Acne is a common dermatological concern, which affects more than aesthetics. Individuals affected with acne, especially those with chronic cases of acne tend to develop scars, which are disfiguring and difficult to get rid off. Such persons often present with low self-esteem, which has a significant impact on their quality of life.

Over-the-counter medications, prescription medications for the treatment of acne and specialised creams, washes and products are available for the management of this concern. Surgical and laser therapies are some other options, which will be put forward by your dermatologist in case of severe, disfiguring scars.

While deep acne scars and pits can only be taken care of by a trained expert, minor and small scars can be managed at home with the help of certain remedies which will be discussed in this article. These remedies may also help in ceasing further aesthetic disfigurement due to deep scars and can thus be helpful.

It is, however, important that you talk to your doctor before making the use of any of these remedies in order to prevent worsening of acne.

Other than these home remedies, some tips for the management of acne scars include drinking more water, avoiding to touch the scars or picking on acne, using a mild cleanser and washing your face at least twice a day. You must avoid the use of a scrubbing agent on the face as this will worsen acne flare and make the use of a moisturiser and toner.

Now, that you understand these basic tips, let’s begin with specific home remedies that can help you in getting rid of this problem:

  1. Green tea wash for reducing acne scars
  2. Turmeric for pimple scars
  3. Aloe vera for reducing acne scars
  4. Vitamin E for reducing acne marks
  5. Oats mask to remove pimple marks on face
  6. Honey for reducing acne marks
  7. Coconut oil to reduce acne scars
  8. Angelica root essential oil for reducing pimple marks

Washing face is the most important aspect for getting rid of acne and its scars. While it is recommended to use a good quality, antibacterial wash for this purpose, how about the use of a natural product, which has the same benefits and is devoid of any side effects?

Well, green tea can be your friend. It has antibacterial actions and is an antiseptic in nature, which means that it will help to prevent any infections within the scars. Since infected scars have a greater tendency to spread to deeper tissues and cause further tissue damage, the use of green tea can be helpful.

What’s more is that green tea is also an anti-inflammatory and will help to reduce any discomforting symptoms due to the condition. Its antioxidant effects will help in reducing further tissue damage at the site. Studies have also found that the topical use of green tea helps to reduce the time required for healing.

Here is how you can use green tea for this benefit:

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoon of loose green tea leaves
  • A pan
  • A glass of water

Procedure:

  • Pour water in the pan and bring it to a boil.
  • Now, add green tea leaves and stir and sieve.
  • Allow the mixture to dry and use it as a wash for your face.

Tips:

  • You can use this mixture to wash your face twice daily.

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Turmeric is an antimicrobial and an anti-inflammatory and can thus be great for removing scars due to acne. As it must be known, turmeric has significant healing properties, which can assist in the healing of scars by the process of tissue repair. Its antioxidant and free radical scavenging actions will cater to reduce further skin damage.

Turmeric has been proven to be beneficial in the treatment of a number of skin conditions including several skin infections and acne. This implies that not only will turmeric aid in the healing of the tissue, but also will prevent future occurrence of acne and any secondary infections within the scar. 

To utilise this benefit, you can increase the oral intake of turmeric and can utilise it topically in the following manner:

Ingredients:

  • A teaspoon of turmeric
  • Water to mix
  • A bowl and a spoon
  • Sterile cotton balls

Procedure:

  • Pour turmeric in a bowl and mix it with some water with the help of a spoon to form a fine paste.
  • Use clean fingers or sterile cotton balls to apply it to your face.
  • Make sure to apply it to clean and dried skin.
  • Apply only in the areas of the scar as turmeric is a very strong agent.
  • Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm or cold water.

Tips:

  • You can use this remedy twice a week until the desired results are achieved.

Precautions:

  • Do not use if you feel your skin is irritated.
  • Make sure that turmeric is sufficiently diluted with water.

Aloe vera is a commonly grown plant and is utilised as a top remedy for the management of acne and its scars. Aloe vera gel extracted from the leaves of the plant is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in nature, which makes it useful in this regard. Aloe vera functions by promoting cell proliferation at the site and stimulating the synthesis of collagen, which will help to shrink the size of acne pores and reduce their visible appearance. Here is how you can use aloe vera for these benefits:

Ingredients:

  • Aloe vera leaf
  • A sharp knife
  • A blender and a bowl

Procedure:

  • Take a sharp knife to cut aloe vera into long 8 inch pieces.
  • Now, cut 3 long strips out of these pieces and use the knife to extract gel out of the leaves.
  • This can be done by running the knife along the lower edge of the leaf in order to extract the maximum amount of gel.
  • Repeat this for both the side of the leaf and for all the cut portions of aloe vera.
  • Keep collecting the gel in a container.
  • After the gel has been collected, pour it in a blender to obtain a homogenous mix.
  • Remove the gel from the blender and pour it again in the bowl, allowing it to settle.
  • Refrigerate for some time until the gel seems ready to use.
  • Apply this gel to your face in the areas of the scar.
  • Leave it overnight so that it functions gradually to reduce your symptoms.
  • Wash off the next day.

