Scars form when skin tissue has been stretched or damaged. They’re most common following surgery, injury, or severe acne. For many people, dark scars can leave them feeling self-conscious. The may find they don’t enjoy going out if their scars aren’t covered and can feel embarrassed about the way they look. To learn home remedies to lighten and heal scars, keep reading.

Types of Scars

There are actually a few different types of scars and some will respond to certain home remedies more than others.

Atrophic Scars: These scars form sunken or indented marks on your skin. Stretch marks are a common example.  

Keloidal Scars: Scars of this type tend to be large, dark and raised and form benign tumors which grow behind the ears. They may also appear on your back or chest.

Hypertrophic Scars: This is by far the most common type of scar. They form raised patches of darker skin and are usually caused by acne or similar skin infections.

Thankfully, there are things that you can do easily, at home, to help lighten or heal your scars. This will make them less noticeable and help you to feel more confident in your appearance.  

Home Remedies to Lighten and Heal Scars

1. Aloe Vera

Scars heal best when they’re moisturized thoroughly. Choosing a home remedy like aloe vera ensures your scar is soothed and moisturized regularly. Aloe gel also contains antioxidants which help to reduce swelling and redness, whilst protecting your skin cells from further damage. It also helps to strip the skin of excess oil and dead cells, reducing the risk of further scarring – especially if your scars are caused by acne.  

 

2. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is another great way to moisturize your scars, helping the damaged skin to heal and lighten. You can apply it directly to your scarred area of skin and let it soak. Apply it each day for a really noticeable result. You should avoid applying too much oil though as it could cause a breakout if you overuse it.

 

3. Baking Soda

Baking soda has a gentle, abrasive quality. Add a small amount to some water to create a paste and rub this into the darker, scarred area of skin. This will help to remove dead skin cells and make your scars appear lighter. It’ll also balance out the pH of your skin and prevent further scars developing.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a great home remedy to lighten and heal scars. Mix it with a small amount of honey and leave it on your skin for ten minutes before rinsing off with water. Do this three times a day for the best results.

5. Onion

It can sting a little, but onion extract is another great home remedy to lighten and heal scars. This is because it contains certain compounds which work to reduce the appearance of scars in just a few weeks. You should apply the extract daily for a quick result.

Simply slice an onion in half and squeeze so that its juices are released. You can then rub the juices directly onto your scars and leave on for ten minutes before rinsing with some water.

 

6. Honey

Honey has a natural moisturizing effect and helps to stimulate tissue regeneration, which makes it an ideal home remedy to lighten and heal scars. Apply raw honey to your scars and let it sit for ten minutes before rinsing it off with some warm water. You could also add some cinnamon for extra skin renewal.  

 

7. Lemon

If you’re wanting to lighten your scars, lemon is a great choice of home remedy. This is because it contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) which have a number of skin healing properties. Lemon juice can act as a natural bleaching agent, aids new skin growth and restores some of the elasticity that is missing in scar tissue.

To use, slice a lemon in half and squeeze the juice over your scar. Let it sit for fifteen minutes before dabbing with cool water to rinse it off. You should make sure you avoid direct sunlight for at least a couple of hours after using this home remedy, as it can make your skin sensitive to sunlight. You may also find it irritates your skin if you suffer from eczema.

 

8. Lavender Oil

Lavender oil can be used as a home remedy for a number of skin complaints. It’s healing and soothing qualities make it a great home remedy for lightening the appearance of your scars. Mix a few drops of lavender oil with a carrier oil (coconut oil is a good example) or dilute the drops in some water before applying it to your skin.  

9. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an amazing home remedy for healing scars. Its antiseptic and antimicrobial factors work as a natural acne treatment and reduce scarring. It works best on hypertrophic scars and can gradually reduce their appearance. Mix two drops of tea tree oil with some coconut oil or dilute some in water and wipe it over your skin. Allow the oil to soak into your skin for the best result. Remember, tea tree oil can irritate the skin so you need to make sure you’ve diluted it with water or a gentle carrier oil before applying it directly to the skin.

 

10. Carrot Seed Oil

Carrot seed oil is another great essential oil to lighten and heal scars. Like other essential oils, you will need to dilute the oil before you apply it directly to your skin.

 

11. Shea Butter

Applying shea butter to your skin each day will help to moisturize your scars and brighten your skin. This will help to reduce the appearance of the scars over time. Unfiltered and unrefined shea butter will have more of a positive effect.

12. Turmeric

Turmeric is a great home remedy for acne scars thanks to its curcumin content. This amazing compound helps to reduce the excess production of melanin and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. By reducing melanin production, turmeric helps to lighten the skin and reduce dark pigments.

You can mix some turmeric with a little honey and apply it to your skin for twenty minutes. The mixture will exfoliate your skin, removing dead skin cells and help lighten your scars. After twenty minutes have passed, rinse your skin with cool water.

