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What are the Best Natural Remedies for Acne Scars?

Anna T.
Anna T.

Some of the best natural remedies for acne scars might include skin exfoliation, lemon juice, and emu oil. It is important for a person with severe acne scarring to keep in mind that these methods may not completely heal his scars. Sometimes cosmetic procedures are the only thing that can eliminate permanent acne scarring, and those procedures may also not be able to do more than just slightly improve the appearance of scarring. Natural remedies for acne scars may be effective, but the results typically vary from person to person. There is a good chance that even if the use of these remedies does not completely eliminate scarring, it may at least make the scarring less noticeable.

Skin exfoliation has been used for many years to treat acne scarring. When a person exfoliates his skin, he is scrubbing away dead skin cells that have settled on the skin's surface. Exfoliation also encourages the growth of new cells, which may help to fill in deep acne scars. The full benefits of skin exfoliation for acne scarring are typically attained when a person exfoliates at least once every few days for a couple of minutes at a time. It is not recommended to exfoliate more often than once every two days because the abrasiveness of the exfoliation product could damage the skin, possibly making scarring and other skin problems worse.

A close up of acne.
A close up of acne.

Lemon juice is another of the frequently used natural remedies for acne scars. When a person has acne scars, she may also have bright red marks on her face where the scars are present. Lemon juice may be able to make these red marks lighter when it is used on the skin regularly in its undiluted form. The fact that lemon juice has a very high acidity level could also be beneficial because the acid can help remove dead skin cells and encourage new cell growth. Lemon juice may be applied once a day to help improve the appearance of acne scars.

Acne can leave behind scars and marks.
Acne can leave behind scars and marks.

Many people may not be aware of emu oil as one of the more effective natural remedies for acne scars. Emu oil comes from the fat of emu birds, which are native to Australia. This oil may be able to penetrate through the five outer layers of skin when it is applied topically, which is why people in Australia have used it for centuries to deal with all sorts of ailments. Emu oil is high in essential fatty acids, which are of great benefit to damaged cells. In addition to helping with acne scars, it may also be effective as a pain reliever.

Lemon juice is a home remedy for acne scarring.
Lemon juice is a home remedy for acne scarring.

A person who has severe scarring may not see much improvement from these natural remedies for acne scars, although some people do claim these treatments work well. If these treatments are tried out and no improvement is noticeable after a few months, it may be in a person's best interest to see a dermatologist about his scarring. Dermatologists can usually provide treatment for acne scars in the form of laser therapy, chemical peels, and collagen injections, and these methods might provide better results than what a person could achieve from the use of natural remedies.

Discussion Comments

naturesgurl3

Diet also matters to much when getting rid of acne scars. If your skin isn't getting all the nutrients it needs, then it is going to have a really hard time healing itself no matter how many acne scar creams and tonics you put on it.

So make sure that you are drinking enough water -- eight glasses a day *or more* -- and eat collagen rich foods like grapes and oranges. Soy products are great for this too. You'll see a huge difference if you do this consistently along with your normal skincare regimen.

Namaste!

googlefanz

One of the home remedies for acne scars I ever heard of was baking soda. You just take one teaspoon of baking soda and mix it with two teaspoons of water, and then use it to exfoliate your face.

It's just like a mini microdermabrasion treatment, without the expensive equipment, and if you do it for a few weeks, you'll get really good results.

closerfan12

You can try all the acne scar treatments that you want, and some of them can work really well. However, it's really better to just prevent getting the acne scars to begin with!

Your skin is very delicate, and if you are continually pinching, poking, and prodding at it, then you can't be surprised when it scars up.

And although scars do fade, who wants all that on their face if they can prevent it. Now granted, some people can't help it, like those with cystic acne. But I'm talking about the people who have to poke and prod at every little spot until it turns into a huge thing.

The best way to take care of a pimple or blackhead is to leave it alone! Just keep your hands off of it until it is clearly ready. In the case of a pimple, that's when it has a visible white head and is obviously ready to pop. In the case of a blackhead, it is when it is black and hard.

Now, when you are ready to pop, make sure that you wash your hands first, and then use the right equipment -- either a comedone extractor (you can get one from Bodyshop for about 5 bucks) or some Q-tips. Gently -- gently! -- press the skin around the spot and if it is ready, the surrounding skin will push the spot out.

If it doesn't pop out almost immediately, then give it another day and try again.

You would be amazed at how many acne scars you can prevent this way!

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    • A close up of acne.
      By: olavs
      A close up of acne.
    • Acne can leave behind scars and marks.
      By: Budimir Jevtic
      Acne can leave behind scars and marks.
    • Lemon juice is a home remedy for acne scarring.
      By: Viktorija
      Lemon juice is a home remedy for acne scarring.