Natural Oils for Acne Scars
Acne can be an extremely persistent skin condition that affects many of us at some point during our lifetime.
As a long term sufferer of acne (coming up to 10 years now…on and off!) I have my fair share of scarring from the dreaded inflamed cystic acne that has plagued me for all these years.
Not all types of acne will leave scars. It is generally the deep, cystic nodules that are raised, very sore to touch and generally don’t have a white head. Even without picking or squeezing, this type of acne will likely leave a dark reddish grey pigmentation mark when the inflammation eventually subsides. This is known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and is caused by an increase in melanin production as the skin heals.
The good news is that this scarring is NOT permanent! It will eventually fade, but it could take anywhere from a few months to a year. The darker the pigmentation, the longer the scar will take to heal. To avoid prolonging the healing of the scar, be sure to wear SPF 50 on a daily basis to protect against harmful UV rays that will darken the scars.
As with most skin conditions, there are chemical solutions and natural remedies that can be used to solve the problem. For fading acne scars, doctors and dermatologists will most likely recommend a chemical face peel containing either Salicylic Acid or Glycolic Acid. Both these acids will remove the outer layer of dead skin cells from the surface, and reveal brighter skin underneath. The problem with these chemical solutions, is that they are usually always met with side effects, and in some cases can be worse than dealing with the acne scars in the first place. Chemical peels such as these can cause irritated, flaking, red and itchy skin. This, in turn could cause your skin to produce more sebum to overcompensate for the lack of moisture. This will potentially cause the acne to return, meaning more chemical peels are required and creating more dryness in the skin. It is a vicious cycle, and will only cause your skin to deteriorate further with this continued use.
Luckily, nature has provided us with some pretty amazing plants that have the powerful ability to help speed up healing in a much more gentle way. Not only does using selected natural oils help to fade acne scarring, it also moisturises and nourishes the skin at the same time. This means no nasty side effects, your skin will feel plump, look glowing and over time scars will begin to fade. Unfortunately, there is no fast fix for healing acne scars, it simply takes a bit of persistence and perseverance to see the results you desire.
To see maximum results from using natural oils for acne scars, follow these tips:
- Apply oils to damp skin. This will help your skin absorb the oil and provide you with maximum hydration.
- Be sure to use oils daily for 3-6 months to see results.
- For dry skin, use oil morning and evening, for oily skin, use oil at night only.
- A little goes a long way with oils, so only 2-3 drops is needed.
- Massage oils into the skin really well for a few minutes to get the blood and oxygen flowing. This helps to stimulate collagen production, results in younger looking skin!
