Healthy skin is important for looking and feeling great. The first step to achieve this is to clear up any acne – try making your own natural face wash – and then there are even many ways to clear up any scarring leftover from the acne with these DIY home tips.

But there are some other skin issues which are actually harmless and not an indicator of poor health, but which can also be harder to get rid of. We’re talking warts, skin tags, age spots, moles, and blackheads. Fortunately there are natural ways to remedy all of these issues, and we’ve listed them below.

Skin Tags
1. Oregano oil. WikiHow recommends oregano oil, a powerful antiseptic and antispasmodic to help the skin tag dry on its own. For best results, apply 5- 6 drops of oregano oil to the tag 3 times a day. You should see the results in about a month.

2. Castor oil and baking soda. Mix the two ingredients to make a thick paste. Dip a cotton swab in the paste and dab it on the skin tag. WikiHow says this is among the best home remedies for skin tags.

3. Lemon juice. The acid in lemon juice works wonders on skin tags. WikiHow explains this is because lemon juice is not only acidic, but also a powerful antiseptic.

Age Spots
4. Onion and apple cider vinegar. Organic Facts suggests applying a mixture made from equal parts onion juice and apple cider vinegar directly to the age spot to help remove the blemish. To make the onion juice, blend an onion and drain using a strainer.

5. Horseradish and milk. Soak raw horseradish in a bowl of milk for 20- 30 minutes. Next, Organic Facts says to apply the treated milk to the age spots. The antioxidants and volatile compounds will help the age spots fade and eventually disappear.

6. Buttermilk and tomato. This odd combination of ingredients is an effective natural remedy for age spots. Organic Facts says this is because both tomato and buttermilk contain potent acids.

Moles
7. Cumin. Natural Remedies recommends making a paste of ground cumin and water, and applying it to your moles over a period of three weeks. (Remember your ABCDE of skin cancer when you’re looking at your moles, and don’t try home treatments on any you think may be suspicious: show your doctor first.)

8. Essential oil bath. If you have several moles on different parts of your body, Beyond Disease recommends soaking in a hot bath treated with 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup sea salt, 6 drops lavender essential oil, and 3 drops frankincense oil.

9. Flaxseeds and honey. Beyond Disease explains that flaxseed oil helps to remove moles naturally, while honey aids in preventing secondary infection and scaring. Begin by washing the affected area with lukewarm water and pat dry, then mix 1 teaspoon of ground flaxseed powder with enough flaxseed oil and honey to create a smooth paste. Apply the solution directly to the mole and cover with gauze. After an hour, wash with lukewarm water.

Warts
10. Apple Cider Vinegar. Everyday Roots gives a number of great homemade wart treatments, the first of which is applying apple cider vinegar directly to the wart once a day. The best way is to soak a cotton ball in the vinegar and then fix it over the wart using a band-aid. The acid in the vinegar eats away at the flesh of the wart, and eventually it will begin to change colour and then peel away naturally. Avoid the urge to pick at it! You want the whole core of the wart to fall away so that it doesn’t grow back. (Note: Apple cider vinegar has a ton of uses.)

11. Banana peel. This one may be a little more effort than the vinegar, but according to Everyday Roots the banana peel contains a proteolytic enzyme that eats away at the wart. Use a spoon to scrape away the white soft substance on the inside of the peel, and apply it to your wart, covering it with a band-aid. Repeat daily.

12. Pineapple juice. This works on the same theory as the above two tips but with a delicious tropical flavour; soaking your warts in pineapple juice exposes it to acids which eat away at the wart.

Blackheads
13. Baking soda. As an antiseptic, baking soda cleans your skin, helps to neutralise the pH levels, and encourages your skin to produce less oil thereby reducing blackheads, according to Natural Living Ideas. It also exfoliates away dead skins cells leaving your skin soft and smooth. Add a little water to form a paste and apply it to your blackheads, leaving it for about ten minutes. Rinse with warm water.

14. Oatmeal. Surprisingly, this delicious breakfast food also makes a great cleanser, working to loosen up the debris stuck in your pores and eliminate blackheads. Natural Living Ideas recommends cooking the oatmeal as per normal, allowing it to cool and then applying to your face, leaving it to sit for ten to twenty minutes.

15. Lemon juice. Is there anything lemon juice can’t do? Natural Living Ideas explains that it contains alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) citric acid, which works to remove dead skin and loosen clogged pores. Rich in vitamin C, lemon juice also stimulates collagen production to improve your overall skin health. After cleansing as per your normal routine, use a cotton ball to dab lemon juice onto your blackheads and allow it to dry. You can leave it on overnight or rinse after ten minutes. Be careful if you have broken skin – the juice will sting.

Always exercise caution when using home remedies, and don’t apply any substances high in natural acids to broken skin. Use only when the skin around the blemish is clean and healthy. As with most pharmaceutical treatment options for these skin issues the results will not be instant, but with daily use you should expect to see results within a few weeks. Let us know which treatments work for you!

Written by Georgia Sutherland, Contributing Writer for Remedy Daily ~ May 15, 2017.

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