How to Lighten Acne Scars: Natural Remedies or Medical Treatments

Acne scars can cause frustration and self-doubt as it ruins the smoothness of your skin. But, you don’t need to suffer from acne scars for the rest of your life. Acne scars are harder to eliminate than the acne which causes it.

There are many different ways to lighten the acne scars. There are home remedies that naturally lighten the scars as well as commercial products available to reduce the appearance of scars. So, if you want to know how to lighten acne scars, here are some home remedies and commercial products.

Natural Remedies for Lightening Acne Scars

The five natural remedies, easily available in your home, include:

• Apply fresh lemon juice on your acne scars with a cotton ball and let it sit for fifteen minutes. Once it dries up, wash with warm water. It acts as a natural bleaching agent and softens acne scars in matter of few weeks. You can mix lemon juice with plain yogurt to make a face mask to lighten your scars.

• Slices of fresh potatoes should be applied on the affected areas to reduce redness. Rub it gently over your face in circular motion till the slice becomes dry. Repeat this for about 15-20 minutes and once the juice has dried, wash it off. Raw potatoes can lighten the scars significantly if used continuous for weeks.

• Rub few drops of camellia oil on the acne scars to reduce its appearance. It stimulates the growth of new cell and removes dead skin.

• Apply Aloe vera gel on your acne scars and leave it for half an hour before washing it off. It not only soothes inflammation, but also helps in regeneration of damaged tissues. You should prefer fresh gel from aloe vera leaf over products containing aloe vera.

• Apply olive oil on your acne scars before going to bed. Massage the oil gently on the scarred areas and put a warm wet cloth on your face. Wipe away the excess oil and then wash off your face with normal water after 1-2 minutes.

Medical Creams and Treatments for Lightening Acne Scars

There are many products available in the market that effectively reduces the appearance of acne scars. Here are five medical creams and treatments that you can choose from, depending on the intensity of your acne scars.

• Use a cortisone cream on the affected area to reduce inflammation of your skin and promote healing. Cortisone creams are available in prescription as well as over-the-counter forms.

• Apply over the counter skin lightening cream containing ingredients such as vitamin C, mulberry extract, kojic acid, arbutin and licorice extract. It helps lighten and fade skin hyperpigmentation caused by acne scars but it does not damage or irritate your skin.

• Use skincare products, such as scrubs, creams and ointments containing glycolic or salicylic acid as they effectively exfoliate the skin. The skin shed layers, brings hyperpigmented skin to the surface and makes it disappear completely.

• Use retinoid skin products to remove acne scars as well as treat fine lines, wrinkles and skin discoloration. Retinoid is vitamin A derivative and improves the production of collagen, which lightens the acne scars.

• Schedule an appointment with your dermatologists to get a laser treatment to remove the acne scars. The laser treatment either stimulates collagen production or vaporizes the scars to allow for new skin cells to take its place.

Acne scars can take months or even years to fade away on their own. Hence, you can choose either natural remedies or medical treatments depending on your preference and the intensity of your scars. It is always better to consult with your doctor on the best option for treating acne scars.