What sucks most about pimples is not that it at all happened, but the scars they leave behind. Even if you don’t pick on them, they will still leave your face with a big red mark or a dark spot. Thankfully, we have several medical treatments and home remedies that tell us how to get rid of acne scars. Let us find out all about acne types, causes, treatment to make our face look clear again.
What type of acne causes scarring?
There are many types of acne and some of them are more prone to scarring compared to the other ones. For example, blackheads and whiteheads are also acne but they don’t make your face have scars. Inflammatory acne like nodules and cysts have more chances to leave you with long-term scarring. These affect the deeper layer of your skin and are tough to get rid of.
Who is more likely to get acne scars?
You can have pimples, acne, and acne scarring due to common reasons like:
a) Genetic condition: if your family members have pimples and acne scarring, it might happen to you too.
b) Non-treatment: people who don’t treat their pimples when its fresh can have scarring. You need to use an early remedy to ensure you don’t have scarring.
c) Picking and touching: picking acne can cause trauma to your skin and you have more chances to scar your face and delay the healing process.
Types of acne scar
The treatment you need to cure an acne scar will slightly depend on the type of scarring that the acne has caused. These are any of the three listed below:
a) Atrophic scars: they appear in small indentions on your skin. When your skin doesn’t make enough fibroblasts during the healing process, your face has these scars. The fibroblasts are cells that play a crucial role to heal wounds and maintain collagen synthesis.b) Hypertrophic scars: this condition happens when our skin makes too many fibroblasts when the acne spot heals and causes a raised scar.
c) Keloid scar: these scars are similar to the hypertrophic scars but usually thicker than the original acne spot or pimple. These scars darken the surrounding skin and are either red or brown in color. These scars cause symptoms like pain and itchiness.
Acne reduces the swelling of pimples and slowly dry up. But they need immediate treatment to not turn into permanent marks.
Tips to prevent acne scars
- You must wash your face twice daily
- Remove makeup every night before going to bed
- Don’t pick or squeeze pimples
- Apply sunscreen and avoid sunlight as much as possible
- Eat healthily by adding whole grains, fresh fruits, legumes, nuts, and fish to your diet
How to get rid of acne scars with chemicals?
Certain chemical compounds like salicylic acid and lactic acid can work on your scars like magic. Here’s how you can try them at home:
1. Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid works on every type of scars and many women tend to buy skin care products that have this ingredient. If you are prone to acne, use a quality cream that has the goodness of salicylic acid to keep your skin clean.
People who have sensitive skin should take the doctor’s recommendation and then buy a product that suits them. Salicylic acid might dry and irritate their skin so you can skip to natural home remedies instead.
2. Retinoids
Topical retinoids can help you get rid of acne scars as they block inflammation, reduce acne lesions, and improve cell regeneration. Retinoids also help lighten hyperpigmentation on acne scars, including people who have a darker skin tone.
You must know that retinoids make our skin sensitive to the sun. People using it for acne treatment must apply sunscreen every time to step outdoors.
3. Alpha hydroxy acids
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) helps your skin fight dead cells and prevent clogged pores. You need to take a doctor’s recommendation and prescription to buy AHAs to treat acne scar. They reduce the appearance and helps you scrape away the outer layer of your skin. You will reveal a fresh and new skin under the dead skin and the scars will gradually become discolored.
4. Lactic acid
Lactic acid works like a gentle peel that you apply it and pull away. It clears out all the dead skin cells might reduce the appearance of scars and smooth the texture in an overall.
Lactic acid helps lighten the dark scar tissues but might cause hyperpigmentation to some people. Since this is a possible side effect, we recommend you to visit a doctor and ask him which product you should use.
There are many beauty products that contain lactic acid. It is present in the diluted form of apple cider vinegar and is one of the most cost-effective treatments for acne scars.
How to get rid of acne scars at home?
Home remedies for acne scars are natural processes to make your skin look clean and clear. Find out the best one you can try for your skin condition:
1. Coconut oil
Coconut oil has innumerable uses for your skin and hair. It has a high level of antioxidants along with vitamins like Vitamin E and K, which repairs skin tissues.
The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of this oil prevent new acne from coming up. It is also a great way to get rid of scars.
How to use?
a) Take one teaspoon of coconut oil
b) Rub it between the palms of your hands
c) Dab it lightly on the scars or all over the face
d) Let it absorb the oil overnight
e) Wash it off with cold water the next morning
Repeat this remedy every alternative day to get best results.
2. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is a famous essential oil for women suffering from acne. It not only helps you cure fresh pimples but also reduces the appearance of acne scars. Tea tree has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It works a lot like benzoyl peroxide for skin, but since it is natural, it will take more time.
How to use?
a) Add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil in a small bowl
b) Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to it
c) Mix well and apply it on the scars
d) Let it sit overnight or for 2 hours at least
e) Wash it off well
Repeat this remedy daily till you get desired results.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
Apple cider vinegar works like lactic acid and has antimicrobial properties that cure acne scars. The anti-inflammatory elements in ACV reduce redness, inflammation, and pales down acne marks. Note that the vinegar dries up your face so you need to moisturize it often.
