Had an ugly acne breakout recently and wondering how to remove those ugly pimple marks at home fast?
How to fade acne scars? OR Can acne scars be removed? OR How to get rid of old acne scars? OR How to prevent acne scars? OR
If you have all sorts of these questions then you at the best place on the planet.
In today’s post, we will talk solely about complete pimple marks removal remedies and tips (both OTC & home remedies) followed by the best pimple marks prevention tips.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in and find out How you can remove pimple marks at home naturally fast without costing you a lot of money and time.
Firstly: what are the different types of Pimple Marks?
Before we dive deep into the best tips & remedies to deal with those ugly acne scars first you need to know one point: All the suitable acne scars treatment options vary slightly depending on the type of scarring that acne has caused.
There are three types of acne scars:
- Atrophic scars: These scars appear as small indentations in the skin. They occur when the skin does not make enough fibroblasts in the healing process. Fibroblasts are cells that play a crucial role in wound healing and the synthesis of collagen.
- Hypertrophic scars: These occur when the skin makes too many fibroblasts as the acne spot heals, causing a raised scar.
- Keloid scars: These are similar to hypertrophic scars but are typically much thicker than the original acne spot. They are usually darker than the surrounding skin and can be red or brown. Keloid scars may also cause symptoms, such as itchiness or pain.
Best OTC Pimple marks treatment products
Before you proceed with any treatment for acne scars, it’s important to be seen by a dermatologist.
They can help you determine the best possible method to reduce the appearance of your scars and to duly make sure that the marks on your skin are actually scars and not any other underlying condition.
The following are the best OTC(over the counter) available medicated acne scars treatment products that you can buy and apply at home.
1. Alpha hydroxy acids for acne scars
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are often found in products made to treat acne since they help to remove dead skin and prevent clogged pores. Even better, AHAs can also help make acne scars appear less noticeable.
But how exactly they work to do it?
The answer: The mild acid found in it exfoliates the outer layer of the skin to help remove discoloration and rough skin.
Best for: All types of acne scars.
2. Lactic acid for acne scars
Don’t worry, this one has nothing to with your gym.
A small 2010 study established that dermatologist-performed lactic acid peels done once every two weeks for consecutively three months significantly improved the texture, appearance, and pigmentation of the skin and lightened acne scars.
There are a lot of peels, serums, and ointments with lactic acid, but the best way for you is to use diluted apple cider vinegar as a toner or spot treatment thanks to its natural lactic acid.
Best for: All types of acne scars.
3. Retinoids for acne scars
Topical retinoids are another effective acne treatment with scar-smoothing benefits.
While speeding up your cell regeneration and improving your skin’s texture, retinoids can also significantly reduce discoloration and make scars less noticeable according to a recent study.
However, they have a downside: they can also make your skin especially sensitive to the sun. So always wear sunscreen daily when using anything that contains retinoids.
Best for: Atrophic or depressed scars.
4. Salicylic acid for acne scars
I am pretty sure that you’ve already used salicylic acid to treat your acne in the past or even your present. You would find it from pads to spot treatments and lotions to face cleansers, it’s in just about every kind of acne treatment these days.
How does it work to reduce acne scars?
Salicylic acid works by clearing pores, reducing swelling and redness, and exfoliates the skin when applied topically. It’s considered to be one of the best treatments for acne scars.
You can add products with salicylic acid into your daily routine or your skincare specialist may use it for less frequent chemical peels.
An important point to remember!
It might take a few weeks to see a visible difference when using salicylic acid. It can also cause dryness or serious irritation. You may need to use the product less often or try to spot treating if you have sensitive skin.
Best for: All acne scars.
5. Sunscreen for acne scars
Yes, really. It’s vital to wear sunscreen every day over scars. Sun exposure can really darken your already scars only to make them more noticeable which you really hate.
Best for: All acne scars.
Best home remedies to remove pimple marks
While lemon juice is practically a good home remedy to deal with acne scars but given the lack of scientific evidence and potential harness for skin, you might want to have a look at some other good home remedies for treating those ugly acne scars.
