Top Home Remedies for Reducing Acne Scars

By Romulus Banciu

You've successfully treated your acne and there's only one thing left to deal with - acne scars.

If you experienced severe acne then it probably left some scarring on your skin. Acne scars are as unattractive as the acne itself so if you're looking for effective ways to reduce yours, here are a few natural home remedies you can concoct right in the comfort of your own home.

Sandalwood and Rosewater Paste

Both sandalwood and rosewater have cooling and soothing effects on the skin so they are effective ingredients for treating scars.

Just mix the 2 ingredients together to make a paste then apply to affected area. If you are applying the paste during the day, leave it on for more than an hour but if you're using it at night, allow the paste overnight if possible.

Wash thoroughly with warm water then pat dry with a clean towel.

Olive oil

Olive oil, aside from making our food more delicious, has plenty of health benefits. It does wonders for the skin including reducing acne marks.

Once a day, massage a little bit of olive oil onto the affected areas until you see the prominence of your acne scars have reduced. The olive oil will help moisturize your skin as an added bonus.

Ice cubes

Did you know that ice is an effective ingredient for acne treatment? Ice helps lessen skin inflammation, reduces the size of the pores and helps the skin smoother.

Because it is a quick relief, plenty of people also use it to reduce their scars produced by acne.

What you can do is wrap a few ice cubes inside a piece of a clean hand towel and gently rub it into affected areas for about 10-15 minutes each day.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is known for its healing properties, helping treat many types of wounds and scars including acne scars.

Aside from being an effective ingredient for treating and preventing acne, Aloe Vera is also often used to get rid of scars caused by acne.

Apply Aloe Vera juice on affected area on a regular basis. Allow the juice to dry before washing it off with lukewarm water.

Tomato and Cucumber face mask

Tomatoes and cucumbers both have essential vitamins and nutrients that are good for the skin so when combined, it will make a refreshing face mask that can help reduce acne scars.

Dice both tomato and cucumber then puree to make a mixture. Use enough of the mixture to cover your whole face. Leave for 15-20 minutes before washing off with water. This healthy mixture will help tighten your pores, give it a soft texture and will lessen the visibility of your scars.

Refreshing face mask

For this mask, use 1 tbsp. of sour cream, 1 tbsp. of oatmeal and 1 tbsp. of yogurt. Mix the 3 ingredients together then add a few drops of lemon juice. Apply the mixture on your face. Leave for about 10 minutes then rinse off. This is an effective mask that will help erase your acne scars.

If these tips were helpful, then check out the Clear Skin HQ website. You fill find more ways to clear acne scars as well as get rid of your acne once and for all.

Acne Medication: Severe Side Effects and Alternatives

By Amee LaTour

Accutane is a medication prescribed to people for the treatment of severe acne. It is usually used for cases of nodular acne, which is characterized by the formation of large, hard bumps caused by excess oil production deep within the skin.

Oil glands that attach to hair follicles in the skin produce oil that normally travels up the follicle to lubricate the skin. When excess oil is produced, the oil may not make it up the follicle and may form a lump deep beneath the skin. This is exacerbated by an accumulation of dead skin cells inside the follicle. Bacteria buildup contributes to the formation of nodular acne as well. The hard lumps cannot be popped like normal pimples, and attempts to pop them can lead to scarring. Nodular acne tends to be painful.

Oil production is the skin is generally thought to be precipitating by hormones. This is why acne is common among teens, pregnant women and women just before their periods; hormones are fluctuating at these times. However, a consistent hormonal imbalance or hereditary factor can lead to persistent acne.

Nodular acne is particularly stubborn and often doesn't respond to regular treatments like topical creams or antibiotics. These, of course, should be tried before more aggressive and expensive treatments are considered. Many turn to Accutane for treatment because, according to WebMD.com, it has an 80% success rate. A round of treatment with the drug is usually 3-6 months. It is important to understand the many risks associated with Accutane. Its array of severe side effects make it a last resort treatment.

Accutane Side Effects

When reading a list of side effects for this medication, you might not believe it is an acne medication derived from vitamin A. The following is a partial list of side effects associated with the drug.

Psychosis
Depression
Suicide/Suicidal Ideation
Severe Skin Reaction
Pancreatitis
Liver Damage/Failure
Severe Back Pain (particularly among pediatric patients)
Bone Fractures
Impaired Healing
Seizure
Severe Birth Defects if Pregnant

Birth defects associated with the drug are prevalent enough that female patients must pledge to use two different forms of birth control while taking it.

For more side effects and contraindications, see http://www.rxlist.com/accutane-drug/warnings-precautions.htm.

Why would anyone risk these things for clear skin? It is important to recognize that acne can be painful emotionally as well as physically. For some people, the distress of persistent acne can be sufficient to warrant such risks. However, there are other treatments that should be tried first. Again, this drug should only be a last resort.

Alternatives

When nodular acne flares up, you can opt to receive "acne surgery," which consists of draining the nodules. This procedure can help prevent recurrent flares, as the bumps often reoccur in the same location. Many insurance companies cover this procedure.

Another option is an anti-inflammatory injection, which generally shrinks the nodule down within 5 days. This likely prevents any type of scarring. Insurance may cover this treatment as well.

Photodynamic therapy (PTD) is a new treatment for severe acne as well as superficial skin cancer. It is a form of light therapy that destroys bacteria that may cause inflammatory acne. PTD is a non-invasive treatment and may be covered by insurance. According to Cancer.org, it has no long-term risks and may be safely repeated a number of times. It can be used to precisely target acne sites. See customer reviews for this form of treatment at http://www.realself.com/Photodynamic-Therapy/reviews.

Whether or not to assume the risks of Accutane is a personal decision that should be based on a firm understanding of those risks. Every alternative should be tried before resorting to this medication.

Safe choices for pain management solutions exist. Educate yourself in alternative solutions for back pain management. Please ask questions, give comments or stories related to this article submission regarding back pain management.