Acne isn’t just something that affects teenagers— the skin condition can cause spotty skin in adults, well into their 20s and early 30s and really affect the emotional health of the people who suffer with it.

Scientists from Taiwan think that they may have found a possible way to reduce the symptoms— using a green tea extract.

The study, which was carried out by Dr Po-Hsuan Lu from the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital and Chung-Hua Hsu from Taipei City Hospital, found that women who were given a green tea extract experienced a noticeable reduction in the level of acne in particular areas of their face.

In the course of the experiment, 80 women aged between 25 to 40, who were living with moderate to severe acne were given either 500mg of a green tea extract or a placebo for four weeks, three times a day. The women who were given the green tea extract were seen to experience ‘significant reductions’ in the level of acne on their noses and around their chin, compared to those that received the placebo.

The scientists behind the study believe that an antioxidant found in large amounts in green tea, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, is the secret behind the green tea extract’s success in relieving the symptoms of acne. They cite the fact that this antioxidant is known to have ‘anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties,’ that could have a beneficial impact on the effects of post-adolescent acne.