Vitamin E refers to a group of fat-soluble compounds found in the body. It is also referred to as tocopherol in some products.
It is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and can therefore be very useful in scar treatment. Vitamin E also accelerates wound healing and will add vitality and elasticity to the skin.
Does Vitamin E For Scars Really Work?
Well, this is a question whose answer many want to uncover. Firstly, Vitamin E is very beneficial for your skin and in the scars’ healing process. Although there is still no consensus among medical experts, there are many scientific studies whose findings support the use of Vitamin E as a treatment for scars.
Applying Vitamin E for scars before and after surgery is effective in preventing the formation of scar tissue. Also, there have been reported cases of the positive transformation that results from the topical application of vitamin E on acne scars.
In a study that was done on children with surgical scars, researchers established that those who had applied vitamin E on their healing scars at least three times a day did not get extra scarring tissue. This led to the conclusion that the topical use of vitamin E reduces the severity of scarring.
Another study published in a medical journal sought to establish the effects of applying Vitamin E on scars. Vitamin E was applied on the scar thrice a day for at least 15 days before the surgery and twice a day for at least 30 days after scar surgery. The researchers found out that those who did that faithfully reported positive results.
However, a lot of research is still being done to establish the benefits of using Vitamin E products on scar treatment.
Benefits of Vitamin E on Scars
On its own, vitamin E does not remove scars, but it works in various ways to ensure fewer scars’ visibility and boost your skin’s health.
1. Hydrates Your Skin
Vitamin E has many hydrating and moisturizing properties. It works by blocking the cracks in your skin barrier that may be caused by irritation or inflammation. This traps moisture and keeps it from escaping, thus leaving your skin hydrated.
Hydration helps in the repair of the skin tissue and even makes scars less visible. It also reduces itching and flaking due to dryness making your scars less prominent for smoother and softer skin.
2. Has Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties
Vitamin E also contains anti-inflammatory properties, which provide relief against inflammation and reduce the scarring’s redness. And because inflammation is the main cause of scarring, countering its severity effectively prevents scar formation or at least reduces the severity of scarring.
Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant. It protects the skin cells from damage by reducing free radicals’ proliferation, damaging your cells and shortening their lifespan. Using vitamin E on your scars increases blood flow to the scar tissue, minimizing its appearance and enabling the scar tissue to blend more easily into a new skin.
3. Boost Collagen Production
Vitamin E also aids in the production of collagen. This is the connective tissue, which plays a huge role in strengthening your skin, providing it with the firmness and elasticity it needs for healthy functioning.
Using Vitamin E leads to extra collagen production, which translates to healthier skin and less visible scars.
4. Promotes Wound Healing
Vitamin E also accelerates wound healing. It does this by fighting the formation of free radicals, which interfere with healing.
By enabling wounds to heal properly, vitamin E helps in preventing scar formation.
Sources of Vitamin E
1. Topical Vitamin E
Vitamin E is readily available and widely used as an ointment to be applied to skin scarred areas. This compound is one of the most used ingredients in many skincare products, such as lotion with Vitamin E for scars , moisturizers, gels, sunscreens, and even makeup. It is available in different concentrations and, therefore, important to get those creams with high concentrations for more effective results on your scars.
When applied topically, it absorbs into the skin easily and is stored within the skin tissue. Skincare products that are enriched with vitamin E help to minimize the skin damage that is caused by UV radiation. This helps to protect the scarred areas of your skin from discoloration.
The compound is also available as pure essential oil and can be applied directly to the skin. But is Vitamin E oil good for scars? Well, when used alone, the oil forms a thick and hard layer on the skin. This is why it is an excellent moisturizer for dry and scarred areas of skin.
One interesting thing about the pure vitamin E oil is, in addition to applying it to your scars, you can also use it in combination with your body lotions, or even with other scar treatments for the best results.
However, you need to exercise caution when using this treatment topically. High doses of vitamin E can irritate.
It should also be used sparingly on some parts of the skin that have high concentrations of the same vitamin, such as the face and shoulders. Focus more on the dry and scarred areas. Also, be patient as the results may take weeks or even months to start showing.
2. Vitamin E Supplements
Vitamin E can also be found as a supplement in the form of capsules or tablets. These tablets and capsules can be taken orally. The Vitamin is then delivered to the skin tissue through oily secretions produced by sebaceous glands.
If you do not want to take the capsules orally, you may decide to break them open and apply the Vitamin directly to your scars.
Vitamin E supplements are very effective in the treatment of severe skin damage. When taken in the recommended dosages, they accelerate the healing process of wounds.This in return minimizes scarring.
These supplements are, however, not recommended for people with oily skin. This is because oily skins usually have higher concentrations of vitamin E.
Also, please note that if taken in large doses, vitamin E supplements can prevent blood clotting, which could lead to serious bleeding.
3. Dietary Vitamin E
There is a wide variety of foods that are rich in Vitamin E. They include vegetable oils like wheat germ and sunflower oils. Green vegetables and nuts such as almonds, peanuts, and hazelnuts also have high Vitamin E levels.
Dietary Vitamin E offers the same benefits for your scars as that of topical products and supplements.
How to Use Vitamin E For Scars
It is clear by now that Vitamin E can be an excellent element for scars treatment. The most common way of treating scars with vitamin E is through topical application. Rub the Vitamin E cream or oil on new and old scars to:
- Reduce their appearance
- Minimize discoloration
- Improve the overall appearance of the scarred area of skin
You can also apply it on new-formed wounds to prevent or reduce scarring. Remember, Vitamin E capsules can also be broken and applied directly to scars or wounds.
And, as with any other skincare cream, before applying Vitamin E, carefully clean the scarred area or wound. This is to ensure that no bacteria are trapped around the scarred or injured area. Since Vitamin E contains zero antifungal or antibacterial properties, remember to use soap to ensure the area is infection-free.
When it comes to Vitamin E oil application, do a patch test first because it is more potent than the ointment. Apply a small amount of the oil to an area of your skin that is hidden. Wait for at least a day or two to see what will happen.
If it doesn't react against your skin, then you can apply it to the scarred area. You should use a cotton swab instead of your bare hands when applying this oil. Also, do not rub it onto the injured area or scar. A light coating is enough.
You can cover the affected area if you're worried that the oil might seep into the fabric. However, do not leave the area covered for long, to prevent bacteria build-up.
The oil should remain on the affected area for not less than four hours, before rinsing it with water. Do this for a whole week, repeating the procedure once or twice in a day, and you’ll certainly see the changes on the wound. For old scars, you may have to do it for a few months to achieve the best results.
To make it more effective, you can mix a few drops of this oil with thick moisturizing cream. This boosts the cream’s moisturizing effect and prevents any potential irritation.
Conclusion on Vitamin E for Scars
Vitamin E will not eliminate your scars completely, but it will help to make them less visible. Also, when applied to wounds or sores, it will reduce inflammation and prevent scars from forming.
You may decide to use Vitamin E topically on your scars and wounds, or you might incorporate it into your diet. Either way, you will be able to enjoy the healing effect of Vitamin E on scars. We hope that this guide on Vitamin E for scars, has shed more light on how to use the compound to treat those scars.
