As a natural treatment for acne, the number of benefits vinegar offers our body is surprising. Some of these benefits have been utilized for thousands of years, others only recently discovered. Some types of vinegars offer greater benefits than others. The list below details some benefits of the two most common vinegars for acne treatment.

White Vinegar (common store bought vinegar usually distiled to 5% acidity)

• Vinegar helps to reduce the body’s glycemic response after a high carbohydrate meal. It does this by both reducing blood sugar spikes and improving insulin sensitivity in tissues. Both blood sugar spikes and the resulting insulin spike cause chemical changes in your body which suppress immune activity and increase tissue inflammation.
• Vinegar is a natural antibiotic, germ fighter, and skin conditioner. Acne starts in the pores of your skin. And by balancing PH levels, vinegar eliminates what would otherwise be favorable conditions for the growth of acne in clogged pores. Additionally, the acidity of vinegar acts as an astringent, and this both reduces excess sebum production and encourages exfoliation of dead skin cells.
• Vinegar improves the health of our digestive and waste removal systems. It does this on multiple dimensions: By acting as a natural detoxifying agent for the liver and kidneys, it helps them keep clear skin. By promoting natural bacterial growth in the intestine, it helps the immune system keep unwanted bacteria to a minimum. And finally by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides, vinegar helps reduce inflammation in all affected tissues, including the small blood vessels at the surface of your skin.

Natural Apple Cider Vinegar (and other high quality natural vinegar types)

In addition to all the benefits of white vinegar, high quality natural vinegars such as apple cider vinegar offer a range of potent vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. These nutrients each offer unique benefits in reducing acne, especially if your diet happens to be short on any – which is very common in western diets.

The majority of these nutrients are contained in the ‘mother’, a milky string-like substance which floats around the vinegar. It is therefore vital that if you are to obtain maximum benefits from vinegar, you choose a natural, unprocessed variety. Many of the regular grocery store varieties have been filtered, pasteurized, and distilled – which makes them less desireable. As mentioned above in the white vinegar section, however, these can still be of benefit.

Whether you take it internally, use it on your skin, or both, the medicinal properties of vinegar have been known since ancient times. Modern science is only now revealing what many have known for 6000 years, and profit motivated corporations haven’t helped its pace.