Like all other teenage girls, my first acne popped up when I was 15, and since then, my life has never been the same!
You never know when and where an acne would come and land on your face. You might have a party this weekend, and a clear skin by day before, and a brand-new zit would mark its appearance the same day!
Like everyone else, I was irritated and terrified, and this is what you expect from a 15 years age old girl, right?
I was embarrassed to go to the school and parties because looking beautiful and presentable all the time was way too important as a teenage girl.
Having pimples and acne at that age is mainly due to the changes in the hormonal balance of our body.
But, the real issue starts when acne do not go off completely and keep on appearing every now and then, even after the teenage phase is over.
The same situation happened with me. The worst part was that acne started to leave scars behind and believe me, for any girl, it is not less than a nightmare.
After that started a nonstop process of trying a number of remedies to cure those scars and acne. I still remember how tormenting the whole process was.
Some remedies were ineffective, while the effect of a few lasted for a small period of time. All in all, I can say that there was a point that I had accepted that my acne scars are not going to go completely, ever!
But don't worry, ultimately all my patience and labor paid off and eventually all the scars faded from my face.
In this article, I will tell you about the remedies which helped me to get rid of those scary scars.
Why Do We Get Acne Scars?
From my personal experience, I can say that one of the most important way to get rid of acne scars is to know the real reason behind them. Knowing the root cause helps you to cure it completely.
The basic reason as to why we get acne is due to the hormonal changes in our body. But the scientific and explanatory reason is explained as follows:
- Our body has hair follicles and so has our face. These contain oil glands named as sebaceous glands.
- Now, these oil glands basically secrete an oil which lubricates our skin and the hair follicles present on it. The amount of oil secreted is appropriate most of the time and does not lead to any kind of problem.
- But, as our body grows and matures, due to certain hormone imbalances, this debacle gland starts to produce more oil than required by our skin and the hair follicles.
- As a result, the pores present in the face get clogged due to the excess secretion of oil and dead skin cells.
- This leads to trapping of bacteria inside the pores. The bacteria is known as Propionibacterium and is responsible for causing acne. This leads to swelling and redness over a small portion of the skin, known as acne.
- Few pores open very deep in the skin and this causes nodules. This may lead to cyst which are often bigger than the usual pimples or acne.
Difference between Acne Scars and Marks
We often take acne scars and marks as same. But, no they are not.
- The most basic difference between them is that the acne marks are 'dark in color and flat in shape', while the acne scars are 'light in color but indented'.
- Acne scars are completely visible under direct light and are noticeable. On the other hand, due to their flat shape, the acne marks can be hidden behind makeup.
- In terms of visibility, acne marks are more visible on the bare skin due to their dark color. And, the acne scars are not noticeable until one stares at them from very close.
- Acne marks may be red to brown in color while, acne scars are basically orange-ish in color.
- Acne scars can be permanent until you get a laser treatment for them. On the other hand, acne marks tend to fade away slowly on their own. Just don't give much attention to them, and they won't certainly bother you.
So, How Long Do Acne Scars Take to Heal?
In general, there are 2 factors that determine how soon acne would fade away:
Type Of Acne
One of the most basic factors determining the time any acne scar would take to fade away is its type.
If the scar is raised, bumpy or a little indented then, I would advise you to have patience with such types of acne.
These acne are the ones which leave behind scars that do not fade away very easily.
As a matter of fact, one has to undergo various treatments and consult a good dermatologist in order to get rid of these scars.
On the other hand, if the acne is flat and light red in color then, there is hope. Yes, these kind of acne generally leave behind very light scars.
These can be easily treated by following a few home remedies only.
Skin Type
As mentioned earlier that excessive secretion of oil by the sebaceous glands is responsible for causing acne.
Thus, if your skin is oily, then that could be a problem. It takes more time for an acne scar to fade from an oily skin.
On the other, acne scars fade away faster on a dry skin when compared to that of on an oily skin.
This is because the acne won't get any kind of catalyst in the form of oil on a dry skin to breed and leave dark scars behind.
Tip: Don’t apply any product or use any home remedy on the acne scars and acne, unless you have a complete and correct knowledge about it. There are instances where people out of curiosity apply certain products on acne which leads to dark acne scars at a later stage. Don't touch them with dirty hands, in fact, don't touch them at all.
