Acne scars can form as indentations known as rolling, boxcar or ice pick scars due to the shapes that they create. Or, they can form raised fleshy growths called hypertophic scars, or keloids, notes an article posted on American Chronicle. At home treatments don't offer much help in these cases, as the scarring tends to be too severe. However, home treatments can help to heal mild acne scarring where the skin has simply become blemished.
Natural Remedies
The cheapest home treatments for acne scars are natural remedies. Many of these are applied topically and contain enzymes that complement the body's natural healing process. Granny Med recommends massaging pure aloe vera gel into the acne scars to achieve this effect.
Other natural remedies focus on removing dead skin cells and mildly wounding the skin via either burning, in the form of alpha-hydroxy-acids present in milk, or through erosion, via exfoliating granules in baking soda.
Over-the-Counter
A doctor may recommend you use over-the-counter products for your acne scars. These can be purchased from drugstores for just a few dollars. A cleanser containing salicylic acid is rated by Medline Plus as being an effective treatment. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid derived from plants. It works by removing dead skin cells and therefore encouraging new skin growth.
Prescription
A doctor may prescribe a topical medicine high in vitamin A such as tretinoin--often known as Retin-A--or containing antibiotics. Similarly to over-the-counter products, they work by causing skin cell turnover and killing skin bacteria, only at a higher rate than the lesser drugs. Often, a combination of medicines is needed to achieve the optimum effects.
Considerations
The effectiveness of natural remedies is an area of debate for some medical professionals who believe more research is needed to justify the claims. Acne.org dismisses topical treatments for acne scarring as ineffective. This includes prescription medications such as Retin-A. Despite this, MayoClinic argues that over-the-counter products and prescription medications can be effective for milder scarring.
Alternatives
For people that have severe scarring or have their self-confidence reduced by mild scarring, clinical treatments are an option. Acne.org recommends the likes of chemical peels, dermabrasion techniques and laser resurfacing. These focus on wounding the skin by removing the surface layers, known as the epidermis, which not only reduces superficial acne scarring but also encourages collagen production and, in-turn, new skin growth.
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