By Viktoria
Updated: August 3, 2023
8 minutes
Clear and healthy skin would always top the chart as the most sought-after reason for purchasing skin care products. And as you can already guess there are several options available to help achieve that
Even better if you are a skincare enthusiast who cares to browse different products, you would notice tons of ads and suggestions on the various skincare products available in the market. This may be good or bad and sometimes, this could be cringy, because your inboxes and websites are littered with various ads on skincare.
Amidst these many advertisements, how do you even know which to choose? Not to scare you but the truth is these products are packed with different chemicals that could harm your skin. And using that for your face, a sensitive part of your body might just be so dangerous than you can ever imagine. So, what do you do in such a situation?
Well, with the influx of these products, many skin care experts have concluded that rather than use your skin as a lab rat for experiments and risk different skin reactions, it is better to opt for a natural remedy. With this, there has been an upsurge in knowledge about these natural remedies including some foods and fruits. One of those very beneficial fruits is the papaya fruit. How amazing is it to know that some foods and fruits hold enormous benefits for our skin health?
So, in this article, we examine the fruit papaya, and how it can help with face care. Furthermore, we examine the benefits as well as the side effects of using this fruit as a face treatment. Lastly, we give tips on how to use papaya fruit to get the best benefit. If this sounds like something that interests you then hop in as we take a ride.
The fruit ‘Papaya’
Papaya
, also known as
Carica papaya
(Scientific name) is a sweet-smelling fruit with the colors orange and green and has a soft texture. Although the fruit originated from Central America, however, it has been found to flourish in other continents of the world, especially in Africa. Papaya is best grown in tropical regions with an abundance of rainfall and minimal flooding. As a note, you should avoid cultivating papaya in cold regions as this may damage its crop. In the stone age, papayas mostly found their use as herbs and medicinal plants.
Over time, the fruit has been modernized to be eaten in different forms of foods and salads. Although, the indigenous people ate all parts of the fruit including the seeds, however, we wouldn’t advise consuming it in the raw form because of the health challenges it poses. However, when dried, processed, and ground into a smooth powdery form, there are so much nutritive and health benefits to the papaya and its seeds.
Papaya for face
Papaya is made up of various enzymes that help to purify the skin and cleanse clogged pores. When you combine this fruit with some other condiments such as lemon juice and honey, the mixture can help destroy and eliminate acne-causing bacteria that cause inflammation to the skin. For facial treatment and care, mash some papaya and add honey, lemon juice, honey, and sandalwood powder into a paste, then apply on your face and let it sit for 15 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water.
Benefits
Papaya holds a huge benefit to your skin, hair, and general body health, either in its ripe or unripe form. They work to nourish and improve your health from the inside out. The effect of this on your overall health is that it alleviates several common health issues. For instance, papaya is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, and enzymes. Your small cube of papaya contains a higher amount of vitamin C content than the daily recommended value. Here are 8 benefits of using papaya for your skin. Below are 8 benefits of using papaya for the face and skin;
1.
Eliminate skin pigmentation
This is perhaps the most obvious benefit of papaya for your skin. The infused compositions of enzymes such as beta-carotene, phytochemicals, and vitamins can help eliminate scars and even out multiple uneven pigmentations on the skin. These prevailing ingredients help to brighten the skin and in turn, eliminate discoloration and blemishes to give you smooth and even-toned skin.
2.
Facial hair treatment
Facial hair removal is such a big struggle for many people. Having to choose from the plethora of hair removal options available could be time-consuming and so they end up settling for the available rather than the desired option. However, with the raw papaya face pack, you can be sure that
facial hair removal
is solved. Papaya is super rich in beta carotene enzyme which works to help eliminate blemishes and lighten the skin. In other words, you could say it works as a bleach and this debilitates the hair molecules of the face. In turn, this stalls the growth of new strands as weakened hair follicles will not produce hair as frequently as it should.
3.
Skin moisturizer
Papaya contains a high amount of antioxidants and enzymes that help to moisten the skin and eliminate dryness and flakiness. By consistently applying papaya pulp to your skin, it can help moisten and restore the natural glow of your skin. So, additionally, it helps you cut the cost of purchasing a moisturizer separately.
4.
Reduces inflammation and acne
Papaya is an excellent choice for those who wish to fight off acne or inflammation of any sort. This is because the two proteolytic enzymes papain and chymopapain present in papaya are capable of breaking down other proteins to help reduce the appearance of acne. Also, papaya can help in exfoliating dead cells that clog the skin pores. Also, damaged keratin resulting in clogged skin can be removed using papaya. Furthermore, the high retinol concentration (a form of vitamin A) can be used for treating and preventing acne resulting from inflammation. In addition, it has been found that papaya is effective in the treatment of scars.
