Adult acne is a nasty thing. Just when you thought you’d put those awkward teenage years behind you, you wake up one morning in your mid to late twenties, and there it is: a ginormous, inflamed, middle school-esque pimple staring back at you from your forehead…or your nose…or your chin… Or all of the above – ewww…
Whether you’ve done your time with teenage acne or not, seeing it again during your adult years is not fun – and I’m speaking from personal experience! I’ve tried everything, from pills, to creams, to Proactiv-type products. Nothing worked, at least not for long. Fortunately for me, the problem fixed itself on its own and I now only battle the random breakout here and there.
My younger cousin is now going through the same thing, so for the past few months, I’ve made it my mission to find something that would help her. I didn’t want her to go down the same path as I did with pills, creams, etc. Now that I have this blog, I knew it was my duty to help her find a natural, chemical-free alternative to the steroid-laden pills and creams that are prescribed at the conventional dermatologist’s office.
Lo and behold, this link about using banana peels randomly crossed my path one night, and I sent it to my cousin and never thought about it again. A few weeks later, on our visit down to Florida, I noticed her skin looked much better and her acne scars were starting to fade. Imagine my surprise when she told me she’d been using the banana peels trick and loved it!
She even jokingly informed me that she’s become the “banana-nazi” so to speak, making sure no one throws away banana peels in her presence LOL 🙂
The steps are very simple:
- Take a small piece of banana peel and rub it on the affected area for a few minutes until the inside of the peel turns brown.
- As it dries, your skin will absorb the vitamins and nutrients in the peel. I leave it on for about 30 mins. and then wash it off with warm water. At night, I just leave it on overnight, then wash off in the morning.
- Do this 3 times a day, and in a few days, you’ll notice results!
Even if you don’t have actual pimples on your skin, this trick can also help reduce acne scars from old breakouts. That’s where I come in: I used this on some old scars around my chin and jaw line and really noticed results within a couple days!
I’m not brave enough to share before/after pictures for the world to see, but the original poster graciously did this for us in her follow-up post. Just seeing those pictures was reason enough for me to try it and to send the link to my cousin!
If you’re looking to do away with commercial products and harsh chemicals on your skin, I urge you to give this a try. It’s totally worth a shot: what’s the worst that can happen – you get some banana on your face for a couple days? Totally worth the risk 🙂
So Why Does This Work?
Banana peels are chock-full of antioxidants, including lutein, which may help protect the skin against sun damage. They also contain esterified fatty acids, which have actually been isolated and incorporated into a patented lotion (Exorex lotion) used to treat eczema and psoriasis!
Some extra notes and other uses
- Banana peels can also be used to treat warts as well! Just tape a piece of the peel to cover the wart, leave on overnight, and remove in the morning. Continue with nightly treatments until wart is gone.
- To stop the itch from bug bites and poison ivy, rub banana peels on the affected area – no more itching!
- Banana peels may also help with hemorrhoids because of the sugar content, which helps them shrink.
- Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by rubbing banana peels on your skin, which helps to tighten and tone the skin.
- Psoriasis sufferers may also find relief by rubbing banana peels on the affected areas, and may see results within a few days or weeks.
- Banana peels contain lots of potassium, and the antioxidant, lutein.
- Use ripe banana peels, to ensure the best results! And make sure they’re fresh; you don’t want to use an old peel that’s been lying on the counter for a few hours. (So yes, you may have to recruit some scheduled banana eaters for you 😉
How To Save the Banana Peels
There’s been lots of questions and ideas regarding how to save the peel to use it for subsequent treatments, so you’re not eating several bananas per day. And a reader (Hi Alison!) was kind enough to share her technique, which works great:
I’ve fine tuned my technique to cutting a portion of the skin from the banana at a time- just a shallow incision around a section big enough to do my face with, then peel off and use. That way it all stays in tact and 1 banana can go 1 or 2 days depending on size. The fruit gets exposed to the air but still good in a smoothie at the end on the day!
Do you have any great tips or remedies to help clear up acne or scarring?
Hello! i wanna try this method but im currently using facial wash. should i stop it while using this banana peel thingy? i using my facial wash morning and evening so i using the banana peel when im going to sleep and leave it overnight, should i use banana peel only and dont use this facial wash?. what should i do please help!
You can use the banana peels along with your facial wash. Just think of the banana peels as a treatment, so it doesn’t take the place of your face wash.
Hi, my forehead was infected and full of dark spots now. Could you please tell me a remedy to cure this
Look for natural home remedies . I don’t know the exact thing you’re going though but my mom has dark spots on her arms…. but hers is from the sun .
Thanks alot for ones baeuty improvement
Even if you don’t have actual pimples on your skin, this trick can also help reduce acne scars from old breakouts. That’s where I come in: I used this on some old scars around my chin and jaw line and really noticed results within a couple days.
