Are you trying to eliminate or reduce the appearance of a scar? Whether the scar is old or new, certain essential oils will help you do this because they contain antibacterial, cicatrisant, and antioxidant properties that effectively treat skin conditions.
Essentials Oil Uses
Essential oil is therapeutic. It has been used for different purposes, including relieving the pain of migraines and headaches, improving sleep, boosting mood, and easing stress and anxiety. Essential oils can also help reduce different scars, including acne scars, keloid, surgery, and burn scars. The antibacterial properties in essential oils help reduce inflammation, heal wounds, and prevent scar tissue from forming.
Other compounds in oils stimulate the regeneration of the skin tissue. This allows your body to produce new cells to replace the old, damaged cells leaving your skin looking healthy and beautiful.
Essential oils are supposed to be applied directly to the skin. However, most of them need to be diluted first before using them. You can dilute essential oils by mixing them with carrier oils such as coconut, avocado, or almond oil.
Here are some of the essential oils you could use for your scars.
1. Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree essential oil is an effective treatment for scars that also boost skin health. It contains powerful antiseptic, antibacterial, and cicatrisant properties, which increase its healing capabilities. Tea tree oil accelerates the wound healing process, thereby preventing scars’ formation, and where scarring has happened already, reducing the severity of scars.
It also has antioxidant and regenerative compounds that help reduce blemishes and scars and improve your skin’s appearance. These compounds stimulate the growth of new healthy cells to replace the scarred skin cells. This helps to reduce the scar tissue by tightening and smoothing the skin.
Using tea tree oil regularly will significantly reduce the appearance of scars. However, it may take you at least a month of consistent use before you notice any change. Also, be careful when using this oil, especially if you have any allergies.
2. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil is one of the most widely used natural treatments for wounds and scars because of its antibacterial and antibiotic properties. You can apply it to fresh injuries, sores, and blisters to accelerate wound healing activity, cause the wounds to contract, and even prevent scar tissue formation.
It also has antioxidant compounds that help repair damaged tissue by stimulating the production of new and healthy skin tissue, mainly if used in the early stages of treatment. Therefore, you can apply it directly to existing scars to reduce their appearance and size.
Also, it has a pleasant smell and is gentle on the skin. Unlike other essential oils, you can apply it directly to your wounds and scars without diluting it with carrier oils.
3. Geranium Oil
Geranium essential oil is known for its cicatrisant properties. This means that it promotes the skin’s healing and regeneration, leaving you with healthy and radiant skin. It also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, which are suitable for wound healing activity.
It treats scars by reducing inflammation, promoting new skin tissue growth, and smoothing the skin appearance. If applied regularly, it will make your scars look less visible. It could take you at least a month to see any results, though.
Geranium has to be diluted at a 1 percent dilution rate using your carrier oil of preference. If you have blood pressure issues or are at risk of heart diseases, then you should exercise caution when using this oil.
4. Hyssop Oil
Hyssop essential oil has been used for many years to disinfect and clean wounds because of its antiseptic properties. It helps repair damaged skin and reduce the appearance of scars, and can even prevent scarring altogether.
Hyssop essential oil also has regenerative properties. It stimulates the formation of new skin cells, which will replace the dead scar tissue. If you use it consistently, you should be able to notice a reduction in the size and appearance of your scars within a few weeks.
Hyssop essential oil can be mixed with geranium and lavender oil to create a potent treatment for your wounds and scars. This oil is not recommended for people with epilepsy or hypertension.
5. Helichrysum Oil
Helichrysum essential oil has some powerful skin-healing properties, which is why it is considered an effective treatment for scars. It has antifungal and antibacterial compounds that help repair damaged skin.
Helichrysum oil also contains arzanol, an anti-inflammatory substance that plays a huge role in treating sores and preventing scars’ development. This oil also has antioxidant properties that promote new cells’ regeneration and prevent the formation of scars.
It also boosts the production of collagen, which promotes the production of new skin tissue. Just a few months of consistent daily use will give you noticeable results. This oil may cause sun sensitivity, so you need to be aware of this before you start using it.
6. Frankincense Oil
Frankincense essential oil is good for scars because it can lower inflammation and stimulate the skin’s regenerative process. It has also been found to be effective in preventing and fading old scars.
One of the active components of Frankincense oil is boswellic acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties. And because most scars are the result of inflammation, then combating inflammation is one of the best ways to prevent scars’ development. Frankincense oil will also soothe your skin, tighten it, and even out your skin tone, thereby reducing your scars’ visibility.
However, frankincense essential oil can irritate your skin and even cause abdominal issues. Also, you shouldn’t use it if you are on blood thinners.
7. Carrot Seed Oil
Carrot seed oil is extracted from the carrot plant and is a very effective treatment for scars. It is rich in antiseptic components that are excellent for healing the skin and getting rid of scars.
Carrot seed oil is also a good antioxidant because of its high concentration of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene. These ingredients stimulate collagen production, which is central to the regeneration of skin tissue.
Higher production of collagen stimulates the revival of your skin and reduces the severity of scars. This is why carrot seed oil is effective in the treatment of older scars.
Carrot seed essential oil also has antibacterial and antifungal properties that prevent scarring by helping wounds, sores, and blisters heal correctly. Research also shows that carrot oil can help block out dangerous UV rays that lead to dark spots and worsen scars’ appearance.
8. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus essential oil is produced by distilling the leaves of the Eucalyptus tree. It has been used over the years to treat many things, including scars. It has a high concentration of eucalyptol, which is a powerful healing compound.
When you apply this oil on wounds or scars, it forms a protective layer on the skin and promotes healing with its germicidal and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Eucalyptus oil also aids in the regeneration of new skin cells and tissue. Unlike many other oils, it can be taken orally. However, you need to consult your doctor or dermatologist before orally ingesting it or any other herbal oil for that matter.
9. Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli oil is also extracted by distilling the flowers of Neroli, a plant in the citrus family. It has many medicinal properties and is used to treat a myriad of skin conditions.
It has cicatrisant properties and also has a high concentration of antiseptic and antibacterial compounds. This makes it ideal for treating new or old wounds, thereby preventing or lowering scarring severity.
It also contains cytophylactic properties that stimulate new skin tissue regeneration for healthier and more radiant skin. Neroli oil also has compounds that reduce inflammation and numb pain and has a pleasant, calming smell.
You may start noticing a change after using it for a month. And because it comes from a hand-picked crop, Neroli oil is relatively highly-priced than other oils in the market.
10. Patchouli Essential Oil
Patchouli oil is also used to treat scars and is considered one of the best home treatments for acne, eczema, irritated, and cracked skin. It has cell rejuvenation properties that stimulate the production of new skin cells to replace damaged skin. This helps to lessen the appearance of scars or marks on the skin.
Patchouli oil also has antibacterial properties that promote wound healing and help prevent scarring if used in the early phases of treatment. It also has antiphlogistic properties meaning it can alleviate inflammation, which is behind many cases of scarring.
Conclusion
Using essential oils for treatment is a slow, gradual process. In most cases, it will take weeks or even months of consistent application before the results start showing. Also, be careful not to over-apply as this could lead to irritation and other skin complications. However, compared to other treatments, essential oils are relatively cheaper and readily available online and grocery stores.
