I came across this interesting bit of information the other day about green tea cream allegedly being just as good as benzoyl peroxide and not causing the annoying itching, dry, and flakey skin. This is only 1 study, however, and you would think that such research and claims would require multiple studies on different people, different times of the year, etc. to see if they can repeat the results.
Having suffered from acne when I was a teenager, I think a one-time study like this posting such claims is a bit reckless since it may cause teenagers and other acne sufferers to get their hopes up on green tea when perhaps other factors influenced the results and it had nothing to do with the green tea at all. Besides, I am under the impression that white tea has more antibacterial properties than green tea anyway.
However, if you suffer from acne and are looking for an alternative cream or acne treatment that is allegedly less drying and irritating than benzoyl peroxide on your skin, you may want to ask your dermatologist about a green tea based cream for topical use. As always, check with your dermatologist to validate the claims in these studies and see if a green tea cream is appropriate for you.
Here is some information about the study:
“SAN FRANCISCO, March 24 2003 (UPI) -- Long touted for its health-promoting properties, green tea might be an effective treatment for acne, a study suggests.
Green tea has been shown to fight bacteria, reduce inflammation and decrease hormone activity -- three characteristics that make the ancient tea an excellent candidate for an acne therapy.
"This study showed that 3 percent green tea cream is comparable to 4 percent benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of moderate to severe acne," said lead author, Dr. Jennifer Gan-Wong, with the Memorial Medical Center in the Philippines.
Gan-Wong presented her team's findings at the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting. Researchers from tested the promising candidate -- in the form of a 3 percent green tea extract cream -- vs. the leading treatment for acne, 4 percent benzoyl peroxide cream.
A computer randomized a group of 108 subjects into one of two treatment groups. One applied benzoyl peroxide cream twice daily for 12 weeks and the other used green tea extract cream twice daily for the same period. Patients received identical bottles of cream and were unaware of the type of treatment they were assigned.
Subjects were examined and photographed each week by dermatologists, who also were unaware which treatment each patient had been given.
The researchers noted the green tea cream seemed to lighten patients' skin color and improve the overall appearance of their complexion.
Green tea therapy might be appealing to consumers because conventional wisdom holds that natural products are less toxic and have fewer side effects than other drug products, the researchers said.
The preliminary data suggest green tea extract cream causes fewer side effects than benzoyl peroxide treatment. Patients in the green tea group reported fewer cases of dry skin, itching and allergic responses...
The finding could be relevant to the millions of Americans who suffer from acne breakouts, a condition which affects nearly 85 percent of the U.S. population and has a detrimental affect on self-esteem and well-being.”
If you are looking to buy green tea or white tea online, please stop by my online green tea store.