So you are a fan of home remedies and would like to know the various scar removal options available today? Well, this article is for you. We’ll give you a comprehensive list of home remedies – including natural ones – you can use to wave goodbye to that scar that has continued to plague you for as long as you care to remember.
Scar Removal Home Remedies – Natural Scar Removal
We have already discussed the myriads of techniques and procedures available to get rid of scars ranging from steroid and filler (collagen) injections to laser skin resurfacing, dermabrasion (and microdermabrasion), and surgical scar removal.
But if the thought of syringes, needles, scalpel and such medical paraphernalia makes you shudder, there are numerous home remedies that you can use to reduce the size and conspicuity of scars. Here are some of the more popular scar removal home remedies:
Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is without doubt one of the most common ingredients is as far as home remedies with uses ranging from getting rid of body odor to skin tightening and getting rid of dry scalp. And adding to its popularity script is the fact that tea tree oil is one of the effective natural scar removal options that are commonly used to reduce scars and make them less noticeable.
The major downside to tea tree oil is that it is often allergic to people with sensitive skin. It is thus advisable to test it on a small section to see your skin’s response.
Topical cortisone creams
The idea of listing cortisone creams among home remedies for scar removal is subject to differing arguments so let us just say that over-the-counter cortisone creams are a less aggressive scar treatment option that you can use on your own at home – rather than a home remedy per se – just to avoid getting caught in the argument.
According to Tina Alster, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at Georgetown University Medical Center, cortisone creams helps to reduce redness in a scar in addition to reducing inflammation in the skin which then makes the scar flatter and less noticeable. Some creams also feature salicylic acids and hydroxyl acids to stimulate growth of new skin cells.
Massage and pressure bandages
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, massaging a hypertrophic scar – scar that is raised above the skin but is within the confines of the boundaries of the original wound – shows gradual improvement when regularly massaged gently in a circular motion and/or pressure bandages are applied.
You however need to be patient as several months may be required to see significant changes.
Vinegar
Vinegar is another natural remedies superstar and its use for scar treatment adds to a huge list of other uses ranging from control of skin peeling to reduction of foot odor.
Vinegar attributes its qualification into the league of scar removal home remedies on its exfoliating capacity when applied to the surface of a scar. When the top layer of the skin is removed that way, new, healthy skin cells replace them leading to an improvement of the scar albeit gradual.
Lemon and lime juice
When applied to a scar, freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice helps to lighten the scar a bit which in turn helps to make it less noticeable.
Gotu kola
Gotu kola is increasingly being recognized as a natural scar removal option. It is claimed to help reduce the appearance of keloid scars when taken orally, injected, or applied topically on the scar. There is however no scientific evidence yet to prove that gotu kola really works.
Makeup
Camouflaging a scar with makeup (concealer) is a fantastic option that you can use to make scars less noticeable. This option is especially useful for hiding of acne scars and the hyper-pigmentation associated with them.
It is critical however to ensure that the makeup used is oil-free and noncomedogenic otherwise it can lead to more acne breakouts. It is also important to keep your skin clean – cleansing it every day – to prevent clogging up of the pores.
Among other natural remedies for scar removal are aloe Vera, allantoin, magnet therapy, and snail extract, but there is no sufficient evidence to indicate that these remedies offer any meaningful benefits to scars.
What about vitamin E?
Vitamin E is often touted to help in reducing scars but Dr. Whitney Bowe, a New York based dermatologist thinks otherwise. She says that it is not only ineffective for healing of scars but is can also lead to skin irritation in some patients.
Old Scar Removal Home Remedies
What are some of the best old scar removal home remedies? This is a commonly asked question and if this is as well your concern – maybe you have a scar that seems to have found a permanent residence on your face and to have a knack for getting the attention of passersby – then you may want to try applying lemon juice (best for darker scars) or gotu kola (claimed to help reduce keloid scars).
eHerbal Remedies also suggests the use of honey and vitamin C for treatment of old scars. If none of these options seem to reduce the scar, you may want to consider using a scar cream such as Mederma or Scarguard, or seeking other treatment options such as laser skin resurfacing, dermabrasion, filler injections, and scar revision surgery among others.
Face Scar Removal Home Remedies – Facial Scar Removal Home Remedies
So you have a scar on your face and you are wondering what remedies to use to reduce its size and make it less prominent. Your first line of action should be clever use of makeup to conceal the scar but if that fails, other remedies such as massage and pressure bandages, tea tree oil, vinegar, lemon juice, gotu kola, and cortisone creams can help.
Fast Scar Removal Home Remedies
If you are looking for a fast way to get rid of a scar – maybe you have a holiday scheduled for next week but one and you would rather not have to “wear” that scar while relaxing on the beach – then most home remedies may not be your safest bet since they typically give gradual results.
Maybe you should consider some of the more aggressive scar treatment options such as dermabrasion, laser scar removal, and filler injections to name but a few. Talk to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon about the suitability of these procedures for your specific type of scar.
Effective Scar Removal Home Remedies
Lots of people want to know which of the scar removal remedies available today are the most effective. Concealing the scar with makeup is usually very effective for small scars, but careful selection of colors is important.
Makeup may however not effective for larger scars, which may benefit from other remedies such as tea tree oil, cortisone creams, massage and pressure bandage to name but a few. You may however need to be patient as some of these remedies require some time for meaningful results to be achieved.
Chicken Pox Scar Removal Home Remedies
Having a bout of chicken pox is uncomfortable enough, but the scarring that often results after the condition has healed only serves as a painful reminder of those unpleasant moments.
In most instances, however, such scars fade away on their own, but if you would like to hasten the healing process, applying lemon juice, papaya paste, honey, Aloe Vera, coconut water, or vitamin E (yes vitamin E) are some of the home remedies that you may want to consider.