The benefits of sea salt on the skin
At the moment, there isn’t much in the scientific literature to back up the idea that sea salt is good for the skin, but there are some anecdotal reports and hints that it might be.
Here are some ways sea salt can help your skin:
Sea salt has anti-inflammatory properties
Due to the high concentration of minerals in sea salt water, it may have some anti-inflammatory effects, but this hasn’t been proven yet.
Sea salt is a natural mechanical exfoliant
People with psoriasis can use sea salt to get rid of dead skin because it has many exfoliating properties. A study in the International Journal of Dermatology found that eczema patients whose skin was rough, red, and dry could benefit from bathing in a magnesium-rich salt solution from the Dead Sea. Magnesium is also a good supplement for people with acne who want to get rid of it.
When you exfoliate your skin, you also get rid of the dead skin cells on the top layer of skin. This may help prevent a buildup of dead skin cells and some types of acne.
Sea salt can help absorb excess oil
Sea salt can help remove oil from the skin, which can be good for skin that gets acne. It may also kill bacteria, which can help clean pores and get rid of acne naturally.
Should sea salt be used to get rid of acne?
Just like with other skincare trends, it’s important to look into the science instead of looking at before and after pictures on social media. On paper, salt water can look like an easy way to get rid of acne.
Acne can be helped by sea salt made from magnesium-rich ocean water. It can also remove dead skin cells to exfoliate the skin and kill bacteria on the skin.
Even though sea salt may have some benefits for the skin, such as reducing mild inflammation and redness, many dermatologists don’t think it’s a good way to treat acne. There is no evidence that saltwater can reduce inflammation and bacteria enough to get rid of acne.
Some board-certified dermatologists say that using salt water to treat acne can cause hyperpigmentation and scarring, and it can also make it take longer to get the right treatment from a board-certified dermatologist or another licensed medical professional.
To treat acne, eat a balanced, low-inflammatory diet; take good care of your skin; and consult with a dermatologist.
Sea salt vs. DIY saltwater at home
Acne can be helped by sea salt that comes from magnesium-rich ocean water. It can exfoliate dead skin cells and clean pores, drying out oils and pimples. But there is a big difference between ocean water and the sea salt water that you mix at home. At the moment, there is no scientific proof that a saltwater mixture you make at home can help acne.
Even if a do-it-yourself solution works at first, using it instead of other parts of your routine could hurt your skin in the long run.
How to Use It
First of all, forget about doing it yourself. I wouldn’t try to make my own skin care products. Instead, I’d buy ready-made products with extra soothing ingredients, “says Gohara. If you want to see for yourself if all the skin-clearing rumors are true, she recommends using a face mist with sea salt in it once a day instead of using sea salt as an exfoliant to try to scrub your acne away. It’s also important to note that this is only a good option if you have oily skin and/or only a few pimples. If you have inflammatory or cystic acne, Gohara warns, you’ll need a lot more treatment.
If your skin is rough or very dry, you can use a sea salt scrub as an exfoliant. Again, choose an over-the-counter product with hydrating ingredients to make sure you don’t dry out your skin too much. (Oh, and the most important thing is to only use this for your body.
No matter what kind of skin you have, sea salt scrubs are way too rough for the more sensitive skin on your face. And you don’t have to scrub too hard because the roughness of the scrub will do all the hard work for you. Chang says that she prefers sea salt bath soaks that you can just lay in to get the benefits, which is a good idea if you have breakouts on your back or chest and don’t want to scrub your skin with salt crystals.
Skincare products with sea salt
There are a lot of high-quality skin care products with sea salt that can help treat acne better than what you can do on your own. Use a face mist with sea salt in it once a day on your face instead of a sea salt exfoliant, which can be too harsh and rough for your face. If you have oily skin and blemishes every now and then, a face mist with sea salt is a good choice. However, inflammatory or cystic acne will need more treatment.
The Sea Salt hydrating face mist is made with aloe, hyaluronic acid, and a pinch of pink Himalayan salt, which has minerals that are good for your skin. It works well on all skin types because it hydrates, tones, and refreshes the skin.
The Biotech Topical skin spray is made with pure hypochlorous acid and electrolyzed sea salt water to help soothe sensitive pores and help calm skin inflammation and irritation. It’s an organic facial spray toner that keeps your skin moisturized and gives it a healthy glow.
In Conclusion
Some people may have seen results from sea salt and saltwater acne treatments, but it is clear that these results are mostly due to exfoliation and inflammation reduction.
By eating well and taking care of your skin, you can get clear skin. Salt water can help get rid of dead skin cells, but like most things in life, you can have too much of a “good” thing. There isn’t enough scientific evidence to support the idea that saltwater helps acne, and there are safer, more effective ways to get better results.