If you've had a surgical operation or a wound, you may have unsightly scars on your skin. Although scars are usually painless, they can be bothersome, especially if you have them on visible areas of your body like your face. Some people develop enlarged, raised scars called keloids as well. Several herbs can be taken internally or applied to the skin to help get rid of scars.
Aloe Vera
Aloe is the most common herbal remedy used for treating scars and healing wounds. Aloe vera can help to reduce skin inflammation after a wound and induce skin cell repair to heal the wound, says the University of Michigan Health System. You can apply aloe vera as a topical massage gel or cream even on old scars and scar tissue to help revitalize the skin.
Gotu Kola
The herb gotu kola can help to remove scar tissue, particularly keloid scars, when you apply it topically, take it orally or inject it into the scar tissue, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Gotu kola may also help to heal infected wounds, prevent keloids and treat large or old scars, notes the University of Michigan Health System.
A clinical study conducted in France and published in the Annals of Plastic Surgery in 1979 found that gotu kola extract taken orally at a dose of 60 mg once or twice daily could help prevent and treat keloid scars. You can also apply a cream that contains 1 percent concentration of gotu kola to the scarred skin areas or ingest 60 drops of the tincture three to four times daily, says the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Calendula
You can apply a tea or salve made from calendula to wounds or scars to promote healing. Calendula is also used in Germany for treating wounds that heal poorly, says the University of Michigan Health System. Topical applications of calendula may be especially helpful in getting rid of scar tissue from surgical procedures, because these wounds tend to heal and develop scarring fast.
The University of Maryland Medical Center advises making a tea by diluting ½- to 1 teaspoon of calendula tincture in ¼-cup water. You can also steep 1 tablespoon of calendula flowers in 1 cup of hot water for 15 minutes and then dip a cloth into the tea for use as a compress, the University of Michigan says.
Horsetail
Topical applications of the horsetail herb may help to regenerate damaged skin tissue and remove scars. Horsetail is also used topically or taken orally to improve the healing of wounds and reduce skin inflammation, says the University of Michigan Health System. You can also make a poultice of horsetail along with the herb comfrey and apply it nightly to the skin to reduce scar tissue.
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