Scar Treatment
In modern medicine, there are various ways of treating scars with varying degrees of success. But not all people try the costly medical treatment immediately and instead try various home remedies as scar treatment before heading to a skin specialist. Given below are some natural scar treatment remedies that have been used in homes.The natural substances that are used in preparing natural remedies for scars are mostly extracts of fruits, vegetables and plants with well known medicinal properties. Here are some of them.
1. Aloe vera – It is a common ingredient in many popular cosmetics. It has good bactericidal, fungicidal and regenerative properties which are made use of in skin creams. In its natural form it is used for treating skin injuries and to obtain a smooth looking skin. Its anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties can be made use of early during the healing stage to prevent formation of large scars. That will also reduce the ugliness of scars. At a later stage, it can be used to even out the scar and make it appear smooth.
Scar Treatment
2. Honey – It has been used for several years for treatment because of its anti-microbial properties. It also has regenerative properties that can be beneficial to the skin. Hence applying a little honey on the skin wound won’t do any harm. But you must let it get absorbed into your skin. When applied on the wound, it prevents quick drying due to the moisture trapped in the honey. This will prevent scars later. The moisture, sugars and amino acids in the honey will nourish the skin making it smooth. The Vitamin C will promote healing of the skin and promote collagen synthesis. It can be used as a protective layer over the skin to prevent infection. This will restrict the formation of scars once the wound has healed.
3. Coconut oil – In many cultures, people have used coconut oil on burns and cuts to prevent scars. While applying coconut oil on burns may prevent scars, this is not the best thing to do immediately as it traps the heat inside causing severe but invisible burns internally. Whatever the type of injury, let it heal to some extent before applying coconut oil. The medium chain fatty acids in the coconut oil reduce and reverse the damage to some extent making it a good natural scar treatment remedy. The fatty acids also reverse the effects of anti-oxidants and keep the skin looking supple and healthy. When the wound has sufficiently healed, you can apply a thin layer and gently massage the wound area. This action will break the haphazard links created as the skin contracts at the scar site. After a few days you will notice a smooth and even looking skin rather than a stretched disfigured skin looking like a scar.
4. Lemon juice – It is used for scar treatment because of its bleaching properties. Lemon juice has been used for years for skin treatments. But you must remember that the juice contains citric acid which can be damaging to the skin if used in excess. Hence you must moderate your use of lemon juice by applying it in small quantities spread over a period of time.
5. Rose hip oil – This oil contains a large quantity of Vitamin C that acts as anti-oxidant along with essential fatty acids. Hence its application on the scarred tissues early during the formation of scar helps prevent the spread of scar and rolls back some of the damage to the skin. This is really helpful in treating facial scars caused by acne. But you should not use it on your face if you have a severe outbreak of acne. Let the skin heal naturally to some extent before trying this oil. You must cleanse your skin thoroughly before applying this oil. It will reduce the blemish and improve skin tone making it feel smoother. You can also massage your scars with a little rose hip oil to encourage healing. This will speed up the recovery in the affected area.
6. Baking soda – This is a useful scar treatment when used as a face mask. Scars are easily treated with baking soda as it can peel off the dead skin cells from the face. This is a useful remedy against acne scars. You must wash off the soda from your face and apply a thin layer of moisturizer afterwards. Prepare a schedule for applying the face mask and leave enough intervals in between to let the exposed skin attain the natural look and feel.
7. Tea tree oil – This is good for treating surface wounds because of its anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Before the scar has become permanent you can start applying the oil to smoothen it and prevent it from becoming ugly. Apply a little and massage gently for a few minutes. Some people may suffer from irritation if it’s too strong for them. They can use diluted oil for comfort. But many may not like to use this oil as it has a strong odor. Therefore its best applied before bedtime. Allow it to get absorbed by skin before you get into bed. You must apply it regularly to reverse the effects of scarring and achieve a smooth skin.
These are some of the well known natural scar treatment remedies. But before you start using them, determine the type, depth and look of the scars and then choose which remedy is the best suited to your condition. Not all these remedies will work on all people hence caution is advised.