How can I Reduce Facial Scarring?

There are many ways to reduce facial scarring. You may try home remedies, for example, such as the application of lemon juice, vitamin E, or silicone sheets. If you do not obtain satisfactory results from such treatments, you may see a doctor for laser resurfacing or dermabrasion treatments. For more severe scarring that does not respond to such treatments, however, a doctor may recommend surgery.

Some people report they have experienced success treating facial scars with home remedies. For example, some people apply drops of lemon juice to scars left by acne pimples. Others state that applying vitamin E to scarred areas works as well. You may try either of these ideas for reducing facial scarring. They will usually require a commitment to long-term application, however. You may need to apply such home remedies every night, and you may not see results for several months.

You may also consider using silicone sheets to reduce raised types of facial scarring. Silicone sheets contain silicone gel on the side of the sheet that touches the skin. Typically, the other side is made of a whitish or transparent material. These sheets are said to be effective not only for reducing current raised scars but also preventing the development of new facial scarring. Most reports indicate that silicone sheets are useful for improving the look of raised scars rather than getting rid of them altogether.

Often, the best treatments for facial scarring are available from a doctor. For example, you may visit a doctor to receive laser resurfacing treatments. These treatments involve the use of lasers to apply heat to the second layer of skin and destroy the cells of the top layer. When the wound created by the laser heals, new skin develops and scarring appears diminished. You may also consider less-intense laser treatments that heat the second layer of skin without destroying the top layer.

Dermabrasion is another treatment that may prove effective for treating facial scarring. For this treatment, a doctor applies a rotating brush to the surface of the skin. Its rotations remove the top layer. As new skin forms, scars that were on the surface may be eliminated altogether. If you had deeper facial scarring, however, it may remain but appear diminished.

Sometimes surgery is used to reduce scarring. The type of surgery depends on the type of scarring, but some techniques are used to cut scarring away from the surrounding skin. In other cases, scars may be treated with steroid injections initially. If this does not significantly reduce scarring, a surgeon may cut the scarring away and then stitch the new wound shut. This probably won't eliminate all of the scarring, but it is usually effective for diminishing its appearance.