Acne scars, as the term itself indicates, refers to scars left behind after acne breakouts, particularly after severe, inflamed cystic acne. These scars can be of two types, that is, rolling acne scars and ice pick acne scars.
Rolling acne scars are basically depressed scars give a wavy texture to your skin. More often than not, they are associated with a loss of tissue.
Besides, increased tissue formation can also result in scars. They are called keloid scars. This problem, however, is speculated to be hereditary in nature.
Ice pick scars, on the other hand, are narrow or sharp scars with jagged edges. They are difficult to remove, especially when they are deep and hard. Plus, they can further evolve into depressed fibrotic scars with steep sides. Nevertheless, most acne scars appear as soft scars and discolorations.
How to Get Rid of Acne Scars
Given below are 10 ways to reduce and treat acne scars. Certain acne scars that appear as skin discoloration, tend to fade and disappear with the passage of time. These types are scars are medically known as Post Inflammatory Hyper pigmentation (PIH).
- Applying lemon juice is perhaps one of the most popular natural remedies for getting rid of pimple marks and acne scars. You can leave the juice on your face for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off. In case you are bothered about burning sensation caused by the citrus juice, you may consider diluting it in water. Alternatively, you can use orange juice or tomato juice as they, too, can lighten skin discoloration. It is suggested to soak the juice in a cotton swab and then apply instead of applying with your fingers.
- Another easy way to fade away mild acne scars is to apply a combination of equal parts of tomato juice and cucumber juice on your skin. Leave it for about 20-30 minutes, and then wash it off. Apart from healing scars and blemishes, it shall help tighten the skin and control greasiness on skin.
- Prepare a paste by mixing sufficient amount of water with dried orange peel powder. Spread this paste on your face and neck and wash it off after 15-20 minutes. Orange peels are rich in retinols and hence, promote skin renewal. In this recipe, you can use rose water instead of normal water as it is good for rejuvenating oily skin.
- The lactic acid present in yogurt is considered effective for eliminating scars. Thus, you can apply plain, unflavored yogurt on your face and neck. Rinse it off with lukewarm water after about 15 minutes. Regular application of yogurt shall also make your skin soft and smooth.
- Dilute tea tree oil can be applied on skin to heal mild acne scars naturally. To dilute this essential oil, you can mix it with jojoba oil, olive oil, or any base oil. Besides, you can dilute one part of tea tree oil in three parts of warm water.
- Sandalwood is excellent for skin care as it diminishes scars and spots. Hence, you can make a facial mask by mixing a few drops of rose water and a little glycerin in a tablespoon of sandalwood powder to form a thick paste. Spread this paste on your skin and rinse it off after 30 minutes with lukewarm water. Alternatively, you can use the following procedure. Start by adding a tablespoon of lemon or lime juice in half a cup of warm water. After a couple of minutes, wash your face with plain lukewarm water. Next, apply the sandalwood paste and leave it overnight. Finally, wash it off in the morning. Follow this treatment about four times in a week.
- Acne scars with raised tissue (keloid scars) can be reduced with massages. You can massage the affected area gently with pure honey, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, vitamin E oil, aloe vera gel, and so on for about three minutes. Make sure you wash your face thoroughly before the massage.
- Applying a mixture of one teaspoon each of extra-virgin olive oil and baking soda for about 10 minutes can be helpful in eliminating acne scars. Moreover, you can use a combination of two teaspoons of olive oil and one teaspoon of rose hip oil for a few minutes, almost three times in a day.
- If you are looking for an over-the-counter ointment, you can opt for a retinoid cream such as Retin-A or Retinova. Retinoids stimulate collagen production, thicken the dermis layer of the skin, and speed up the rate of shedding dead skin cells, thereby improving skin texture and reducing undesirable scars and marks.
- Cosmetic treatments like chemical peels, dermabrasion, dermal fillers, laser therapy, punch excision, etc. can also be performed for the treatment of acne scars. Punch excision, in particular, is considered good for getting rid of ice pick acne scars. Besides, fillers can correct atrophic or depressed scars caused by a loss of tissue. On the downside, though, they are expensive and tend to cause side effects.
Tips to Prevent Acne Scars
- Reducing inflammatory breakouts is highly beneficial for reducing your chances of developing acne scars. You may have to take your dermatologist’s help in this regard.
- Another common reason that encourages the development of acne scars is picking and squeezing active pimples. So, give up the habit of picking at your acne breakouts as it can spread the infection and worsen the inflammation.
- To hide the scars while applying make-up, you may use a non-comedogenic concealer with a matte finish. It can help conceal crow’s feet and dark circles, too.
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