13. Rosehip Seed Oil

Mix a little rosehip oil with some frankincense oil and you’ll create a great anti-aging oil that’s great for lightening and healing scars. The rosehip seed oil has a high fatty acids content which helps restore dehydrated skin cells. It’s also a dry oil so won’t leave your skin feeling oily after you’ve used it.  

 

14. Cucumber

Cucumber is another great home remedy that works especially well on acne scars. Slice a cucumber and rub its juice on your scars. Over time this will help to reduce inflammation and make your scars appear lighter.

 

15. Frankincense Oil

This essential oil can help reverse the signs of aging and lighten the appearance of your stretch marks. As with all essential oils, make sure you dilute it before applying it directly to your skin.

 

16. Vitamin K

Leafy greens provide a rich source of vitamin K which can help minimize the appearance of scars and stretch marks. Try to include more spinach and kale into your diet and over time you should start to notice a benefit. You could also find vitamin K creams and serums which can be applied directly to your skin.

 

17. Vitamin E

Vitamin E has great soothing qualities which help your scars decrease in appearance over time. You can split open a vitamin E capsule to release the oil from inside and apply this directly to your skin.

18. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is great for loosening dead skin cells and lightening your scars. Leave a little olive oil on your scars overnight, each night and over time you should start to notice their appearance improve.

19.  Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter helps to lighten your stretch marks and penetrates deep into the skin to soften and heal it.

 

20. Silicone

Silicone sheets or gels can be applied to the skin as an effective home remedy for scars. It’s one of the most proven home remedies to lighten and heal scars.  You can find silicone gels and sheets in most stores and they carry little or no side effects for most people, making them safe and easy to use.

 

21. Sun Protection

Simply protecting your scars from the sun won’t heal them completely, but it will help to prevent further damage to your skin cells. As a result, protection from the sun assists the natural lightening process and helps your scars to heal naturally and quickly. Sun protection is doubly important if you’ve been using lemon to lighten your scars as this can make your skin extra sensitive to the sun’s harmful UV rays.

22. Potato

Potatoes might not spring to mind when you think of juicy foods, but actually, their juices can work really well as a home remedy to lighten and heal your scars. Slice a potato into medium-thick slices and rub the juices against your scar.

Circular motions are best as they help to stimulate the skin. Once you feel the slice becoming dry, start the process again with a fresh slice. You should keep rubbing and replacing the potato slices for twenty minutes. After these twenty minutes are up let the juices sit on your skin for a further ten minutes before rinsing with cold water. If you do this once every day you should start to notice your scars healing quicker.

 

23. Pressure Garments

Compression garments are items you wear which use mechanical compressive forces to treat burns and scar tissue as a result of severe burning. These will usually be provided by a doctor but you can replicate their effects on a lesser scale by applying gentle pressure using crepe bandages.

24.  Helichrysum Essential Oil

Helichrysum essential oil is also a great home remedy to lighten and heal your scars. Like tea tree oil, it has antibacterial properties and works as an antioxidant to regenerate damaged skin and prevent further damage. As a result, it helps lighten your scars and reduce their appearance so that you can feel confident again.

 

25. Emu Oil

Emu oil is extracted from the back fat of the emu bird and is known to help fight bacteria and reduce inflammation. This is because it’s rich in healthy fats like omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9. These fats are able to penetrate deep into the skin and stimulate the growth of healthy skin cells. The moisturizing qualities of the oil also help to speed up the healing of your scar tissue and lighten their appearance.

26. Witch Hazel

Witch hazel is often renowned as one of the best home remedies to lighten and heal scars. It’s particularly recommended for acne scars. It works to naturally reduce redness and inflammation as well as fighting bacteria, aiding your body’s natural healing process.

 

27. Amla (Indian Gooseberry)

Amla, sometimes referred to as an Indian gooseberry, is rich in vitamin C. This means it can inhibit the formation of scars and keep your skin cells healthy. This helps to lighten existing scars as well as preventing any new ones.

Simply mix a little amla powder with some olive oil to make a paste. Apply the paste to your scars and leave it on for ten to fifteen minutes. You can then rinse your skin with cool water. You can also use the paste as a face mask to tackle any obvious acne scars that may be affecting your confidence. Repeat the use of this mask once every other day and in a few months, you should notice a lighter appearance in your scars.

Which of these home remedies will you use to lighten and heal scars? Comment below!

References

https://www.livenobs.com/blogs/fresh/got-scars-add-these-10-natural-home-remedies-for-effective-scar-removal

https://helloglow.co/natural-scar-remedies/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319654.php

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-rid-of-old-scars

http://performanceskin.com/home-remedies/

https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/how-rid-acne-scars-fast-12239111

https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/natural-remedies-and-treatments-to-remove-old-scars/#gref

https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/home-remedies-to-heal-scars-naturally/

Anthony Misiano cosplaying as the Joker picture by Pat Loika.