There are many home remedies out there for acne. Their origins are usually based on old wives’ tales or personal anecdotes. And while some of them have been shown to be effective, others are nothing more than urban legends.
Toothpaste is one of those home remedies that fall into the latter category. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that toothpaste can clear acne. Actually, some kinds of toothpaste may even make your acne worse.
Why Toothpaste?
Like most acne myths, using toothpaste to treat acne is based partially on science. In fact, there are four reasons one might associate toothpaste with clearing acne.
- First, toothpaste is made from ingredients that can dry out the skin. This might make you think that it can suck the oil out of your pimples and make them go away.
- Second, toothpaste often contains menthol or other minty ingredients. These can give the sensation of a cooling, refreshing feeling on the skin. This might make you think that the toothpaste is reducing the inflammation in your pimples.
- Next, some years ago, toothpaste contained the ingredient triclosan. This is an antibacterial agent that can kill the bacteria that cause acne.
- Lastly, many people believe that the abrasive nature of toothpaste can help to exfoliate the skin and clear away dead skin cells.
So you can see that thinking that toothpaste might help to clear acne is not entirely without merit.
The Reality of Using Toothpaste on Acne
But the reality is that, while all these things are true, they don’t mean that toothpaste is an effective acne treatment.
- The first issue is that while toothpaste can dry out the skin, it’s not a targeted treatment. This means that it will also dry out the healthy skin around your pimples, leading to irritation and inflammation, which can spawn more acne.
- The second problem is that the cooling, refreshing feeling you get from menthol is only temporary. It might make your pimples feel better for a little while, but it’s not going to do anything to clear up your acne.
- The third issue is that triclosan has been found to affect thyroid hormone levels. It also may breed antibiotic resistance. As such, most brands of toothpaste have removed this ingredient.
- Finally, while toothpaste can exfoliate the skin, it’s not a gentle enough treatment for acne-prone skin. In fact, it’s more likely to inflame your skin and make your acne worse.
Toothpaste has a basic pH which can disrupt the skin’s natural acid mantle. Further, toothpaste contains sodium lauryl sulfate and fluoride. These ingredients can lead to dryness, redness, irritation, and perioral dermatitis.
The bottom line is that no scientific evidence supports the claim that toothpaste will clear acne. While it might temporarily dry out the skin or provide a cooling sensation, it’s not going to do anything to treat the causes of acne. In fact, it’s more inclined to irritate your skin and make your acne worse.
If you’re looking for a treatment for your acne, some natural remedies have far more evidence to support their efficacy than toothpaste does.
So if you’re looking for an effective treatment for your acne, talk to your physician about options that are backed by science. And save your toothpaste for brushing your teeth.
Read about other acne myths.
