Turmeric contains anti-inflammatory properties that are great for treating swelling and redness associated with common skin issues such as acne, rosacea, and blemishes. Cosmetically, the spice also prevents wrinkles and moisture loss (5).
Topical turmeric can also improve swelling, ringworms, bruises, leech bites, alopecia, atopic dermatitis, facial photoaging, psoriasis, radiodermatitis, vitiligo, and sores (6). One study even found that turmeric products provided therapeutic benefits for skin health in the case of many of these conditions (7). It’s even been found to work more effectively as an anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative substance than aspirin and ibuprofen (8).
In contrast, these drugs, as well as corticosteroids (think Dexamethasone), which fight skin irritation, asthma, and arthritis, have serious side-effects.
Antibacterial Turmeric
Here are a few studies that have proven turmeric’s antibacterial properties:
A 2013 study discovered that turmeric paste can improve the healing time of burns and reduce pain throughout the healing process. In part, turmeric works by destroying the cellular membrane of harmful bacteria (9,10).
A 2015 study from the Journal of Food Science and Technology found that turmeric works against common infectious microorganisms, such as E. coli (bacterium), Staphylococcus aureus (bacterium), and Candida albicans (fungus). This makes the spice useful preservative for the food and cosmetic industry as well as healing spice for the booming natural health market (11).
Lastly, a 2014 article from the Journal of HerbMed Pharmacology found that the topical application of turmeric works effectively against fungal microorganisms (12). Hoards of other studies since supported the spice’s antimicrobial activity and antiseptic properties (13).