gymrat7676 0 Posted November 17, 2005 what do u all think of using liquid grapefruit seed extract topically for acne? it is antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shyana 2 Posted November 18, 2005 Yes it can be used as a topical and taken in juice or water etc. Try adding some to distilled water and use as a final rinse after you cleanse your face, or even add some to you liquid cleanser. Also I have used a few drops to massage my face with, diluted with wet finger tips. Be careful this also can disrupt the good flora of bacteria on your skin. . It is potent stuff. But I did not have any sensitivity to it and it does kill p.acnes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gymrat7676 0 Posted November 19, 2005 i keep reading that it only kills bad bacteria and doesn't mess with good bacteria Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shyana 2 Posted November 19, 2005 i keep reading that it only kills bad bacteria and doesn't mess with good bacteria Yes I have read that too. However just how is this bacteria specific? It is not and can disrupt the natural flora of the skin, intestines. It is bacteriostatic and antiviral. The bacteria on your skin is needed and even a virus has now been identified that is beneficial, forgot the name of it. Too much of any antiviral,or any antibacterial will cause normal skin flora to change.Then you have yeast growth etc as the next set of problems. Yeast can look very much like acne on the skin. So just use as needed. P.acnes can become resistant to anything, there are numerous strains. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gymrat7676 0 Posted November 21, 2005 so then benzoyl peroxide has the same effect and yet so many people use it? also have u heard anything about that virus that helps with acne? haven't seen anything recently i am nervous to try the grapefruit seed extract topically cause i get irritated by so many things Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shyana 2 Posted November 22, 2005 so then benzoyl peroxide has the same effect and yet so many people use it? also have u heard anything about that virus that helps with acne? haven't seen anything recently i am nervous to try the grapefruit seed extract topically cause i get irritated by so many things Well BP is an oxidant it works a little different. It is cytotoxic among other things. Numerous studies have been done on this medicine. Its antibacterial but the reason is not like actual antibiotics. Thus you don't have the resisitance of P.acnes. This is why it is liked as a treatment. It is not specific to p.acnes, staph and strep also can be killed here. Also being an oxidant it will kill normal skin cells as well. Why do you think your skin bleaches with prolong use? Melanocytes and keratinocytes are killed. However these effects are beneficial for acne treatments in many cases. There is also known tumor causing effects of BP. The link appears to be in BP's ability to inhibit metabolic co-operation in the epidermis promoting tumours. Most of these studies are done on animals. However there is some indication that using topical antioxidants such as Silymarin will reduce tumorigenesis. Tee tree oil seems to to be less cytotoxic and has shown in some studies to be an anti histamine, reducing inflammation of lesions as well as killing p.acnes. So its biochemical pathway in the skin seems to be different than BP's. The skin has an intricate network of biochemical processes going on and the introduction of any one medicine/treatment can effect it. The virus is called Bacteriophage and I read a gel was going to be made for topical use to inhibit p.acnes, but I have never seen it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
