How to Speed Up the Healing of Acne Scars
Acne scars can take between six to 12 months to heal completely. During this process, the skin is attempting to repair itself using white blood cells and anti-inflammatory molecules. These cells are repairing the damaged tissue by flattening the damaged area. Sometimes the result is a visible discoloration of the skin, a permanent scar from acne. While the scar is healing, it's important to avoid squeezing or touching your face because bacteria can get into the scar and cause infection.
Things You'll Need
- Mild facial cleanser
- Clean face towel
- Multi-vitamins
- Retin-A
- Renova
- Clean cotton balls or cleaning pad
Instructions
-
-
1
Wash your face with a mild facial cleanser. Part of the healing process is making sure your face is bacteria-free. Wash your hands before touching your face with soap and warm water for 15 seconds. Push down twice on the facial cleanser dispenser and massage it into your face in a circular motion. Rinse your face with warm water, followed by splashing your face with cold water to close pores. Pat your face dry with a clean face towel. Repeat this process in the morning and evening.
-
2
Use topical creams on acne scars. According to the Mayo Clinic, Tretinoin and Differin are prescription medication used to treat acne by killing bacteria on the face and promote skin healing. Your doctor will tell you how often to use the medication. Closely follow instructions in order to improve your skin's condition.
-
-
3
Consider light therapy. Light therapy targets the dermis--the layer of skin underneath the top layer--in order to reduce the visible mark of scars and smooths the skin's texture. Light therapy also reduces the amount of bacterium in the skin that causes inflammation. The treatment prevents future acne from occurring while treating current acne scars, and requires having multiple therapy sessions for effectiveness. A full light therapy treatment can be expensive, so investigate this first and determine how much your insurance will cover, if anything.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Contrary to popular belief, applying essential oils to your scars can worsen your scar by causing an infection.
