart to do if you plan on drinking any herbs for medicinal purposes.
Allergic Reaction
Lastly, if you’re allergic to peppermint, peppermint flavoring, or anything else in the mint family, you’ll want to avoid peppermint tea. If you notice discomfort digesting or using peppermint tea topically, it’s best to stop and consult a physician.
Takeaway
Overall, peppermint tea does have the potential to remedy acne indirectly. It can reduce inflammation, bacteria, and stress. However, peppermint tea isn’t for everyone, and it can affect varying types of acne differently.
If you plan to drink peppermint tea daily, consult with your doctor. It’s crucial to note that 1-2 cups a day of tea can help remedy acne, but it can take a long time to see results. Also, anything you add to tea, like sugar, can affect your results.
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