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in collaboration with
Laure Martinat (Phyto-aromatherapist, micronutritionist)
Do you have acne? On TikTok, many teenage girls claim, with scientific mention, that green tea with mint can overcome your imperfections. But experts aren’t entirely convinced. The opinion of Laure Martinat, expert in phytotherapy.
What if the secret to beautiful, spot-free skin was in a simple cup of mint green tea? In any case, this is the idea being spread at the moment on the TikTok network, where the drink continues to be praised for its anti-inflammatory and anti-hormonal acne properties. Is right ?
Green tea, the new favorite of beauty influencers
On the Chinese social network, teenagers or young women who think they have found the miracle cure for clear skin share their findings: a video published by @facialsbymegi, which has more than 30,000 views, cites a study carried out in 2015 by theAmerican Academy of Dermatology which suggested that drinking two cups of mint green tea a day could overcome hormonal acne (but the Daily Mail which reports on it claims to have found no trace of the study mentioned.)
Another video posted by @loanvu_uk, who has 86,700 followers on TikTok, suggests drinking spearmint tea for “at least a month to notice the changes in your acne”. @lifewithmils, who has 206,200 subscribers on TikTok, explains the possible benefits of consuming different herbal teas. “Spearmint helps to naturally reduce your rate of testosterone in the blood and, when we have too much testosterone, it can cause acne”. Each of them seems to have been really interested in the beneficial effects of green tea with mint… But what does science say?
No solid study on this today
Consulted on the subject, Laure Martinat, expert in phyto-aromatherapy and member of our Doctissimo expert committee, explains to us the nuance between supposed and confirmed anti-acne effects.
“Green tea, it is true, is a substance rich in polyphenols and in particular in catechins, which we know today have anti-inflammatory and antioxidants protective. As acne has a strong inflammatory component, it can be assumed that green tea is beneficial for the skin. Concerning mint, we also know that Mint, spicata in particular, has anti-androgenic properties, which could also act against acne, because excess sebum can in fact be linked to androgen sensitivity. In either case, “assuming” that mint green tea might be beneficial is not entirely absurd. But in this case, no solid or well-conducted study to date is able to confirm this benefit.”
Especially since acne remains a complex pathophysiology with different components. There is therefore no miracle cure that works for everyone, and green tea with mint cannot be seen as a specific treatment.
Green tea remains an interesting health drink
Still, green tea with mint is not a bad idea in terms of health either (for once TikTok promotes a healthy product!). And if its ingestion does not make all the spots disappear, the drink can be added to your daily life without problem.
“Drinking one or two cups of mint green tea per day (provided you choose it of quality and if possible organic) remains a beneficial habit for maintaining good general health, in particular thanks to the polyphenols mentioned. A good habit that does not can only improve the health of adolescents who are not known to eat healthy or hydrate properly. If they want to integrate 2 cups of tea per day into their routine, there is no real contraindication, on the contrary.”