5.
Dark spot removal
The enzyme papain present in papaya helps to
get rid of dark spots
and sun tan around your face or body as it works to break down inactive proteins and in turn, lighten and make the skin soft and supple. Also, you can use papaya as a home remedy to treat melasma (a skin condition that causes dark patches and discoloration)
6.
Reverses visible aging signs
Papaya is a rich source of the antioxidant, lycopene which helps slow down signs of aging including the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. Papaya elicits this effect by fighting off free radicals that cause damage to the skin. In turn, papaya helps to enhance skin elasticity and make the skin firmer to prevent wrinkle formation.
7.
Skin cleanser
Papaya contains many enzymes and antioxidants that can help to eliminate damaged and dead skin cells, tissues, and dirt present on the surface of the skin. Papaya helps to cleanse your skin pores by unclogging and flushing out the debris on your skin from the inside out. In addition, it helps to brighten the skin by deeply penetrating the inner layer of the skin to give you a more lighten skin tone.
8.
Treatment of skin diseases
Papaya has age-long natural benefits of treating skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and skin diseases including burns, scars, and discoloration. The many enzymes present in papaya work to remove dead skin cells and other skin pollutants. You can apply papaya pulp directly on the affected area to relieve inflammation and soreness.
Side effects
Despite the many benefits that accompany papaya, it also has its downside too. One of the most common negative effects of using papaya on the skin is inflammation and redness. This is because if you leave papaya on your skin over a long period, it could inflame your skin and cause itchiness and redness.
Other side effects include swelling and skin dryness and flakiness. So, you need to exercise caution when using this ingredient on your skin.
How to use papaya for face and skin
By now, you must be eager to know how to use papaya for your face and skin. To ease reading, we have divided this section into 5 subsections to cater to the different skin types and conditions;
I.
Papaya for oily skin
Our skins are prone to become oily over time as a result of the overproduction of sebum (the oily substance produced in the sebaceous glands in the skin). However, mixing papaya and orange juices, two powerful natural fruit remedies rich in vitamins A and C respectively, can help reduce the production of sebum. All you need to do is to make a blend out of chopped papaya and orange pulp, then apply the mixture to areas around your face and neck. Let in sit for about 15 minutes and rinse off using water at room temperature.
II.
For dry skin
Due to dehydration and lots of product applications, our skin tends to dry out and become flaky. However, you can rejuvenate your skin with a mixture of papaya pulp, honey, and
milk
. Here’s how you can do so; Measure half cup of mashed papaya pulp and mix it with honey and milk to make a smooth paste. Apply the mixture to your face and neck region, let it sit for 15 minutes, and rinse out using lukewarm water. For an effective result, repeat this procedure twice a week.
III.
For acne-sensitive skin
Several factors are responsible for causing acne on the skin. However, with papaya, you should worry less about getting rid of this acne. Papaya contains enzymes that help unclog skin pores and ward off bacteria that cause acne. Make a smooth paste out of mashed papaya,
honey
, lemon juice, and sandalwood powder. Apply on the skin around your face and neck and let it stay for 15 minutes then wash off with lukewarm water.
IV.
For skin lightening
A combination of papaya and lemon juice can help enhance your skin tone. This is because papaya is packed with beta carotene, a skin-lightening enzyme that helps to remove dark spots, blemishes, and patches on the skin. Apply this mixture to your face and allow it to dry. Let it sit for 15 minutes and wash it off afterward. Do this twice a week for 4 weeks consistently and the result will blow your mind.
V.
For skin irritation
For some people, their skin is super sensitive and prone to irritation. However, you can use the papaya face pack to eliminate this irritation. Papaya is packed with many antioxidants that help relieve inflammation and soothe the skin. Make a face pack from the mixture of papaya pulp, banana, and cucumber. Then apply on your face and wait for 15 minutes before washing off.
Final note
We could go on and on examining the health and skin benefits that papaya offers however, without the right mixture and application, it would result in little to no result. So, you want to be sure that you are applying the right way and in the right quantity. Remember, overusing or under-using a remedy than the stipulated amount could stifle the result you get from its use. So, everything should be in moderation. The goal is to have healthy, smooth, and glowing skin and all of these can be achieved using the natural benefits papaya offers. So, go ahead to try this out!
