Here’s the Problem with Acne Scar Removal Home Remedies

Acne breakouts are frustrating enough without the acne scars that they leave behind— acne scars are nothing more than a reminder of where your active acne lesions had been.

Acne & Acne Scars

Acne happens when the pores on the skin become plugged with dirt, oil, and dead skin cells. This results in bacterial growth, triggering inflammation or the often pus-filled red bumps you know as pimples.

Acne may come in different levels of severity:

Mild Acne:  whiteheads or blackheads.  

Moderate Acne: red, inflamed pimples, and red pimples with white centres. 

Severe Acne: painful, pus-filled bumps under the skin.

Scarring is generally caused by the more severe forms of acne, with the bumps more likely to leave permanent scars. While there are plenty of home remedies advertised to treat acne scars, they are just not guaranteed to do the job and below are some reasons why:

Acne scars differ in severity

Most of the time, minor acne breakouts leave reddish to brownish acne marks that fade over time without the need for treatment. The recovery can also be sped up using topical products with ingredients like salicylic acid, retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), and lactic acid, which can help reduce the appearance of acne marks.

However, for atrophic, boxcar, icepick, and rolling scars, the dermatologist may recommend acne scar removal procedures that may include dermal fillers with needle subcision, fractional laser resurfacing, fractional RF Venus viva skin resurfacing, and Airjet. Dermal fillers in Singapore are often injected under the scar to raise it to the normal skin level whilst simultaneously doing needle subcision to break and release the underlying scar tissue.

Treating scars requires addressing the root cause

The best approach to acne scars is to get treatment for the root of the problem: acne. Of course, you’re less likely to have acne scars if you have less severe acne. No matter how tempting, avoid picking or popping an acne, it may irritate or damage the underlying tissue, which may lead to more acne or deeper scars.

Avoid loading up your face with home remedies like masks or creams as well—these may irritate your skin further, potentially causing more acne and making your scars even more noticeable.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to acne treatment

Safe and effective acne scar treatment starts with a consultation where your dermatologist will examine your skin and outline a recommended course of treatment based on your skin type and the extent of the scarring. This may include acne chemical peels, acne laser pigmentation, Intense Pulsed Light among other skin restoration procedures.

An experienced aesthetic doctor or skin doctor will know the appropriate and effective procedure for you, without increasing the risks of permanent scarring, hyperpigmentation, or infection. While some over-the-counter products may claim guaranteed efficacy, that’s just not always the case.

Many years of rigorous training and upskilling go into understanding different skin types to provide the best treatment for your skin woes—these are the skills and professional knowledge you wouldn’t get when you resort to acne scar removal home remedies.

At Shiro Aesthetic Clinic, our acne scar removal treatments in Singapore are delivered by professional medical aesthetic doctors who use clinically proven modern equipment to offer safe and effective solutions for your acne scars.

Contact us for more details or to schedule an appointment with our doctors.