I have always avoided using mint in my skincare routine. Mint essential oil is one of the few ingredients that can make me cringe when I see it in the ingredients list of a skincare product. It’s right next to citrus and lavender in my personal list of banned ingredients. But Mint can actually be very beneficial for treating acne when taken internally! I have been delighted to discover that mint tea can be a useful tool for battling acne.
Spearmint is a known anti-androgen which means it helps reduce hormones that cause increased sbeum production. This makes spearmint a great tool for treating hormonal and cystic acne. Hormonal acne flareups occur when the hormones in your body are unbalanced. The two androgens hormones that women produce are testosterone and DHEAS and when you regularly drink mint tea this helps lower these androgens and in turn, reduce acne breakouts!
A 2015 study by the American Academy of Dermatology was done comparing the effects of drinking spearmint tea daily vs taking minocycline, a prescription acne medication. Half of the participants drank 2 cups of spearmint tea daily for three months and the other half took 100 milligrams of the prescription minocycline twice daily. After three months the spearmint tea drinkers showed a 51% decrease in acne while those taking the prescription saw a 52% decrease. But 20% of those on the prescription also experienced negative side effects of the medication. Those who drank spearmint tea showed only improvement in acne and experienced zero side effects!
It’s amazing that simply drinking a cup of tea every day can produce the same results as an acne medication but not result in any of the nasty side effects that so many acne medications entail. Although it is all anecdotal, you can also find dozens of spearmint success stories on the SkincareAddiction forums. There have been very few studies completed on the effects of mint for acne but what we do have to go off is very promising when coupled with so many positive experiences from the skincare community (myself included!).
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How long does spearmint tea take to work on acne?
Drinking spearmint tea will not produce miraculous results overnight but if you are consistent and commit to drinking a cup or two every day you should start seeing results within one month. The 2015 AAD study mentioned above found a 25% decrease in acne breakouts after one month of drinking spearmint tea daily but it could take up to 90 days to see the full effects of spearmint on acne breakouts.
“Studies performed in women have shown testosterone levels were significantly reduced over the 30-day period after drinking spearmint tea twice a day. These male-associated hormones are a driving force in some women’s acne, especially adult acne which appears along the jawline in women and which flares during periods.”
Robert Anolik, MD, a New York-based dermatologist
When shopping for a tea be sure to take a careful look at the ingredients list to ensure you’re buying a 100% spearmint tea and not a blend. Many brands use spearmint oils to fragrance a blend of other ingredients. Spearmint is one of the only things my family has been able to successfully grow in our garden so I have a limitless supply in the summertime. If you’re not lucky enough to have your own personal mint patch I recommend that you try out either the Traditional Medicinals Organic Tea – Spearmint or Pacific Northwest Spearmint Loose Tea.
What does mint tea do for your skin?
Mint is packed full of antioxidants that help prevent damage from free radicals and prevent other kinds of environmental damage. Mint is also a great source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C which helps brighten the skin, promotes cell turnover, and increases collagen production 1. Spearmint has also been shown to have antimicrobial and antifungal properties 2. All of these factors make it the perfect tool to treat dull acne-prone skin, prevent acne scarring, while also aiding in healing active breakouts.
Do Mint Supplements Have the Same Effect as Drinking Tea on Acne?
There have been no studies conducted specifically on the effects of mint supplements on acne. Logically it seems that if drinking pure spearmint tea gives results that taking a concentrated supplement form should provide positive results as well. If you are not a fan of drinking tea you should consider a skin supplement containing spearmint extract! The Olly Flawless Complexion Supplement Gummies contains 25mg of spearmint extract along with a slew of additional beneficial vitamins for skin health. You can find these supplements at most drugstores or you can buy online here.
One word of caution:
There is one caveat to using spearmint tea to treat hormonal acne, it is likely not as effective for males and may have negative side effects. Michelle from Lab Muffin explained it best: “Spearmint has been associated with reduced male libido and might damage testicular tissue and reduce sperm, which makes sense since male sex hormones are much more important in males. Chances are, the amount of spearmint required to improve acne will also be the amount which will start having negative effects.”
Women frequently experience hormonal breakouts around their menstrual cycles when androgens rise and can benefit from having these excess hormones tamped down by the antiandrogens found in spearmint tea. These androgens are naturally present in much higher levels in males and it’s very unlikely that someone would be able to lower these hormone levels enough to see improvement in acne breakouts without wreaking havoc on the rest of their system.
