Acne scars not only mar our face, but sometimes also our self esteem. How can you fade these scars without spending too much money or exposing yourself to harsh chemicals?
There are two types of acne scars: red hyper-pigmentation and pitted acne scars. Pitted acne scars require much more aggressive treatment than red marks, but fortunately red marks are much more common.
Red acne scars can be relieved with natural at-home solutions. Many of the ingredients for these treatments are likely already in your kitchen.
Even if they aren’t, they’re very economical to purchase compared to more expensive skincare products.
1. The Vitamin C in Strawberries Will Renew Your Skin
Vitamin C is a popular skincare ingredient that works to reduce red acne scars by stimulating the skin’s natural regeneration. As the skin is stimulated to produce new skin cells, the new skin emerges from underneath and pushes the old, scarred skin off and away.
Vitamin C is super effective for renewing the skin safely.
However, there’s no need to drop a bunch of cash on a vitamin C product when you can get the same results much cheaper, and naturally.
SFGate, the sister website of the San Francisco Chronicle, explains that strawberries are very rich in vitamin C. This means that the berries make a great skin treatment for fading acne scars.
To use strawberries as a skin treatment, simply slice up a good juicy strawberry. Riper is better. Rub each slice around your face, let the juice dry, then use the next slice.
This will layer up the strawberry juice on your skin for maximum effect. Let sit overnight, and rinse off in the morning.
2. Honey Fades Scars and Prevents Future Acne
The National Honey Board notes that honey contains many naturally occurring acids. These include alpha-hydroxy acids such as citric acid, lactic acid, and malic acid.
Plus, honey is a natural anti-bacterial, squashing acne bacteria that can lead to future pimples. A complete skincare routine for acne-prone skin will both treat scars and prevent future breakouts. Honey fills both of these roles, making it a very convenient and potentially time-saving option.
Skip the alpha-hydroxy skin creams and reach into your kitchen cabinet for some honey. Raw honey is better than pasteurized honey.
All you have to do is apply it evenly to the affected skin area, wait for 20-30 minutes, and rinse it off with lukewarm water. Repeat this nightly for consistent treatment and best results.
This video goes into more detail about exactly how you can use honey as an anti-acne face mask.
3. Break Out the Citrus Fruits
According to Andrea Cespedes, citrus fruits of all types are rich in citric acid, an alpha hydroxy acid. This means that lemons, oranges, and grapefruit can all be used as a home remedy for acne scars.
Before bed, gently rub a slice of lemon or orange on your face and let the juice dry. Leave it there overnight, and rinse your face in the morning. You’ll see the fastest results if you do this every evening.
If you want to prevent future blemishes at the same time as you treat red marks, opt for a lemon. Lemons in particular are great for their natural anti-microbial abilities, just as with honey. You can even combine honey and lemon juice into the same mask treatment to maximize the benefits.
Be cautious using lemon on your face, especially if your skin is sensitive or has any open, unhealed acne lesions.
You may want to start by diluting the lemon juice with water the first time you do the treatment, and gradually increase the strength to see how much your skin can handle without excessive stinging and irritation.
4. Use Yogurt as a Natural Source of Lactic Acid
Yogurt is a delicious, nutritious breakfast food. It’s just as nutritious for your skin, too. Yogurt is a natural source of lactic acid, an exfoliant agent. Viva Woman recommends using yogurt as a rejuvenating skin treatment.
It’s quite simple to use yogurt as a face mask. Use plain, unsweetened yogurt. Spread an even layer onto your face and let it do its work for around 20 minutes. Rinse it off and pat your face dry.
Again, you’ll see results the quickest if you do this every day, and yogurt is gentle enough that you can use it very frequently.
If you have dry skin, be sure to use full-fat yogurt. The fats will help to moisturize your skin.
Related: 16 Homemade Face Masks Recipes That Will Give You Gorgeous Skin
5. Never Underestimate the Humble Apple
You’re probably starting to see that there are tons of foods with naturally occurring exfoliating agents. Apples are a super-common food that can help you out in the acne scar department, and they are among the cheapest home remedies for this purpose.
Livestrong.com takes note that apples contain malic acid. Malic acid is, you guessed it, a type of alpha hydroxy acid.
Malic acid is not the only compound present in apples that’s great for your skin. You’ll also find vitamin C and tons of antioxidants.
Use a fresh apple for a super-affordable way to reduce the appearance of your red acne scars. Simply take a thin slice and slide it across your face, wetting the skin with the juice.
