Natural Remedies For Acne Using Alum

Alum is a mordant used in dyeing to ensure that the colors from natural plant dyes are fixed and washed fast. It also improves the light and color fastness of fibers.

It is often used in conjunction with cream of tartar to help soften wool, brighten shades, and point dyes such as cochineal. It also has skin-tightening properties and can be rubbed gently on the skin to reduce pores.

Alum Foot Soak

Using an alum foot soak is a natural remedy to treat sweaty feet. Alum is a strong astringent that helps reduce excessive sweating by tightening the skin’s pores. This foot bath also helps to eliminate foot odor by absorbing the odor-causing bacteria. To prepare this foot soak, mix alum powder in warm water and soak your feet for about 15 minutes each night. This treatment should be repeated for 5-6 consecutive days for the best results.

Potassium alum, known as fitkari, is a double-sulfate salt composed of aluminum, potassium, sulfur, and oxygen. This mineral is often used in food processing to maintain crispness and as a leavening agent in baking powder. Alum is also a natural antiseptic and has strong astringent properties.

Alum can be used as a mouth rinse to relieve a sore throat and indigestion. Powder alum, dissolving it in water, and using it as a mouth rinse 2 to 3 times a day.

The astringent properties of alum can be used to cure acne and other skin conditions. Rub alum gently on your skin to eliminate pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. It can also treat acne scars by reducing the appearance of discolorations. Regularly applying this remedy will also help tighten and tone your skin.

Alum Face Pack

Phitkari is a natural mineral for greasy skin, spots, and acne. It is a great, all-natural alternative to harsh chemical creams that can irritate your skin. It has antiseptic and astringent properties, which can tighten skin, reduce oiliness, and shrink pores.

It is also known to heal skin blemishes, including acne scars, and lighten the appearance of dark underarm marks that may result from shaving or other skin treatments like waxing. It can also be used to control bleeding due to minor cuts.

Alum powder can be used as a face pack to brighten the skin, reducing darkness and dullness and helping to even out skin tone. To make a facial mask, mix one tbsp of alum powder with Multani mitti or Fuller’s earth and enough milk if you have dry skin or rose water if you have oily skin to form a smooth paste without lumps. Apply this on your face and neck, avoiding the eye contour area. Leave it for 15 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water.

Alum is a bacteriostatic, meaning that it inhibits the growth of bacteria. Therefore, it is a useful preservative that can be added to personal care products to extend their shelf life. It is also used as a chemical additive in vaccines to help increase the body’s response to the vaccination. It can also be used to treat cracked lips.

Alum Sitz Bath

Alum sitz bath is an effective treatment for hemorrhoids; it will help to shrink the piles and reduce bleeding. It is also a good remedy for treating athlete’s foot as it has antifungal properties. Add a handful of fresh neem leaves to the sitz bath for a better result. This natural cure will help to treat the infection without any harmful chemicals. This is a natural alternative to expensive aftershaves that contain chemicals and is one of the most popular home remedies for hemorrhoids.

Alum is a potent acid; hence, it is used as a deodorant, animal and bird repellent sprays, water purification, vegetable glue, and dyeing. It is considered the least toxic mordant and is often recommended for use with plant dyes. It is available as a powder, rock, flakes, or granules. It is also widely used in leather tanning and as a textile fire-proofing agent. It is also very useful in water treatment and is an ingredient always advised to take with you on a camping trip as it helps purify the water.

To make an alum mordant, dissolve alum in hot water and then soak the pre-wetted fibers in it for 2 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. This is one of the most commonly used alum mordants and works well with most plant dyes. You can reuse this alum mordant several times; remember to keep it covered and labeled between uses.

Alum Powder for Canker Sores

Canker sores are painful, non-contagious mouth ulcers that can take a long time to heal. There are many home treatments for canker sores that can help decrease pain and speed up healing. One such remedy is alum powder. Alum powder, also known as potassium aluminum sulfate, is an astringent that can draw out the liquid inside a sore and dry it out. It can also shrink tissues and help the sore heal faster.

A small study conducted in the Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine found that participants who used alum patches had their canker sores heal five days faster than those who didn’t. In addition to decreasing the size of the sores and reducing pain, alum can also help prevent infection and inflammation.

To use alum for canker sores, mix a pinch of alum powder with water to make it into a paste. Then, apply the paste directly on your canker sores. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then rinse and spit it out. Repeat this process daily until your canker sores heal.

Aside from using alum powder for canker sores, you can also use it as a mouth rinse. Boil a cup of water with 1/2 tsp crystal salt. Once the salt has dissolved, add 1/4 tsp of alum powder and strain. Let the mixture cool to lukewarm, and then use it as a mouth rinse 2-3 times daily.

Alum Powder for Skin Tightening

Alum has astringent properties that tighten and shrink pores. This is particularly useful for oily skin, as it controls excess sebum production. It also has mild antibacterial properties that help to prevent and treat acne. Moreover, alum can remove excess hair and is often included in shaving routines. In addition, alum has been shown to have antifungal activity and can be effective against yeast infections such as oral thrush.

Alum also effectively reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by promoting collagen production and skin firmness. It works by stimulating fibroblasts, which are responsible for the production of the protein that gives skin its elasticity. The alum’s astringent properties further enhance this effect, which induces protein coagulation and tightens the skin.

Using an alum face mask is one of the best ways to reap these benefits. Mix alum powder with rose water to create a paste and apply evenly on the face. This mixture should be left on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing it with water. It’s recommended to use a non-comedogenic moisturizer afterward (it won’t clog pores). For even better results, combine alum with rosewater and multani mitti to create an effective and luxurious face pack. This will give your skin a natural glow while soothing and toning it simultaneously.

Alum Powder for Hemorrhoids

The astringent properties of alum help reduce bleeding and shrink the blood vessels in the body. This can be helpful for people suffering from hemorrhoids as it helps alleviate the pain and itching that comes with the condition. The powder is often added to sitz baths for this purpose, though it can also be applied directly to the skin.

Alum is also used as an antifungal agent and has been shown to kill some fungi strains. It is also known to aid in producing stomach acid and help with digestive problems, such as constipation. It is important to note that alum is not recommended for pregnant women, and more research is needed before it can be considered safe for breastfeeding mothers.

Studies have also indicated that alum has antihemorrhagic effects. Gattegno B et al. found that intravesical instillation of potassium alum had a significant hemostatic impact in patients with cyclophosphamide-induced massive bladder hemorrhage. Similarly, Takashi M et al. found that alum suppositories administered intrarectally to rats showed protective effects on the rectoanal tissue.

In Ayurveda, alum (Sphatika bhasma) controls whooping cough and reduces lung mucus. It also balances an aggravated Pitta dosha and prevents heavy menstrual bleeding due to its properties in Kashaya and Raktastambhak (hemostatic).