What Are the Potential Skin Benefits of Chamomile?

For centuries, people have used chamomile as a natural treatment for skin dryness, irritation, and wound healing. While people may still anecdotally support the use of chamomile and its extracts for these means, there’s no conclusive scientific backing for its use.

Here are a few of chamomile’s potential benefits for the skin, along with suggestions on how to incorporate it into your skin care routine.

Studies on chamomile are limited, and many are conducted on animals.

Chamomile may provide benefits for:

Essential oils extracted from chamomile reportedly have antimicrobial properties to protect against certain types of bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

A 2018 study in animals found that ointment with Roman chamomile extract significantly improved the healing and antibacterial activity in an infected wound compared with tetracycline ointment and placebo.

But more research is necessary to assess the effectiveness and safety of chamomile for these uses.

Chamomile is often used to help relieve skin inflammation from sunburn and rashes. But there has been little research into chamomile for inflammation.

One 2010 animal study found that topical administration of German chamomile oil helped reduce symptoms of inflammation associated with atopic dermatitis (eczema). A similar 2021 animal study also reported that topical chamomile may help manage symptoms of eczema.

However, the exact pathway of this effect is unclear, and further research is necessary.

The same anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties that make chamomile an effective treatment for dermatitis discoloration and inflammation may also help with acne.

Many cosmetic preparations claim that chamomile’s anti-inflammatory properties can help soothe sensitive skin. While a 2010 review did find older studies discussing the skin-soothing potential of chamomile, there’s no quality evidence supporting it.

Hyperpigmentation is when areas of skin are darker than the surrounding skin due to the overproduction of the hormone melanin. Melanin is a pigment that gives skin its color. Hyperpigmentation is a common symptom of radiation dermatitis, or radiation burn, which can occur during radiation treatment for cancer.

A small 2020 study involving people with head and neck cancer found that the application of chamomile gel may slow the onset of radiation dermatitis symptoms. These symptoms include skin hotness, itching, and hyperpigmentation.

There’s no high quality evidence to support the use of chamomile for cosmetic pigmentation treatments.

The following are three ways you can add chamomile to your skin care routine:

It’s advisable to use a skin care product that has chamomile extract or chamomile oil, which contains the powerful antioxidant compound chamazulene.

You can find chamomile in many types of skin care products, including facial sprays, oils, serums, lotions, and peels.

Most people can safely use chamomile on their skin. But it’s important to practice caution when trying any new skin care product due to the risk of an allergic reaction.

As a result, it’s advisable to conduct a patch test before using any new optical product. You can test a small amount of the product on your forearm for a week and monitor for reactions.

Chamomile is also typically well-tolerated when consumed in teas and other preparations. But there’s a small risk of interactions with blood-thinning medications and cyclosporine, a drug used to help prevent transplant rejection.

For centuries, people have used chamomile as a treatment for dry, irritated, sensitive skin. But there’s little high quality scientific backing for its use in these cases.

There’s little research into the specific benefits of chamomile for the skin. However, studies suggest the flower contains several chemical compounds that have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

It’s best to speak with a doctor before using new herbal remedies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate these remedies in the same way as regular medications.