How to use?
a) Add 1 tablespoon of ACV with 2 tablespoons of honey in a small bowl
b) Add some water to dilute the mix
c) Soak the liquid in a cotton pad and dab on your scars only
d) Let it sit for 15 minutes
e) Wash off with cool water
You can either try this remedy every day, until the scars heal or on every alternate day.
4. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera plant has several benefits and healing scarred skin is one of them. The gel inside the plant has anti-inflammatory elements and antioxidants that repair damaged skin.
How to use?
a) Extract gel from half a leaf of aloe vera
b) Apply the gel evenly on top of the scar
c) Let it stay overnight
If you’re looking for a solution or the answer to how to get rid of acne scars home remedies overnight, you must use aloe vera. If needed, repeat the treatment again.
5. Lemon juice
There can be plenty of the best acne scar removal products in the market, but nothing works like lemon extract. Lemon helps us lighten skin tone and fade acne scar.
How to use?
a) Squeeze half a lemon to extract juice
b) Dip a clean cotton pad into the lemon and apply on the acne marks
c) Keep it like that for 10 minutes and then wash it off with cool water
You can repeat this treatment once every alternate day.
6. Turmeric
Turmeric is a great remedy to heal many skin conditions and it also helps lighten acne scars. It is loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that speed up the recovery process of pimple scars.
How to use?
a) Mix one or two teaspoons of organic turmeric powder in a bowl
b) Add half a lemon extract to it
c) Mix it and apply it in your face for 30 minutes
Try this remedy every alternate day for best results.
7. Potato
Potatoes are majorly used to lighten skin and reduce the appearance of pigments and scars. They work due to their composition and alkalinity.
How to use?
a) Take a raw potato and crush it to extract juice
b) Dip a clean cotton pad into the juice and apply it on the affected area
c) Keep it like that for half an hour
d) Wash it with cool water
Repeat this remedy every day for best results.
8. Honey
The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory elements of honey help us cure acne scars. They also prevent acne breakouts. Honey is a natural moisturizer that softens skin and reduces scar tissues. It speeds up skin repair and makes you look youthful.
How to use?
a) Add 1 tablespoon of honey with lemon extract of ½ lemon
b) Mix well and apply it on the face
c) Let it sit for half an hour
d) Wash off with cold water
Use this honey mask every alternate day for best results.
9. Rosewater
Rosewater heals your skin and moisturizes it too. It has the ability to soften your skin and scar tissues. Rosewater also helps acne scars fade away and promote regeneration of skin cells.
How to use?
a) Soak a clean cotton ball into rose water
b) Gently swipe the ball across your cleansed face
c) Let the water soak in as you just sit back and relax
Try this remedy twice a day to cure acne scars and keep your skin supple.
10. Green tea
Green tea has a special ingredient called catechins that reduces inflammation and heals acne scars. It works best when applied topically, but you can also drink green tea every day to receive several health benefits like weight loss, good metabolism, and clearer skin.
How to use?
a)Take a used tea bag and put it on the acne scar
b)Sip the tea as the tea bag gradually reduces the spots
Try this remedy once a day for best results.
How to get rid of acne scars medically?
If home remedies do not work for you, the only option you will be left with to remove acne scars is medical treatment. These are comparatively expensive but are all demagogically supervised. It gives you an instant result and makes your skin look younger. Find out the best medical treatment for acne scars:
1. Chemical peel
A dermatologist might recommend you to use a certain kind of peel depending on the type and severity of acne scarring. A 2017 review was done on 10 people to find out how chemical peels work. The peels had trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and six people had seen improvement from the first usage.
There are many chemical peels in the market, but you need to buy the right product to make things work. For example, using chemical peels that includes glycolic acid will not reduce acne marks.
2. Injections
The injections of corticosteroids can help treat acne scar tissues if you have keloid scars. You have to go through a treatment that involves a series of injections. Your dermatologist will do the medication in a clinic and might repeat once every few weeks.
3. Dermal Fillers
Your dermatologist might also recommend using soft tissue fillers that reduce the look of the scars. It is a collagen-based product that might need allergy testing. Apart from this, even commercial fillers like polymethylmethacrylate (PPMA), poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), hyaluronic acid (HA), are used for acne scar treatment.
Dermal filler is ideal for atrophic scars but the treatment might be temporary. You might have to repeat another course after 6 months.
4. Microneedling
Microneedling is a permanent way to get rid of acne scars. A dermatologist inserts tiny needles into the skin around the scar for stimulating the body to produce more collagen. This collagen reduces the appearance of acne by making the skin smooth. However, this process comes with side effects. You might experience pain, redness, inflammation, right after the treatment. These will, however, subside with time.
Final thoughts
Now that you know how to get rid of acne scars, choose what suits your skin best and heal the unwanted marks. Make sure you consult a dermatologist if you use medicines, chemicals, or harsh products to treat the condition. Acne scars are natural and the process to cure them shouldn’t make things more difficult for your skin.
