Whether you're trying to fade your teenage acne scars or diminish the look of a few unsightly lesions, you have a number of affordable non-surgical alternatives at your disposal. Although none of these remedies offers an immediate cure, over time, you may be able to reduce the look of unwanted scars. Other options for short-term camouflage include tattoo-covering makeup.
Silicone
Silicone gel can treat facial scars ranging from mild to the severe, like those experienced by burn victims. Drugstores offer small silicone sheets for treating older scars; if your scars are new, ask your doctor about silicone gel as a preventive treatment. Scientists don't know exactly why silicone helps reduce the look of scars. In Soft-Tissue Surgery of the Craniofacial Region, authors Joan Monaco, Mani Mani and W. Thomas Lawrence describe two common theories: first, silicone hydrates and protects your skin, which may enhance the recovery process. Alternatively, they note silicone may raise your skin's temperature, spurring healthy collagen production.
Castor Oil
A popular folk remedy, castor oil pops up in homeopathic scar remedy discussions on a regular basis. Castor oil's main ingredient is ricinoleic acid. In 2000, Italian scientists tested the acid's anti-inflammatory properties in mice and guinea pigs. They discovered that ricinoleic acid "exerts remarkable analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects." Not only did regular topical application of ricinoleic acid reduce swelling and inflammation, it also produced fewer side effects, such as scratching the affected areas. To use castor oil in scar treatment, start slowly---dab a drop or two on an unaffected area to test for allergies. If no adverse reactions occur, dab castor oil over your scar nightly.
Herbal Remedies
Topical doses of particular herbs may help reduce the look of your facial scars. In Beauty by Nature, author Brigitte Mars recommends a two-step process for treating scars. When the scars or lesions are mostly but not fully healed, she recommends applying topical aloe vera, calendula, castor oil, cocoa butter, comfrey and plantain. Once the scar has healed, you can continue applying calendula, castor oil and plantain.
Beta Hydroxy Acid with Tretinoin
According to Paula Begoun in The Complete Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Smart Beauty, it's a good idea to remove the surface layers of damaged, scarred skin. If the wound is relatively new, you'll stop additional scar tissue from forming; if it's an old wound, you'll still stimulate new cell production. Begoun suggests using a gentle beta-hydroxy acid product in combination with tretinoin, a vitamin A derivative. Both products are readily available in drugstore beauty lotions. Beta hydroxy acid, she notes, contains skin-sloughing salicylic acid, which acts as an anti-inflammatory to speed the healing process. Tretinoin---sold under brand names such as Retin-A and Renova---jumpstarts your skin's cell production, helping to reveal fresher, undamaged skin.
References
- "Soft-Tissue Surgery of the Craniofacial Region"; Edited by John A. Persing and Gregory R.D. Evans; 2007
- "Mediators of Inflammation"; Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation; Celme Vieira, Stefano Evangelista, Rocco Cirillo, Annalisa Lippi, Carlo Alberto Maggi and Stefano Manzini; 2000
- "Beauty by Nature"; Brigitte Mars; 2006
- "The Complete Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Smart Beauty"; Paula Begoun; 2004
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