When hearing the word turmeric, you may automatically think about the spice used in Indian cooking and nothing more. Although it is indeed a culinary fundamental in many cultural dishes and can add a delicious taste to a variety of meal options, many people do not realize that turmeric is more than just a spice — it can also be a natural remedy for many health conditions; you can even use turmeric for acne.

Natural Alternatives | Turmeric for Acne

Many have attested to the effectiveness of turmeric against acne. Since acne problems are caused by bacteria living on the surface of the skin, turmeric can be of great help. Turmeric has strong anti-bacterial properties which help not only in killing the bacteria, but reducing the swelling and redness of the skin. It can also help the area cool down and reduce irritation.

Turmeric is a well-known blood purifier, so many people who suffer from acne not only use turmeric as a mask or wash for the affected area, they also take it internally. You can buy turmeric in liquid form (which has been shown to be most effective), but it can also be purchased in capsules and pills as well. You can also use fresh turmeric roots and add it to a glass of warm water and drink it in the morning. The real benefits of turmeric are seemingly endless.

Adding another use to turmeric for acne, some people like to use the spice for creating a mask. Turmeric can be combined with other ingredients that help the skin like yogurt, honey, lemon and many more. Some people even leave it overnight, and wake up to wonderfully soft skin, but you can also leave it on for only a few minutes before washing it off. If deciding to leave it on overnight, be wary of the yellow stain it can leave on your skin if you apply it longer. After using turmeric as an overnight mask, you may not want to go out for a few days, or use an oil-based cleanser or facial toner to remove the stain.

Consider turmeric for acne. With continuous use of turmeric, your acne should reduce and clear out within a few weeks.

Additional sources:

SkinCareTalk

LiveStrong

Botox may smooth your wrinkles, but it can dull your ability to understand the emotions of others, a new study suggests.

Botox, used in cosmetic and medical procedures for 20 years, paralyzes muscles, hindering certain facial movements, such as frowns, that over time can cause wrinkles.

Therein lies the problem, says David Neal, a psychology professor at the University of Southern California, lead author of the research, published today in the journal Social Psychology and PersonalityScience.

“People who use Botox are less able to read others’ emotions,” says Neal, who worked with a researcher at Duke University in Durham, N.C.

People read emotions partly by mimicking facial expressions, Neal says, so “if muscular signals from the face to the brain are dampened, you’re less able to read emotions.”

Researchers conducted two experiments, one of 31 women, comparing Botox with Restylane, a dermal filler, and the other of 56 women and 39 men, using a gel that amplifies muscular signals. Participants in both experiments viewed computer images of faces and identified the emotions they saw.

“When the facial muscles are dampened, you get worse in emotion perception, and when the facial muscles are amplified, you get better at emotion perception,” Neal says.

A similar study published last year in the journal Emotion said Botox injections may decrease a person’s ability to feel emotions. That study, conducted at Columbia University, compared Botox and Restylane in 68 people. Its lead author, psychologist Joshua Davis, hasn’t seen the new study but says the finding “would suggest that facial expression is an integral component of what we consider our emotional experience. Certainly the concept is one that fits with the research we did.”

Dermatologist Elizabeth Tanzi of Washington says she’s treated at least 10 patients a day with Botox for a decade and has never heard a complaint related to emotions.

“It’s important that facial expression is there,” she says. “People care about what they look like, but they do not want to look overly done or overly plasticized.”

Neal says users should “consider whether these procedures are having any indirect costs — reducing their ability to empathize and understand people’s emotions.”