As a 52 year old woman, I have tried many products for aging, blemishes and dark circles under my eyes. Within 3 days of applying Dermalmd anti aging serum I noticed the pores and blackheads on my nose were completely gone. My under eye circles were improved dramatically. This is a thin liquid so a little goes a very long way. I apply it to my cleaned face at night; it’s best to let it soak in and dry completely before applying your moisturizer. I am so impressed with dermalmd serum that 6 of my friends/co-workers have purchased in which all of them have had the same results.
Wow, i never thought of banana peel before and just tried orange.
This one is awesome, thanks for sharing!
How syringoma can be treated with the use of banana peel?
I’m sorry, I have no experience with this condition, so this outside of my scope of knowledge.
I know! Its so hard to find something that works for acne and is moisturizing. Try Citrus Clears Sensitive Line – BUT NOT the Control Acne line. It was WAY too strong for my skin and dried me out. But but the Sensitive Line took the acne away, and kept my skin moisturized.
Thanks Sarah, I will be really glad to bookmark this page for future purposes
thanks for sharing this post with us, i will try this
Awesome! Didn’t know you could do that with banana peels!
Pretty cool, right? 🙂
It is very annoying to have acne scars. When i was in high school i was thinking that it will healed own its own later but i was wrong. I spent almost 700 dollars for fractional laser although there is an improvement but it is still a small improvement, also it was a painful experienced. I didn’t try that one, but i will see if its really effective.
Unfortunately my daughter tried this and both her arms swelled up. I can’t believe you would recommend putting a raw substance potentially full of harmful bacteria and enzymes onto a rash. Fortunately most people don’t try this. When are people going learn that”natural does not equal safe”.
Oh no, I hope your daughter is feeling better! Wondering what kind of rash it was that you tried this on? How old is your daughter? And if she’s had any other types of similar reactions before? There’s a lot of factors at play here, so it would be a good idea to try and find the root cause of this reaction, so you can prevent similar ones in the future. Blessings to you and your daughter!
I saw a tremendous result after one use and my face was scared with black spots on both cheeks and i’ve tried everything but this worked immediatly
Wow, that’s amazing, Louisiana!
Hi
i am norma form canada
Wow! Who knew? I’m totally going to try this on my scars. If it works, I’m flying out to hug you.
Hey Sarah can i please ask a quick question, can banana peels help me with my venous leg ulcer? It’s been 13 months now since i have that wound
I’m sorry, but I really don’t know as I have no experience with this.
you can also mae a sort of parer with them
I’ve been getting a lot of pimples during my face and I don’t know how to eliminate them and they change white fast and stay like this.please help with any kind of creams, home remedies?
I’ve been suffering this pimples for almost 1 month and it’s kinda’ irritating in my eyes.
so I research about fruit peeling as pimple remover. Luckily i found this site
i hope that this will be effective. Thank you.
You’re welcome! Hope you find some relief soon!
Since you are a teenager – zits are occasionally normal. Here’s what worked my for my 3 kids who all had acne problems at some point i their lives. We swear by two products in our household:
– ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear sunscreen. a little goes a long way, this keeps your skin moist and protected. (oil free if possible**) this also prevents a lot of upcoming skin concerns.
-Citrus Clear has a Grapefruit Spot Treatment that you can use throughout the day when your skin is oily. My teens used this about 2-3x per day and it worked great on any pimples that came out. They were gone in 1-2 days.
Am ganna try this I hope it gets rid of my acne scars. Thanks for sharing this it helps
Wow!Thanks for the helpful tips ? I’m doing this for 2 days already and I noticed it is working. Good thing my country Philippines is rich when it comes to banana ?
Yay! 🙂
I used sweet orange eo on my Rosemead and it ‘went away’ (cured).
Wow i now buy more bananas then ever..great tips!
thanks for this tips but you can tell me its really work.
I used many pills and cream but no result ……
please help me …..please….
☺☺☺☺☺☺
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Niche all beauty information, LOVE it, thank so much for share this! Sounds like a fun filled event…I’m off to read her blog now.
What Works For Acne Breakouts?
This amaze me. Who knows from something we may never think about, banana peels can be really useful. Banana peels from what I’ve known is also popular as pain reliever.
I don’t have good skin and I can say for certain this banana peel method does work. Normally for me, blemishes that are close to 1 year are permanent. I was treating a large blemish with Ultraquinn for 5-6 monthswith close to zero results, which I shouldn’t be dong because of cancer risks.
After reading about banana peels on this site, I started using banana peel method and noticed the diminishing of the size of the blemish within the first week. After about 4 weeks, the inside of the large blemish patch started fading. As of 1.5 months around 80% of the blemish is gone.
I would say rubbing the peel has good results, but only placing the whiteish/yellow bits of the peel onto the blemish overnight will fix the most stubborn of the blemishes.
