Herbs Or Essential Oils To Heal Acne Scars

When the sebaceous glands produce too much oil, it can mix with bacteria and block the pores and cause the skin to erupt into pimples, blackheads and whiteheads, also known as acne. Even if acne is successfully treated, scars sometimes remain. Because the inflammation begins below the skin's surface, the scars may have a depressed appearance and are just as difficult to treat as the original acne.

Scar Types

According to The Patient's Guide to Acne Scars, there are four types of scars: Ice-pick scars, the most common, form sharp pits in the skin; rolling scars are wide and shallow; boxcar scars have angled edges; and hypertrophic or keloid scars are raised and look like pimples. Standard procedures for removing acne scars include laser treatments, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and topical applications.

Treatments

Herbs and essential oils provide a natural treatment for acne scars. According to Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine), herbs such as mint, fenugreek, turmeric and basil have restorative properties that are good for the skin.
Essential oils have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and skin-regenerating properties that may help reduce scarring and avoid recurring outbursts of acne. Lavender, lemon and tea tree essential oils are especially good for clearing skin, according to Valerie Ann Worwood, aromatherapist and author of "The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy."

Herbs

Mint leaves can lighten the appearance of acne and scars. Clean and squeeze out 10 to 15 mint leaves and apply the juice directly to your acne scars. To make it a paste, add turmeric powder, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Be careful with the turmeric, as it can stain. Apply to affected area, leave on for 10 to 15 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water. The book "Alternative Medicine: A Definitive Guide" by Max Allan Goldberg suggests a paste of 1/2 tsp. each of turmeric and sandalwood powders mixed with water.
Other herbs to try include fenugreek and basil, which have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities. Make a paste by crushing fenugreek or holy basil leaves (fresh or dried) and mixing with water. Apply to the acne scars for about 10 minutes just before bedtime. Rinse off with lukewarm water. Or boil fenugreek seeds in water and let cool before applying.

Essential Oils

Because essential oils are very potent, mix with a base oil such as jojoba, grape-seed or rose-hip oil before applying them to your skin. Lavender essential oil can help sooth irritated skin, get rid of redness, fight bacteria and stimulate the cells of a wound to regenerate, Worwood says. Lemon essential oil also has antibacterial and antiseptic properties.
Tea tree essential oil, which is safe to apply directly to skin, has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that are good for scars and preventing further acne flare-ups.