Tips:

  • You can use this remedy every day until the symptoms diminish.

Vitamin E has immense benefits for your skin and is useful in the management of acne and its scars. With its potent activity against free radicals, vitamin E caters to reduce skin damage and quickens the process of wound healing. The use of vitamin E promotes self-healing at the site and here is how you can use its capsule:

Ingredients:

  • Vitamin E capsule
  • A pin
  • Bowl

Procedure:

  • Pierce the outer layer of the capsule to extract out the oil in a small bowl.
  • Now, use this oil by applying it in the areas of acne scar with the help of clean cotton.
  • Make sure to apply it on a clean face.

Tips:

  • Use this remedy regularly until you notice an improvement in the appearance of the scars.
  • Other than direct application of vitamin E oil to your skin, you can also add a vitamin E capsule to your conventional face masks.
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Instead of using vitamin E capsules topically, you can make the use of natural items containing this vitamin like oats, which happen to be one of the richest sources. Here is how you can make a mask at home:

Ingredients:

  • A tablespoon of oats
  • A blender
  • A tablespoon of honey
  • 3 tablespoons of milk
  • A bowl and a spoon
  • Belnder

Procedure:

  • Take oats and put them in a blender to obtain oats powder.
  • Pour it out in a bowl and mix with other ingredients to form a paste.
  • Gently apply a thin layer over your face and allow it to dry.
  • After the pack dries, rinse off with some water and pat dry.

Tips:

  • You can use this pack once a week.

Precautions:

  • Be careful to be gentle while applying the pack avoiding to scrub in.

Honey is an effective antimicrobial agent and is thus effective in the management of acne scars. By having an action against Propionium acnes, it helps to prevent future episodes of acne, which could worsen your scars. Further, the role of honey has been widely recognised in the process of healing. Topical application of honey aids in the deposition of collagen at the site and here is how you can utilise it for this benefit.

Ingredients:

  • A tablespoon of honey
  • Some sterile cotton
  • A bowl

Procedure:

  • Take honey in a bowl and gently apply it to your face to form a thick and even layer.
  • You can use cotton for the application if required.
  • Let it sit for about 15 minutes to an hour until it dries.
  • Rinse with lukewarm water and then dry.

Tips:

  • You can use this mask biweekly.

Precautions:

  • Make sure to use good-quality organic honey and do not rub in or scrub honey into your skin as scrubbing can cause irritation.

Coconut oil helps in reducing the inflammation of the skin and is a natural antioxidant. It caters to reduce damage caused to the skin and helps in improving the synthesis of collagen. Studies have found a beneficial effect of this oil in the process of healing, which is why it can be effective in the management of acne scars. Here is how you can use coconut oil for your scars:

Ingredients:

  • A tablespoon of coconut oil
  • A bowl

Procedure:

  • Heat some coconut oil and apply it to the affected area of the skin.

Tips:

  • You can use this remedy once daily.

Precautions:

  • Avoid the use of coconut oil if your skin feels irritated or if you have a current episode of acne as it can worsen the condition.

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Angelica root belongs to the family of herbs and has been utilised in the traditional system of medicine in India. It is useful in treating a number of skin conditions and researchers have established the healing properties of this root. The use of essential oil derived from Angelica sinesis helps to stimulate the proliferation of fibroblasts and the synthesis of collagen, which makes it effective for skin repair. Angelica essential oil is available online, which can be used in the following manner.

Ingredients:

  • Few drops of angelica essential oil
  • A glass of water
  • A stirrer
  • Sterile cotton balls

Procedure:

  • In a glass of water, pour a few drops of essential oil and stir.
  • Now use a cotton ball to apply this mixture to the affected areas.

Tips:

  • You can use this remedy once daily but make sure that the oil is sufficiently diluted.
  • If you experience irritation with its use, you must consult your doctor.

References

  1. Kraft J, Freiman A. Management of acne. 2011 Apr 19;183(7):E430-5. PubMed PMID: 21398228
  2. Vaughn AR, Branum A, Sivamani RK. Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence.. 2016 Aug;30(8):1243-64. PMID: 27213821
  3. Pereira RF, Bártolo PJ. [Link]. 2016 May 1;5(5):208-229. PMID: 27134765
  4. Nurul ‘Izzah Ibrahim, Sok Kuan Wong, Isa Naina Mohamed, Norazlina Mohamed, Kok-Yong Chin, Soelaiman Ima-Nirwana, and Ahmad Nazrun Shuid. Wound Healing Properties of Selected Natural Products. 2018 Nov; 15(11): 2360. PMID: 30366427
  5. Tzu-Kai Lin, Lily Zhong, and Juan Luis Santiago. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. 2018 Jan; 19(1): 70. PMID: 29280987
  6. Nevin KG, Rajamohan T. Effect of topical application of virgin coconut oil on skin components and antioxidant status during dermal wound healing in young rats.. 2010;23(6):290-7. PMID: 20523108
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