I am quite happy with the results! The faster you try this, the faster the blemish fades. I found the peel does not clog the skin in any way. This is truly a natural miracle ‘drug’ that man cannot replicate with drugs.
i`ve tried the banana peel it works like a magic. Whenever i`m in the sun my skin starts itching and then ends up with blemishes. But since I started using the banana peel my skin looks great again. Thanks Sara
Why couldn’t you also freeze the peels? Might not be AS effective as fresh but it would still be better than throwing it away.
It may work for white people but if you are black and like me you have dots of black acne scars then this doesn’t work. I tried it for about 8 days and nothing. It may work for some people but I’m just saying it didn’t work for me. I recommend you go to a doctor and get duac for the scars. I did a lot of research on it and this is the third day I’m using it. I can see some pimples getting smaller already. Take this advice because I know what I’m talking about, after about two or three years of research☝️
This is really a perfect way to cure Acne problems. Good post.
Hi!
I’ve been doing this everyday (sometimes more than twice daily depending) for nearly 2 weeks…I haven’t had any results at all – in fact I have even more pimples. I wash my face before thoroughly , and I leave it on for over 45 minutes, or even hours. Is this just the peel bringing the deeper impurities to the surface? Thats what I thought at first, but I’m getting worried now since everyday new ones come up…
As with any remedy you find on this (or any other site), if you have any reason to believe that something is not working for you, please stop using it and consult with a professional. Not all remedies will work for all skin types, so I hope you find what works for you. 🙂
Ur advice is fabulous please send me a link so I can follow u on Twitter please. I would love to see your other excellent natural remadies.im trying the banana tip as I type lol
Thanks, Michelle! You can find me on Twitter @naturesnurture
We’re a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your website offered us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and our entire community will
be grateful to you.
Hi I have dark old scars on my legs over 10 years old. do I use the banana only or do I mix banana and lemon juice.
thanks
Lemon juice is naturally bleaching, so you could definitely try adding it to your routine!
I apply the Citrus Clear Spot Treatment it to new red acne spots and leave it on. I can see the redness fades right away and the next day it becomes very light. Last year I had a serious break-out and used tons of skin care products and my face was still full of dark spots, for a whole year. They disappeared within two months after using the Citrus Clear products.
Great tips, I am thinking of trying the banana peel on and around my eyes as I have started getting a couple of skin tags there, hope it works !
Hi did any body know any natural treatments for open pores.
I am so trying this! But I noticed that instead of eating a few bananas a day, that only a small piece of skin was cut and the banana was used later on for like a smoothie. The funny thing is, it is actually recommended to eat up to three bananas a day for depression, energy, and other fabulous benefits! Plus, you lose the benefits of the banana the longer you blend it into a smoothie. So don’t think you’re overeating bananas! 🙂
For skincare, I love banana for relieving itchy mosquito bites by just rubbing the peels on the bites.
Hi sarah!
Firstly id like to thank you like a million times for this amazing cure.. I have cured my acne but alot improvement has still to come.
now for a few questions:p
1. I have oily skin and I really want your advice
2. Facial hair :/
3.i have dark circles around eyes and also its dark around my mouth area
4. Im getting bald from the front .. I really need to fix it.
5. My last problem is that I am a student and going in the sun everyday really gets bad on my skin can you tell me what to put so that it stays protected and clean..!!!
It would be really kind of you..
plzzzzzzz do answer..
waiting 🙂 🙂
Do U have anything for Lipomas?
Hello can egg white be left on your face but can you apply Preparation H first then egg white and lemon juice and a little vinegar and let all these stay all day can I
I wouldn’t put Preparation H on my face, and probably not a good idea to put all of the other things you mentioned at the same time. I know diluted lemon juice can be a good toner, but that’s all I have experience with.
How do I naturally get rid of blackheads?
Here you go 🙂
http://naturesnurture.co/2012/08/13/natural-skin-care-baking-soda-for-blackheads/
I had a patch of psoriasis on my hand and I started using the banana peel on it every morning when I made my smoothy. Behold it is now 99% gone. So much better than the terrible drugs they they wanted me to use.
That’s amazing, Regina! So glad you’ve found some relief without prescription drugs. 🙂
Keep in mind that banana, like most other fruits and vegetables, are sprayed with toxins. Look for organic bananas to use on your skin.
help after using the banana method for a day or two i started noticing white spots appear on my cheeks and a wide patch like white stain help wont go away.
Do I need to wash first the banana peel?tnx
No, you’re using the inside of the peel so you don’t want to wash it off at all.
Which banana peel to be used? Green or yellow banana? Plz kindly let me know
Regular yellow bananas
I was wondering will banana peels fade post acne marks?
They can, but it will take time and diligence. That’s actually what got me onto this post – I was looking for a way to fade acne spots for my sister 🙂