6 Turmeric Benefits for Skin That Might Surprise You!

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that is known for its use in spicing up foods. Ingesting this spice isn’t the only way to get the benefits of turmeric. There are turmeric benefits for skin issues that men and women from around the world suffer from.

A few of the key skin-related benefits of turmeric are:

1. Wound Healing Properties

Curcumin is the ingredient in turmeric that gives it the healing properties for many of the items on our list. What studies show is that turmeric’s ability to fight inflammation and to boost oxidation is beneficial for wound healing.

When suffering from a cutaneous wound, there’s a lower response level from the body to allow the wound to heal faster.

Turmeric's ability to fight bacteria is also beneficial. When applied, it may help reduce the risk of infection. A short review found that curcumin was able to stimulate growth factors in the body that are responsible for healing wounds.

Wound restoration speeds were improved.

Applying turmeric to wounds may also help with scarring since it’s shown to reduce inflammation and fight certain forms of bacteria. While effective, it’s important that the wound be cleaned to avoid infection and proper medical attention is sought as necessary.

2. Psoriasis Soothing

Psoriasis impacts over 125 million people worldwide. The condition causes inflammation of the skin and can leave scaly patches of skin behind that bleed or crack, and sometimes leads to Psoriatic Arthritis. While the use of turmeric will not cure the autoimmune disease, it can help calm the symptoms.

Typically, a cream will be applied, or a paste will be made that includes turmeric and water. Cool paste or an already formulated cream can be applied to the skin and allowed to sit overnight.

Remove the paste using hot water. If you're using a preformulated cream you likely won’t need this step.

Studies show that within 9 to 12 weeks , turmeric will start to improve plaque psoriasis symptoms.

3. Skin “Glow” and Luster

Maintaining a natural glow is what everyone is seeking who wants to turn back the clock. That magical “glow” can be achieved with turmeric for a few reasons:

• Antioxidants
• Anti-inflammatory properties

Turmeric naturally has these two properties and is one of the main reasons that this spice Is so beneficial for your health and skin. Face masks are the go-to option for better-looking skin using turmeric because it sits on your face, revives the skin, and helps restore the natural glow that you may have lost.

When making a face mask, you’ll want to add in other ingredients that can help your skin, too. A few of the ingredients that you can add to your face mask are:

• Yogurt
• Honey
• Turmeric

Yogurt is a great addition to every mask, but it’s important to choose a non-flavored variety with no additives. Flavored varieties often contain ingredients that aren’t beneficial to the skin.

There's also some evidence that turmeric’s skin benefits also include reducing signs of aging and sun damage. Turmeric is able to do this by preventing free radicals and blocking elastase, which attacks the skin’s elastin. Elastin is responsible for giving your skin its tight, firm structure. Elastase is responsible for starving the skin of vital proteins that allow the skin to be flexible and causes wrinkles.

4. Potential to Help with Scarring

Scarring, especially from acne, can be reversed to some extent with the use of turmeric. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of turmeric are what help with scarring. Acne scarring is often caused by bacteria, and antibiotics can help with reducing the scarring.

A lot of home remedies are sought for acne scarring because of drug resistance due to high levels of antibiotic usage.

Turmeric essential oils can be applied to the skin, but it’s important to dilute these oils prior to application. A carrier oil is required to dilute the turmeric and can be applied directly to the skin afterward. You can also make a face mask using aloe, yogurt, honey, turmeric essential oils, and other ingredients to help with scarring.

One study from 2013 looked at turmeric’s ability to fight Propionibacterium or the bacteria that is associated with acne. Lauric acid and the curcumin in turmeric were found to produce beneficial results, even when traditional antibiotic treatments didn’t work.

The study mentions the rising concern of antibiotic resistance and the need to find alternative, natural treatments that can help people suffering from acne. Turmeric's antibacterial properties may be an answer to acne scarring and development.

5. Brighten Skin in Three Weeks

Sometimes, the skin will darken and cause you to look older. While people might like to get tan, very few want dark circles or shadows under their eyes. Studies have been done on turmeric that shows in just a matter of three weeks, these dark under-eye shadows can be lightened. The skin lightening can last as long as three weeks, too.

Turmeric also led to a more visible skin glow and offered rapid healing. Through enhanced healing and anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is able to restore the skin’s natural health in many people.

6. Conditions with Anecdotal Evidence

A lot of the turmeric benefits for the skin have been noted by men and women around the world. The benefits, all anecdotal because of a lack of scientific evidence to back them, include:

• Helps alleviate dry skin
• Helps fade stretch marks
• May help with skin cancer
• Can provide benefits for people with vitiligo
• Beneficial for scleroderma

While there’s a lack of these claims, applying turmeric to the skin shouldn't impact your normal course of treatment or medication. It’s worth trying to see how well it works for you.

Potential Side Effects

While turmeric is generally safe, it’s important to test your cream or oil on your arm first using a dime-sized amount. Some users will have an allergic reaction within 24 to 48 hours of application, which is exhibited through skin irritation and/or redness.

If you’re allergic to turmeric when it’s a spice in food, do not use it for its skin benefits.

Turmeric's natural beneficial properties make it a great addition to creams, face masks, and ointments. Applying the turmeric daily may provide benefits for skin issues that you’re suffering from.