Leave this on while you sleep, and rinse your face in the morning. This apple skin treatment makes a great component of a scar-fading, anti-acne skincare routine.
6. Rosehip Seed Oil Vanishes Scars
Dana Oliver over at Huffington Post details how rosehip seed oil can help fade scars and improve overall skin health. This oil is extracted from the seeds of any of several species of wild rose.
Rosehip seed oil contains various vitamins that can help your scarred skin repair itself. It also boasts other beneficial compounds including antioxidants and essential fatty acids.
One of the best ways to use rosehip seed oil is by itself as a moisturizer. However, you shouldn’t use the same amount of rosehip seed oil as you would face lotion. Rub about five drops of rosehip seed oil into already-damp skin.
You can combine rosehip seed oil with any of the juice-based skin treatments I talk about here. Apply the juice to your skin, and rub in the rosehip seed oil while the juice is still wet. Let your face dry and snooze away while the natural ingredients work their magic.
You may notice immediately that your skin is plumper, well-hydrated, and smooth in the morning. With more time, it will also even out your skin tone.
7. Pineapple Gently Scrubs Away Red Marks
The skin benefits of pineapple. The fruit contains bromelain, an anti-inflammatory enzyme that soothes the skin while gently exfoliating. Other scar-fighting compounds present in pineapple include vitamin C and many other nutrients.
Run a small slice of pineapple across your entire face, with extra focus on areas with red marks. Let the pineapple juice dry on your face. Go to sleep with this on, and rinse it off when you wake up.
8. Tomato’s Vitamin A Content Refreshes Skin Tone
Tomato is a source of vitamin A, according to the National Institutes of Health. Vitamin A is present in many skincare products, where it may appear on the product label as retinol.
Retinol and other similar chemicals, known as retionoids, are well-known for helping the skin regenerate itself and fading scars.
Tomato makes a great facial treatment, not only due to its vitamin A content but also due to other vitamins and compounds present in the fruit. These include vitamin C and many antioxidants.
Various vitamins and antioxidants will holistically benefit your skin’s overall health, even beyond helping fade acne scars.
If you want to use tomato to help get rid of acne scars, simply rub a slice of ripe tomato across your skin each night. Let the juice dry onto your skin. Allow it to penetrate your skin while you sleep, and rinse it off upon awakening.
Note that for this tomato skin treatment, as well as for any of the other overnight juice facials I’ve told you about above, feel free to apply your regular moisturizer on top of the juice once it has dried.
9. Papaya’s Gentle Enzymes Are Great for Sensitive Skin
Papaya is yet another fruit that is great for marred skin. Purvaja Sawanti, writing for The Times of India, says that this fruit contains both vitamin A and papain, an enzyme that can help break down dead skin cells.
Papaya, though exfoliating, is not quite as acidic as most of the other fruits I’ve listed here. This makes it ideal for sensitive skin. Whether your skin is naturally sensitive or if it’s been irritated by sunburn or harsh products, give papaya a go.
Start by pureeing some papaya in a blender or food processor. Gently rub an even layer of papaya puree onto your face. Let the enzymes sink in for about 20 minutes.
Rinse off the papaya and carry on with the rest of your skincare routine. Try to do this frequently; once a day is ideal.
10. Scrambled Eggs: Not Just For Breakfast
Eggs are a source of vitamin A. As I mentioned earlier, this nutrient is a great exfoliant to help acne scars heal.
Raw scrambled egg can be used as a nutritive face mask. Use the whole egg for maximum benefit, as the yolk contains more vitamins to nourish your skin as well as fats to moisturize.
Crack an egg and beat it until it’s smooth. Spread it over your face. Let it dry for about 15 minutes, then rinse it with cold water. Don’t use warm or hot water as it might cook the egg and make it harder to remove.
Note that you can easily mix together several of the mask ingredients that I’ve told you about. Any combination of honey, yogurt, papaya, and egg will do wonders for your skin.
Get Rid of Your Acne Scars Naturally Today
Tons of foods already in your kitchen contain the scar-fading ingredients found in costly skin creams. These include strawberries, honey, citrus, yogurt, apple, pineapple, tomato, papaya, and egg, but there are many others I didn’t get the chance to talk about here.
Remember that the acids in many of these foods can increase your skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. Only use acid-containing recipes at night. During the course of your treatment, apply sunscreen whenever you’ll be spending more than 10 minutes or so outside.
Give one or more of these home remedies a try. After 1-3 months you will see a noticeable difference in your skin.