The following are some of the best natural/home remedies to get rid of those acne scars for good.
1. Baking soda for acne scars
Essentially, baking soda has some excellent clarifying and purifying properties which not helps to remove any sebum or dirt from the skin surface but its strong antiseptic and anti-fungal properties effectively eliminate the fungus or bacteria causing the further spread of acne scars.
2. Black Seed Oil for acne scars
Also known as Nigella Sativa, a plant native to Eastern Europe can also be bought online. It’s a good antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties work greatly in unison to reduce acne scars.
Moreover, black seed oil has been found to speed up the wound healing process while minimizing the skin pigmentation to suppress the appearance of scars.
3. Rosehip Seed Oil for acne scars
While it is a well-known anti-aging solution, recent studies have indicated rosehip seed oil utility for treating acne scars too. These researches found that since it directly benefits surgical type of scars, this implies its potential benefits for minimizing normal acne scars as well when used twice a day.
4. Honey for acne scars
- Honey is rich in powerful antioxidants that are very effective against minimizing ance than other treatments like benzoyl peroxide & retinoids.
- Honey has been found to suppress triggering factors of acne – bacteria & inflammation which then helps in speeding wound healing and minimizing the potential for scars.
5. Aloe Vera for acne scars
Aloe vera is another good natural remedy for acne scars. It is due to the following reasons.
- Being naturally a great moisturizer, it triggers hair cells regrowth by creating an enabling environment for skin cells growth by calming and soothing a damaged skin area.
- Like honey, it’s strong antibacterial & anti-inflammatory properties suppress any progression of bacterial or fungus on acne scars which helps acne scars to heal and minimize quickly.
- Regular application of it on acne scars can stimulate the production of skin collagen which helps to make the acne scars disappear as new skin cells replace them.
Applying aloe vera in the form of a gel or lotion can provide immediate relief by
- Cooling down the burning sensation of the skin
- reduce inflammation and soothes the pain
- slow or reduce the skin’s peeling process
A past study spanning over more than 3 months found that taking a daily aloe vera gel supplement can stimulate the production of collagen to significantly minimize the appearance of wrinkles/blemishes/scars.
6.Green tea for acne scars
Green tea is another potential remedy for acne scars due to the following reasons.
- Rich in good quality antioxidants, Green tea, when applied topically has been shown to help with acne (drinking it can promote good health too). Essentially, according to research, green tea is rich antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents called flavonoids & tennis, which directly benefits against acne.
- Particularly, a major antioxidant in green tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) inhibits the production of sebum and P.acnes – and acne-causing bacteria that directly benefit acne-prone people.
In short, according to a number of studies, just an application of about 2 – 4% topical green tea extract can greatly control sebum production which suppresses pimples.
While you get some green tea containing lotions & creams, but you can conveniently make your own green tea remedy at home.
7. Sulfur for acne scars
Sulfur can work for your acne scars due to the following reasons.
- Sulfur has the ability to dry up and skin surface and remove away any present dead skin cells which it could — in theory — reduce the appearance of scars too.
- Sulfur has strong antiseptic and antifungal properties too which fights away any potential fungus or bacteria lurking on acne scars that prevent their disappearance.
8. Turmeric Powder for acne scars
Turmeric is great for acne scars specifically because it contains curcumin, a compound with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce excess production of melanin, which adds pigmentation to your scar and makes it darker.
This in turn treats discoloration and helps skin glow. Moreover, Since it’s also antiseptic so it smooths your skin without irritation.
How to use it?
Use it with some of that honey we mentioned earlier!
Simply just add equal parts honey and turmeric (1 tsp each) and keep it on for about 20 minutes to allow the paste to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells.
Finally, rinse thoroughly with cool water.
9. Shea Butter for acne scars
We all know shea butter definitely helps women prevent or eliminate stretch marks, so why shouldn’t it work on ugly acne scars? Apply it daily to feel its moisturizing effects brightening your skin.