Ways to Heal Your Acne
There are a number of ways I came across which are effective in curing acne. Some of the best ways are mentioned below:
Laser treatment
Laser treatment can be attributed as one of the fastest ways to get rid of acne and acne scars. It is better for people who are squeamish about blood. The basic ideology involved in this process is that during the procedure, the hemoglobin present in the blood is heated in capillaries present in beneath the skin layer.
The heating process deprives the top layer of the skin from oxygen. Due to this, this layer sloughs. This gives a fresh skin. Laser treatment is not a onetime process. You need to visit your dermatologist a number of times in order to get rid of the scars or acne completely from the root.
Tip: The darker and sensitive your skin is, the less are the chances that the treatment will turn out to be successful.
Over-the-counter products
One of the latest methods which has become quite popular these days and that which helps to heal acne is the use of certain products. These products basically include a set of foams, gels, and lotions which are best to cure acne that are mild to moderate in nature.
These products show effect based on their active ingredients and in different ways. But, all of them work with the single aim to kill the bacteria that are responsible for causing acne and clear out the excess oil from the skin. This gives fresh skin a chance to grow in the place of the old one.
Fillers
Now-a-days dermal fillers are attributed to be a great way to get rid of the acne and the acne scars. They prove to be very effective in healing the acne scars and boxcar scars. The process of having filler treatment is not that painful and the end result is always phenomenal.
Your dermatologist will recommend you the dosage of the filler depending upon the physiology of your face.
DIY treatments
One of my friends only relied on DIY methods only in order to get rid of her acne. And, guess what? They were effective.
Some of the major treatment include:
- Use some apple cider vinegar to apply on your acne. They have the ability to kill the bacteria which caused the initial problem.
- Applying a mask of honey mixed with cinnamon powder proves very helpful as well. Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties, which helps to stop the breeding of bacteria which causes acne, etc.
Surgery
People usually go for surgery in the worst case scenarios only. It is recommended for those who have serious dermatological issues regarding acne and cannot be treated by any other method or when there is stubborn breakout of acne.
Several types of surgery are- laser surgery, chemicals surgery, intralesional injections and so on. It is not as scary as it sounds, but a process that requires patience.
10 Mistakes to Avoid In Order to Make Your Acne Scars Heal Faster
It took a long time for me to get rid of my acne because in the initial stage lack of knowledge about it deteriorated the case.
But, I have learned with my mistakes and following are the 10 major mistakes which must be avoided in order to make scars heal faster:
- Don't let the affected area remain dry for a longer period of time.
- Avoid having oysters, as they have high level of iodine which worsens the case.
- Don't touch the affected area with dirty hands.
- Do not squeeze the acne. This is one mistake which almost all of us make, but DON'T DO IT.
- Stick to one treatment or DIY method to treat your acne at a time, don't change it every day.
- Don't use strong cleansers. Go for mild ones.
- Do not over-scrub your face while applying any kind of over-the-counter products.
- Always consult a doctor before using any product.
- Do not pick or pop your face as it prolongs the healing time and leave behind scars.
- Don't over-use or under-use any medication that your dermatologist has recommended to you.
Effective Home Remedies To Fade Away Acne Scars
Opting for home remedies for mild acne scars is the best. They are effective and you don't have to rely on medicines or other chemical treatments.
Some of the effective home remedies include-
Milk And Honey
Directions
- Take some yogurt (which should be at room temperature) and 1 tablespoon honey.
- Mix these two ingredients properly.
- Apply it to the marks with help of a cotton pad.
Papaya
Directions
- Peel a ripped papaya and mash it properly.
- Clean your face and apply the paste.
- Leave it to dry for some time. Rinse with lukewarm water.
- Apply a good moisturizer if your skin is dry.
Coconut Oil
Directions
- Dip your finger in coconut oil, which should be at room temperature and massage it over your face.
- Move your hands in circular motion in order to massage the face.
- Apply coconut oil night before sleeping.
- Wash your face properly in the morning.
Cucumber
Directions
- Cucumber being hydrating in nature, contains vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium and helps in healing scars.
- Cut some thin slices of a cucumber and put them over the scarred areas.
- Lie down, relax for some time and let the cucumber work.
Conclusion
I have come across many people who have had serious issues due to pimples and acne. Like me, all of them not only suffered physically but emotionally as well. Having acne scars can take away a lot of your confidence in day to day life.
But it's high time to take things seriously and take some actions as well. Don't sit idle, do something in order to get rid of those scars. You can start with tested and tried methods which I mentioned above.