Powerful Home Remedies for Acne Scars

Acne scars, particularly those that are left in the wake of a nasty severe acne breakout, can be quite problematic, stubborn and expensive to get rid of. And that's probably why home remedies for acne scars are an affordable alternative to most, especially in a world that's already battling a shrunk economy, reduced wages and, generally, a higher cost of living.

Speaking of which, the best home remedies for acne scars are those that employ a series of easily available ingredients and capitalize heavily on the natural healing properties of medicinal herbs. You see, acne scars are in fact a part of the skin's larger healing process. They are simply a by-product of what happens when the skin attempts to correct the physical damage that it has sustained from a flare up or an episode of skin inflammation. To heal the acne wound, the skin produces collagen. If too much collagen is produced, a raised acne scar is usually left behind. Too little collagen, on the other hand, leads to a concave scar.

Nonetheless, most of the time acne scars tend to be as unappealing and damaging to one's self-esteem as a full scale acne breakout itself. While there exists a slew of more expensive ways of getting rid of acne scars such as laser resurfacing and surgery, these less invasive homemade remedies for acne scars tend to be cheaper and relatively effective too.

Natural Remedies for Acne Scars on Face

The best home remedies for acne scars have one thing in common - they have the ability to reduce inflammation and boost fast healing of wounds naturally. They include;

1. Black Seed Oil Salve

Botanically referred to as Nigella Sativa, it is a native of Eastern Europe that has garnered massive popularity in recent years as a reliable medicinal herb. The oil, which can now be easily bought online as well as from local drug stores, has a host of antiviral and anti-bacterial properties which are believed to reduce overall skin inflammation to enable the correct healing of acne scars.

But being of the best home remedies for acne scars on face means that it does more than just reduce inflammation. Black seed oil is also proven to speed up the rate at which acne scars heal, as well as improve the overall healing process making it less likely that unsightly scars will be left behind.

What's more, it is also believed to even out hyperpigmentation and prevent acne breakouts all together.

2. Rosehip Seed Oil

Marketed mostly as a herbal anti-aging solution, it is only recently that rosehip seed oil has firmly secured its spot among the coveted list of homemade remedies for acne scars. And its easy to see why.

For starters, it is considered relatively safe for direct application to the skin. In other words, unlike other homemade remedies that attempt to treat scars, it is mild enough to be used without consequences even by people with highly sensitive skin. Secondly, it has been used to help accelerate the healing of surgical wounds for years now. And with a little tweak there is no reason why the same cannot be extended to acne scars too.

What's more, extensive research and studies have already found out how applying it at least twice on a daily basis can help reduce the appearance of skin discoloration and scars left in the aftermath of an acne breakout.

3. Honey

Unlike other natural remedies for acne scars on face you don't even have to buy it at a special drug store. The same honey that you use in your kitchen can do the job here.

Honey, for those who may not be in the know, is a superfood which harbours nearly a dozen medicinal properties. It is no wonder, then, that is used in the treatment of wounds, burns or even herpes. New research also shows that honey can speed up wound healing thereby reducing the chances of scarring in the wake of an acne breakout.

What's more, studies have also shown how applying honey directly on your face (such as in the form of a honey mask) can aid in wound cleaning and clearing of old scars. And this can be largely attributed to its superior antibacterial properties that have also gained prominence for their ability to inhibit the activity of acne-causing bacteria.

4. Baking Soda

If you are wondering, "What is good for acne scars home remedies?" then you are not alone. Baking soda may appear like an unusual panacea for a clear complexion but there is no refuting its ability to help fade acne and reduce the appearance of blemishes. It also aids in the general healing process that your skin needs to make pimple marks and scars left behind by a previous acne attack less visible.

To use baking soda at home to get rid of acne scars, be sure to mix a tablespoon of it with two teaspoons of clean water to make a smooth paste that can then be smeared on evenly on the scars only. Allow the paste to sit for at least five minutes before washing it off.

5. Essential Facial Oils

There is yet another home remedy for acne scars that has been gaining a lot of traction over the years. Compared to other conventional cosmetic remedies, there's no denying that essential facial oils do a stellar job of lightning even the most stubborn of acne scar thereby improving their appearance significantly. Good examples of these oils that pack a number of beneficial antioxidant properties include coconut oil, olive oil, and lavender oil. They have all proven to be quite effective in ridding skin of acne scars/marks and evening out its tone.

6. Apple Cider Vinegar

A combination of apple cider vinegar and honey can help in reducing the general appearance of acne scars significantly, in addition to treating any hyperpigmentation that was sustained during the flare up period. This ability can be traced back to its legendary antiseptic and antibacterial properties that are responsible for its recognition of being among the most easily accessible home remedies for acne scars.

To use, mix honey with apple cider vinegar equally and apply it only to the affected places. Leave it for at least 20 minutes before washing it off thoroughly with plenty of clean water. Repeat this routine daily for best results.

Home Remedies for Acne Scars on Back

Unlike face and neck acne scars, back breakout scars are a different animal. They are mostly hypertrophic scars, which implies that they are harder and more stubborn to get rid of and will require more dermatological attention from you.