But what is better is that if you can find unfiltered raw shea butter, use that instead of any refined version. Refined usually means any nutrients have been broken down or destroyed.
Store-bought brands usually irritate because they have added fragrance and other additives.
10. Lemon for acne scars
If you want to lighten your scar, lemon is a tried & tested choice.
Why does it work for acne scars?
Lemon juice has some of the excellent bleaching properties which make it an old remedy for whitening/lightening up sun spotted dark/brown skin. That’s why you would find it a common ingredient in skin lightening creams.
What do you need?
- Just a lemon
- Few cotton balls
How to use it for acne scar treatment?
- Simply squeeze out the lemon juice out of fresh lemon and rub on the sunspot area for a few minutes.
- Now, leave it on for about half an hour. After that, simply rinse it off your skin.
- Finally, simply pat dry and use a good moisturizer after it.
How Often to do it?
While the lemon juice can be applied daily without worrying about side effects, the lemon-sugar scrub should not be used more than 2-3 times a week.
Since lemon can make skin sensitive to sunlight, give your scar a fighting chance at healing by using a daily moisturizer with SPF before heading out during the day.
Other best Pimple marks removal tips
While natural home remedies are good, you might want to look out for some other treatment tips that can be equally helpful and effective.
1. Apply topical treatments like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid
Using topical treatments like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid ingredients that help exfoliate the skin’s surface can help regeneration of new skin cells, removal of dead skin cells and encourage cell turnover and regeneration which would greatly reduce the risk of formation of scars.
2. Use collagen regeneration treatments
Using OTC collagen regeneration topical treatments like vitamin C, glycolic acid or retinol can help improve your skin cells turn over rate which helps remove dead skin cells and bring out new skin cells which directly remove scars.
3. Try out Microdermabrasion
You can try microdermabrasion to treat those scars which help remove dead & dark skin cells and bring out new skin cells that can significantly reduce scars.
4. Try out chemical peeling
Chemical peeling is another good choice to treat those stubborn scars as the removal of top skin in this process takes away acne/pimple scars with it.
5. Laser treatment is another option
This is a professional treatment that is used by a dermatologist to remove away dead skin cells by laser resurfacing therapy that smoothens the skin surface and remove away even the deepest of acne/pimples scars.
6. Seek professional help if everything does not work
If the above acne scars prevention remedies and tips don’t work, consulting your dermatologist should be your best bet.
They have a variety of effective medications like antibiotics, topical cream and cortisone injections, etc that can not only treat your acne pimples but prevent any possibility of scar formation.
Takeaway: The Whole lemon does have proven real-life health benefits like but it’s a great kitchen ingredient with a range of other benefits.
Prevention tips of Pimple Marks
You can’t completely prevent scarring, but these steps can minimize your chance of developing acne scars to a great extent:
- Treat acne as soon as possible. This is the best thing to prevent acne under control as soon as possible. Begin treating it right away, and see your doctor immediately if your acne isn’t getting any better with over-the-counter acne treatments.
- Immediately try to reduce inflammation. Large, inflamed acne blemishes are much more likely to leave scars behind than non-inflamed breakouts and blackheads. Aggressive scrubbing and harsh skincare products should be avoided.
- Never squeeze, pop, or pick at pimples ever! Just leave the temptation to pick or squeeze a pimple. Doing so can easily force debris deeper into the dermis, spreading an infection to other tissue and worsening your already inflammation. This is especially true for deep, serious blemishes like nodules and cysts.
- Don’t pick at scabs. Picking at scabs should also be avoided at all costs. A scab is the skin’s natural “bandage” which protects the wound as it heals. Picking a scab off a wound before it is ready prolongs the healing process and increases your odds of scarring.
- Know if you are prone to scarring. The reality is some people are more prone to scarring while others come through a case of severe acne without a scar in sight.
- See your doctor if you get large, deep breakouts or cysts. While smaller blemishes can still scar the skin, it’s the big guys that usually do the damage. Because they extend deeper into the skin, deep nodular breakouts or cystic breakouts are more likely to destroy skin tissue and leave scars.
