How to get rid of old scars on face

What if I have older scars?

Of course, the younger the scar, the easier it is to treat, but even a young scar may not fully disappear, although it can definitely become barely visible. Hypertrophic scars (thickened, wide, often raised) usually appear several weeks after wounding and may fade on their own to some extent but keloid scars (smooth, hard and outside the boundaries of the wound) appear later on and might grow indefinitely [7]. These two types of scars are the results of an abnormal response during healing [8]. Contracture scars also develop over time especially when the injury, typically a burn, occurred on or close to a joint [4].

The same treatments are used for young and old scars but it is likely that the longer you wait before treating your scar, the more effort and time will be needed in order to obtain visible results, as already described in one instance [9].

Some of the available solutions are invasive, and only accessible to you through a dermatologist or even a plastic surgeon, however there are many easily available over-the-counter products that can help. These include, but are not limited to aloe vera, green tea or onion extract such as Mederma® scar treatments.

Treating an old scar does not differ much from treating a new scar. The notable difference will be the duration of treatment. The recommended treatment period with any of the Mederma® scar treatment products can be up to 6 months, or 8 weeks for new scars. During application, don’t hesitate to massage your scar as you would do for a new one. Older scars may feel stiffer, so massaging them can relieve some of the tension and help them restore suppleness [7].

The expected duration of treatment is definitely something you should keep in mind and it is therefore very important that you choose the one that suits your lifestyle best so that the treatment does not feel too burdensome. Scar treatment in general can be a long process, even more so for older scars. Patience and perseverance are key, but it is likely that the look and feel of your scars will improve along the way.

A scar is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces the actual skin that was damaged or removed. Scars are actually biological repairs of the skin that goes under different processes. The skin repair process is conducted by tissues of the body. You can say that having scars is a part of healing the body naturally.

People Frequently Ask

People ask that are scars permanent? The answer is very long so, stay with us; there are different kinds of scars and they can occur differently and since they occur differently, only because of this, it can be determined that whether the scar is here to stay or will it fade away.

Also, the damage on the skin also depends a lot on the repairing of the skin. Let’s say that you had a light skin burn while turning on the stove, that scar will go away. But if you were cutting a turkey for thanksgiving and cut your hand or finger, that scar will not be going easily or forever.

People also say that they have used some cold sore scar Mederma creams or got different cold sore scar treatments and they got the scars to go away. But knowing about scars can be very complicated. 

Why Scars Won’t Go

Because there are different scenes:

  • If the skin is sensitive, the scar will most probably be staying.
  • Maybe if they treat the skin with different medication it will be removed.
  • If the skin is rough, the scar can go away.
  • And if the scar doesn’t go, maybe the creams will affect or not.

So, you see how scars can become a mystery. There are people who try to get the scar removed from the laser which is painful, but there are people who only use creams or do home remedies and these things turn out to be the best treatments for cold sore scar removal.

Reasons That Some Scars Won’t Go

Like we said in the paragraph above that skin and scars can be very complicated. But the skin specialists and the dermatologists say that following are the reasons that have become confirmed reasons that scars don’t leave:

  • Poor Circulation: here we are talking about blood circulation. The tissues that repair the damaged skin, when they don’t get enough blood, they don’t work well. Blood is like a fuel to the tissues. 

But if you have poor blood circulation, have yourself checked as soon as possible because this a clear sign of heart disease.

  • Infection: having infection inside the wound in the most common type of problems when the scars don’t heal. For example, you have gotten yourself cut when you were cutting an apple, and you left it open saying that it is not much, it will heal itself.

But this is where you thought wrong, because air has germs and bacteria and when they will definitely see an open wound and attack it.

  • Edema: this problem can be related to poor circulation. Because if your veins have a blood clot in it, they will reduce the flow of the blood and this will not pump the tissues and you are left with a scar.
  • Protein Malnutrition: proteins are important for your body and with proteins, all your body will be functioning. But if your body doesn’t have enough protein, how will your body repair itself or do any of the things for that matter.

That is why if your body doesn’t have the right amount of proteins, it will not heal and that is why even the minor scars will be left permanent.

  • Repetitive trauma to the wound: if you get a cut again in the same place you already have a cut then it can become permanent. The worst are the scar on lip from a cold sore, they leave after a very long time. 

They can be treated with different cold sore scar treatments.

Home Remedies for Removing Scars

Follow different remedies for getting those scars removed for good:

  • Aloe Vera: get an Aloe Vera plant and remove the dark green skin off of it and below the skin, there will be an almost transparent green gel. Apply it on scars. Aloe Vera is recommended by many skin specialists. Do this every day and keep applying it until the scar is gone.
  • Vitamin E: get vitamin E capsules from any pharmacy and cut open it and squeeze the oil on the skin. Use 2 capsules; one in the morning and once at night. Keeping doing this till the scar has gone.
  • Honey: before you go to bed, apply honey on the scar and cover it with a bandage. Leave it all night just as it is and wash it in the morning. You have to keep doing that till the scar gives up.
  • Coconut oil: heat the oil just a little bit and apply on the scar and leave it to absorb. Do this as much as you can all day and night.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: follow the procedure as it is written, add 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with distilled water, the water should be 2 tablespoons. Dip a ball of cotton in the solution.

Now dab that on the scar and leave it be. Repeat this in your free time and keep doing this till the scar fades away.

  • Lavender and Olive Oil: only do these steps, add three drops of lavender essential oil with three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Apply on the scar and let it absorb it in the skin. 

Or if you want to go outside, rinse it with warm water. Repeat this until the scar goes away forever.

  • Lemon: cut lemon from the middle, apply the juice of the lemon and let it dry. Keeping doing this till the scar is gone. 

What We Think

All these remedies take time and they have no side effects and they are tested and safe.  

Can old facial scars be removed?

Scars cannot be removed completely, but they can often be made less visible. A GP may refer you to a dermatologist (skin specialist) or a plastic surgeon for treatment. Some treatments, such as laser therapy and steroid injections, are not widely available on the NHS, so you'll need to pay for them privately.

Can old scars still be removed?

The reality is, once a scar forms, there is no way to entirely remove it. Any product or procedure that says it will completely heal your scar should be purchased with caution. Luckily, many scars will fade over time. You may notice that the scar you attained many years ago is nothing but a thin white line now.

How can I permanently remove old scars?

Laser Therapy An intense pulse of light is used to cause minor damage to the skin and stimulate healing and collagen production. We can use laser treatments to remove and reduce the appearance of a variety of scars on the face and body. Acne scars, scars, stretch marks, and keloids can all benefit from laser therapy.

How can I remove scars from my face?

Acne scars: What's the best treatment?.
Home skin care. Using sunscreen can help limit the contrast between unscarred skin and a scar. ... .
Soft tissue fillers. ... .
Steroid injection. ... .
Laser resurfacing. ... .
Other energy-based procedures. ... .
Dermabrasion. ... .
Chemical peel. ... .
Skin needling..