As such, the best home remedies for acne scars on back are the ones that capitalize on minimize the degree of scarring that is a characteristic of deep tissue injury sustained during the flare up episode. They include;

1. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA)

You can get AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) in almost all OTC topical medications that target acne scars that are not every deep. That means that you can use these products to run an exfoliation routine (preferably daily) that aims at sloughing off dead skin to make the scars look less noticeable while, at the same time, unclogging blocked pores.

Applying AHA-based creams on a regular basis - like AENO - has also been observed to minimize pigmentation, discoloration and smoothing out rough-looking skin.

2. Lactic Acid

Another gentle exfoliator, lactic acid is one the most recommended home remedies for back acne scars if you happen to have super sensitive skin that would easily get inflamed on application of other harsher treatment emollients. It is also what you need if you are also looking to improve your skin texture, pigmentation and appearance, in addition to lightening your acne scars.

There are many OTC ointments that utilize lactic acid as one of the major active ingredients in their formulation. Apply this alongside a lemon peel rub for even better results with the scars at the comfort of your home.

3. Salicylic Acid

It is impossible to list the top remedies for back acne scars without mentioning salicylic acid. It is a common ingredient in almost all self-treatment products for clearing scars, blemishes and skin discolouration. Part of the reason for this stems from the fact that it is a superb agent for reducing swelling, unclogging pores, and generally, exfoliating and sloughing off dead skin.

Besides, being an excellent drying and oil absorbing agent, it's a perfect addition to anyone's home acne scar spot treatment arsenal. You can get it from any leading drugstore near you with comparative ease.

Best Natural Remedies for Acne Scars

Although they don't rank so high in the efficiency and reliability totem pole, here are some of the best herbal remedies for acne scars that you can try at home. They should be your first port of call for getting rid of acne scars just before trying other more professionally-administered remedies that could cost you a decent dime.

1. Aloe Vera

Just like honey described above, aloe vera easily ranks among the best natural remedies for acne scars that you can get from your backyard. In fact, according to a 2015 study documented in the Annals of Plastic Surgery, application of aloe vera directly to acne scars proved to be comparatively effective in reducing inflammation and lessening the size of the scars.

Although it is not very efficient against deeper hypertrophic and keloid acne scars, aloe vera gel is an ideal remedy for mild to superficial scars, as well as just improving the general condition of the skin. What's better, you can grow the plant in your kitchen garden or buy it fresh from the local's herbalist stores, something that makes one of the most accessible natural remedies for acne scars to many.

Besides, aloe vera gels are a dime a dozen in almost all drug stores and pharmacies.

2. Lemon Juice

Anecdotal evidence suggests that lemon juice is among the best natural remedies for acne scars out there. Most skin experts will swear by the ability of lemon juice to improve one's complexion if applied consistently to their acne scars. Other advocates have been on the record stating just how effective it is at reducing discolouration or shrinking scars at best and evening out one's skin tone at worst.

Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that lemon juice is quite acidic and, hence, rather abrasive. Therefore, be sure to restrict its application to just the acne scars and not the entire face, neck or back. In short, it might be an excellent acne scar spot treatment remedy but not exactly the best facial or neck cleanser, particularly for people with very sensitive skin types.

3. Coconut

Coconut may be very effective against huge keloid scars but no one can understate the critical role that it plays in moisturizing the skin and helping with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

In addition to this, coconut oil is also a reliable anti-inflammatory skin cleanser that has been used for generations to keep skin pores open and prevent a build up of grime and bacteria that can trigger severe acne in the first place.

4. Vitamin E Oil

There's a popular belief and observation that rubbing vitamin E oil, fruits rich in vitamin E oil or tocopherol-based creams on your acne scars can lessen their visibility and speed up their healing and eventual fading. And there could be some truth to it.

You see, for a long time now Vitamin E has been a recommended supplement for patients looking for a fast post-surgery recovery. Researchers even found out how patients who used vitamin E after surgery were less likely to develop keloids and extra hypertrophic tissue than those who did not. Therefore, they concluded that topical application of this naturally-occurring vitamin was key in improving the manner at which wounds heal.

5. Turmeric

Turmeric's main active ingredient is curcumin, which is responsible for its supernatural skin-healing properties. They are the same properties that can be channelled and harnessed to come up with an all-natural remedy for acne scars.

To use, mix a tablespoon of finely grounded turmeric powder with a few drops of freshly-squeezed lemon juice to make a smooth paste. Apply this to the scars and leave it on for a couple of minutes, preferably 30. Wash it off with plenty of warm water before slapping on a moisturizer of choice. Repeat this daily for best results.

6. Witch Hazel

To round up our list of the best herbal remedies for acne scars is witch hazel which has been frequently touted as being among the natural solutions for clearing blemishes in recent times. The natural astringent, in particular, has proven to be quite instrumental in controlling inflammation, reducing redness from flare ups and, generally, impeding the growth of acne-causing bacteria on one's skin.

You can purchase witch hazel wipes, gel, facial toners and creams from drugstores that specialize in herbal-based cosmetics.